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A national list of "modern" architectural masterpieces has been released in Beijing to remind people of disappearing heritage.
Ninety-eight sites have been included in the first edition of the 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage List, which was drafted by the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and the Architectural Society of China.
Landmark architecture of New China, like the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People's Heroes, ranked high on the list.
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Tourists visit the Bund in Shanghai in September. It is among 98 sites on the 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage List. Yan Daming / For China Daily |
Renowned Western-style architecture from the early 20th century was also included, such as the Bund in Shanghai; the Russian-style Saint Sofia Cathedral in Harbin, Heilongjiang; and Tianjin's Marco Polo Square, a former Italian community.
College campuses host another major type of architecture. Old buildings at Tsinghua, Nanjing and Wuhan universities are among the examples.
"Many of the included structures have abundant stories and are witnesses of historical vicissitude, and they are thus alive," says Shan Jixiang, head of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics. "However, more historical buildings from the 20th century that are not on the list are also endangered."
He says the new list will make people aware of preserving recent architectural sites for future generations.
"When restoring them, they should be treated as cultural heritage sites rather than general construction. Otherwise, historical information will be irreversibly lost," he says.
As an architect, Shan criticizes the way China became a playground for foreign designers' maverick blueprints in the first decade of the 21st century.
"Masterpieces of the 20th century prove that Chinese architects' spirit and techniques are well inherited," he says. "And they deserve to be passed on to modern times."
"The list shows that a new category has been added to the list of cultural heritage sites," adds Gu Yucai, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. "This is in keeping with common practice in the rest of world."
Still, Ma Guoxin, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, points to the lack of sufficient legal oversight to protect the heritage of the last century.
"There is a void in legislation concerning these sites, and a tailored rule is urgently needed to avoid further damage," Ma says.
wangkaihao@chinadaily.com.cn
