Ocean
(1193 posts) •
Interesting short video which implies that locals in Zhoucheng, Yunnan are being actively DISCOURAGED from destroying their traditional architecture by the local government. We usually assume it's the other way round. Food for thought.
It was the same with the Beijing Hutongs. People who lived there said conditions were terrible, with leaking roofs and poor sanitation. Even with government subsidies, people will choose the best for the family first and culture second.
One possible solution, would be to allow locals to buy land to build new, and then sell on the old houses to more wealthy people who want to and can afford to renovate China's heritage.
My wife's hometown used to have old houses falling apart, but nobody would sell, as that was the only land the family had. In the end they built new.
A big chunk of the Beijing hutong was "saved' and "protected" during the year I lived there. Immediately a lot of fixer upper renovation happened most of which preserved the look as roofs were rebuilt and some sewers were connected.
Then the government dictated gates had to up graded and ugly semicircles, about 50 cm, had to be applied to wooden gates.
After a couple of years the hutong began to look pretty decent. Then the 拆 began. A friend, who claimed, he spent $10 million USD,
to buy out old residents and rebuild his 四合院, sìhéyuàn, lost his pride and joy. Only thing left are the photos I took, over months, of the hand worked roof beams, the no nails construction and the carved brick art work. The kitchen, A/C and bathrooms were modern but from the outside it was ancient. It was a beautifully restored and functional home. He fought for more than a year but it was torn down. It was a little east and south of Gulou.
@ Geezer
There a quite good book out there on this Beijing Hutong destruction - well, whole Beijing actually.
The Last Days of Old Beijing, by Michael Meyer.
www.amazon.com/Last-Days-Old-Beijing-Backstreets/dp/0802717500
Part of the madness in an americans perspective. Good book.
In the book is a story of one old residents whose courtyard was torn down, how he used geographical coordinates to find his old (for centuries and generations home) and ended up in a hotel reception. Where he cried.
@Ocean
Architectue under threat. Thats the title of that BBC video. Yea. When 98% of Yunnan architecture was destroyed, its a bit of too late to talk about 'threat'. Just another perspective. But sure, the small 1-2% (if even that) bits left shall be protected and probably the thing will be praised too. Maybe someone will even come out as a hero.
Tiger is right too, many people were willing to move out to modern houses. The next move was getting a huge flatscreen tv.
@Petergg: Know the book well. I highly recommend it as Meyer gives a good feeling for life in the hutong as they began to change rapidly.
After I moved to KM in 2008, I would go back to BJ three or four times a year to see the cardiologist and get meds. I would stay at the Beijing Downtown Backpackers Hostel, (Beijing Shi, Dongcheng Qu, 南锣古巷85号 邮政编码: 100007) clean and cheap in the heart of the hutong and would visit with people I knew.
Lots of changes over the years but good memories of good people as they lived their lives, going to university, getting married and having a child. I miss the beautiful old woman with bound feet and the great smile who would clutch my hand as we sat and tried to communicate.
@ Geezer
Obviously its possible to dig in here plenty deeper too.
To get an idea of what old Beijing looked like - without having to read a bunch of heavy Chinese classical novels - its enough to go back to just before 1950's, and theres two excellent light books out there painting up 'old Beijing'. One written by an English teacher, David Kidd, in 1940's. Other by an English orientalist John Blofield. Here one gets a peep in 'old Beijing' before our more modern times. Wonder what the authors would think about Beijing today.
@Petergg: Thanks book suggestions.
Have you read "The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom: America and China, 1776 to the Present" by by John Pomfret? Lots of History in 700 pages. Kindle $20.
"Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China" by Jung Chang is pretty good. Kindle $15.
Peter, is there much there on architecture?
@ Alien
Opium dens, prostitutes, taoist monasteries, dark night with grammophones, plum trees blossom, kites, yes architecture, smells, food and so on. Cant remeber everything either.
You guys got a book club and read everything between heaven and earth, never made sense to me. It could have been a 'China book club', something more unique.
Once I planned a 'Yunnan Society' with that woman in Tiger Leaping Gorge who died on Meili Xueshan (whos orbituarynis on Gokunming), and them with Arun (whos obituary in here on Gokunming) who died on Cangshan. After that I thought better leave it there. Maybe you guys can take over the idea.
