Shaoxing in East China's Zhejiang province will open five former residences of famous personalities to the public in 2022, according to a three-year plan released last year.

Shaoxing currently has over 100 historic residences that were once occupied by iconic figures like Wang Xizhi, the most prominent figure in the history of Chinese calligraphy, and Lu Xun, one of China's most influential writers.

According to the plan, the city will have complete archives of the existing residences, renovate over 20 residences that are in poor condition, and open more than 20 valuable residences to the public by 2023.

The former residences that are inhabited by owners who are not relatives of the celebrities will be purchased to afford the properties better protection. Those inhabited by the celebrities' descendants will not be eligible for this policy.

Local authorities will nominate the former residence of the late Premier Zhou Enlai and the former residence of Yu Xiusong, one of the first members of the Communist Party of China, for consideration to be listed as key cultural relic protection sites.

The former family residence of Zhou was home to 17 generations and is also a representative building of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1636-1912) dynasties. It was listed as a Zhejiang key cultural relic protection site in 1997.

The former residence of Yu is a typical Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) building where Yu spent his youth. It was listed as a Zhejiang key cultural relic protection site in 2005 before it was developed into a provincial patriotism education base.

"These sites are the cultural roots and soul of Shaoxing. The plan will activate them and help tell Shaoxing stories in a better way," said He Junjie, director of the municipal bureau of culture, radio, and tourism.