CHINA, NATIONAL, SOCIETY, Commentary: Love Beijing, Love its History
By Lylian Chen
I told one of my foreign friends, as we were wandering around HouHai Lake, that there were many Hutongs in the area typical of the ancient Beijing city. But he replied: "I am afraid this area is too commercial now. Beijing is no longer what it was like twenty years ago."
I felt embarrassed. What kind of Beijing city should we have? Beijing is one of the most prominent ancient cities in the world and a symbol of Chinese culture. But what kind of appearance should this city exhibit to the modern world?
In the latter half of the last century, China changed rapidly, resulting in changes to its capital, the city of Beijing. The city wall, which used to be known as "the necklace of China," was totally torn down. More and more Hutongs were replaced by lifeless skyscrapers. Except for the Forbidden City, sitting lonely in the center of the city, Beijing has become increasingly similar to many other cosmopolitan areas at the expense of its own charming features.
Many renowned architects tried to prevent this. Liang Sicheng was one of them. He claimed the old city was a treasure owned by the entire human race and shouldn't be demolished casually. But what they did proved to be of little help. The ancient remains disappeared, together with their place in Chinese history and Chinese culture.
However, we have to thank the 2008 Olympic games. It will not only boost our economy, but also give us a chance to reconsider our traditional culture, especially the magnificent character of Beijing, and present it to the whole world. In this way, what will follow are the projects best reflecting the city's history, such as reconstructions of the YongDing Gate and the Yu River watercourse, and even renovations of the Palace Museum.
It seems that Beijing City is gradually taking on a look of what it was decades or even centuries ago. Some people have begun to doubt: If we are going to rebuild the Hutongs and such, why are we demolishing them at the same time? Some experts have pointed out that no matter how exquisite the reconstructions are, they are no longer historical relics, but comparatively valueless reproductions. Some even argued that such projects should not have been started at all. They said if we could not recreate history, then keep it as it is like the Old Summer Palace.
Such debate will continue throughout the rebuilding process. It's hard to tell who is right, but it is a good lesson for us. How do we balance the modernization process with cultural identity? A distinguished German historian once said: "In the future you (Beijing city) will own everything we have now, but we can never obtain what you own at this moment." Obviously, we still have a long way to go.
I told one of my foreign friends, as we were wandering around HouHai Lake, that there were many Hutongs in the area typical of the ancient Beijing city. But he replied: "I am afraid this area is too commercial now. Beijing is no longer what it was like twenty years ago."
I felt embarrassed. What kind of Beijing city should we have? Beijing is one of the most prominent ancient cities in the world and a symbol of Chinese culture. But what kind of appearance should this city exhibit to the modern world?
In the latter half of the last century, China changed rapidly, resulting in changes to its capital, the city of Beijing. The city wall, which used to be known as "the necklace of China," was totally torn down. More and more Hutongs were replaced by lifeless skyscrapers. Except for the Forbidden City, sitting lonely in the center of the city, Beijing has become increasingly similar to many other cosmopolitan areas at the expense of its own charming features.
Many renowned architects tried to prevent this. Liang Sicheng was one of them. He claimed the old city was a treasure owned by the entire human race and shouldn't be demolished casually. But what they did proved to be of little help. The ancient remains disappeared, together with their place in Chinese history and Chinese culture.
However, we have to thank the 2008 Olympic games. It will not only boost our economy, but also give us a chance to reconsider our traditional culture, especially the magnificent character of Beijing, and present it to the whole world. In this way, what will follow are the projects best reflecting the city's history, such as reconstructions of the YongDing Gate and the Yu River watercourse, and even renovations of the Palace Museum.
It seems that Beijing City is gradually taking on a look of what it was decades or even centuries ago. Some people have begun to doubt: If we are going to rebuild the Hutongs and such, why are we demolishing them at the same time? Some experts have pointed out that no matter how exquisite the reconstructions are, they are no longer historical relics, but comparatively valueless reproductions. Some even argued that such projects should not have been started at all. They said if we could not recreate history, then keep it as it is like the Old Summer Palace.
Such debate will continue throughout the rebuilding process. It's hard to tell who is right, but it is a good lesson for us. How do we balance the modernization process with cultural identity? A distinguished German historian once said: "In the future you (Beijing city) will own everything we have now, but we can never obtain what you own at this moment." Obviously, we still have a long way to go.
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