In the German National Archives, a piece of news related to films, “Films to Be Played in Qingdao”was recorded in Qingdao Sin Pao, a daily newspaper written in the German language on June 12th, 1907, and it has attracted a lot of attention. However in 2016, this obscure message has changed the destiny of a 100-year-old national-treasure historical building in Qingdao to everyone’s surprise.

    The former site of “Seeanshaus” (Seaman Club) located on No. 17 Road Hubei, is under the spotlight of the Chinese film industry in 2016. Under the professional verification of China Film Association and China Film Museum, 13 authoritative experts in the film history, this place has been finally confirmed as the earliest well-retained existing commercial film-playing site in China. This 114-year-old building with the style of German neo-Renaissance will be revived with films at the end of this June or on early July and have more powerful functions.

    Verification: A pieces of report on Daily News in German opens up the film playing history of Qingdao

    Now the first Chinese cinema universally recognized in the field is the Shanghai Hongkou Film Theater. However, the Qingdao Seaman Club located on No. 17 Road Hubei, in Shinan District, Qingdao rewrote this official verification in the early summer of 2016.

    The former site of the Qingdao Seaman Club is one of 18 national key cultural relic protection sites in Qingdao. According to verification, it was invested in by Germany Kiel Navy Club Company and designed by prince Heinrich personally; it was put into formal use in 1902, the initial functions of which are providing leisure and recreation to German seamen and ground crew residing in Qingdao. After 1914, the place has been successively used as the headquarters of Japanese residents in Qingdao and American seaman club. After the liberation, it was turned into related governmental institutions.

    On the “Verification Conference of Film Historical Value of Qingdao Seaman Club by Professional Experts” held on May 22nd, the Qingdao Urban Development Group, the proprietor of this building, presented the related evidence and data from German, Japan and many Chinese national and local film archives institutions to the 13 domestic authoritative film history experts, including thousands of word materials and over 700 pictures. Finally the conclusion has been made that Qingdao has the earliest existing commercialfilm-playing site in China.

    In 1907, inQingdao Sin Pao, published in German, besides a news report on film disclosing which films would be played in Qingdao, a true advertisement was also published on the same type of newspaper on September 4thabout“Films are Played at 6:30 every evening in Seaman Club”. In the same year on August 9th, there was ticket price information on the open ticket sale by the Seaman Club published on Jiaozhou Newspaper that said “Ticket Price: 25 Cents for Booking and 30 Cents for Cash”.

    From 1907 to 1914, the same film played by the Seaman Club was put on in circle in three public facilities less than 1km far away including Prince Heinrich Restaurant, Jiaozhou Hotel and Auditorium of Germany-Chinese University (Deutsch-ChinesischeHochschule), which can be called the earliest “Bicycle Print”. This also provides certain historical evidence for the Chinese initial cinemas.

    Renovation: Restoration of ceiling lamps and retain the original style with utmost efforts

    The basic principle of renovating these cultural relics located on No. 17, Road Hubei is strictly rebuilding according to the old styles.

    On May 27th,the reporter stood in the lobby on the first floor of this three-floored seaman club with timber structure. As Shao Mingxin, the general manager of Qingdao Real Estate Operation Company, pointed, two pre-formed circular holes on the wooden porch-shaped ceilings have unpredictable mysteries. This is the position where two ceiling lamps were installed when the old building was completed in 1902. In the process of renovation, the working staffs found on the attic on the third floor the chains used to tract these two-drop lamps. The chain gadget and ceiling lamps with the history of over 100 years old are both well conserved.

    It is definitely not an easy job to keep faithfully the old style. Above the attic of this building with an area of 4,607 square meters and the style of German neo-renaissance lurks a small room. This is the most remarkable architectural style of any German building. In Qingdao at the early 20th century, its red slant roof can be seen on the beach and it is also the highest point among the coastline of this city, a secret private sanctuary to listen to the voice of God.

    Utilization: transformed into the film museum with favorable conditions, films with virtual reality technology will be played

    How can the building be protected, utilized, and operated after renovation? According to Han Mingsheng, the general manager of the Qingdao Urban Development Group Co., Ltd., No. 17 Road Hubei will be transformed into a comprehensive platform of Qingdao film and cultural innovative industry that will be named 1907 Film Cultural Innovation Base. Its main cultural functions will be restored. In addition, a film-themed museum and a new urban cultural landmark will be created by centering on the original sections including the initial cinema museum, film music theater, laser digital cinema, filmmaker-hatching center and film culture lecture room.

    The entire third floor will be converted into a museum of films produced during theearly period. The 1907 Film Cultural Innovation Base will set up a video hall where small-scale private customized film watching and experience activity can be held and the exhibited films in international film festivals such as Cannes and Berlin will be introduced.