The Great Hall of the People is among the most-representative 20th-century architectural works in Beijing that are included in the newly released illustrated book, The 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage Classics: Beijing Volume. [Photo by Xinhua and provided to China Daily]
A new illustrated book is an in-depth study of Beijing's '10 great buildings'.
When talking about China's architectural heritage, people usually immediately think of ancient constructions, such as the Forbidden City, the former imperial palace.
Nevertheless, compared with this 598-year-old palatial complex in the heart of Beijing, which has drawn scholars to study its details over the years and social interest in protecting the site, other landmarks recording recent history or contemporary memories also need public attention.
The illustrated book, The 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage Classics: Beijing Volume, was released at the Forbidden City, which is officially known as the Palace Museum, on Tuesday.
Jointly compiled by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, the in-depth book includes 50 of the most-representative 20th-century architectural works in the city and the relevant architects' background information.
"The 20th century witnessed the transition of China from an agrarian to a modern society," says Shan Jixiang, head of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and director of the Palace Museum.
"Architecture is the most direct and visible witness of such changes."
The entries to the new book include the Great Hall of the People, which combines Soviet-style facades with Roman columns and traditional Chinese roofs; a Bauhaus-style former 798 factory that's now an art hub; and some early constructions on Tsinghua University's campus.
The book also studies the old embassy area in Dongjiaominxiang, which was set up between 1901 and 1912 after the Boxer Rebellion. The only European-style historical neighborhood in Beijing still retains buildings of the former French, Austro-Hungarian, British and Italian embassies, as well as old barracks, banks and a club.
"It's physical evidence that shows how foreign powers invaded China," Shan explains.
Tsinghua University's campus is among the most-representative 20th-century architectural works in Beijing that are included in the newly released illustrated book, The 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage Classics: Beijing Volume. [Photo by Xinhua and provided to China Daily]
There is something new to study, even in the Forbidden City: the Hall of Embodied Treasures, or Baoyun Lou, which was built in 1914 as a warehouse for cultural relics, two years after the monarchy fell.
"Unlike most ancient architecture that has lost its function and only remains as a site for studies or tourism, these recent constructions are still in use," he says. "They are living heritage."
The construction of 10 major landmarks, including the Great Hall of the People, the Workers Stadium and the National Art Museum of China, began in Beijing in 1959 as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of New China.
With huge personnel costs, most projects were completed within mere months, including the time to draw the blueprints. They are often called the "10 great buildings".
"The architecture combines Chinese, Soviet and Western elements," Zou Denong, a professor at Tianjin University, says.
"These miraculous works reflect Chinese architects' explorations of new formats and mark a peak time in architecture in the country. The trend was followed by other cities in China."
Some don't see many constructions from the last century as "heritage" as they are not old enough, especially those built after 1949.
Ma Guoxin, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, says sufficient policy support to protect the heritage of the last century is still lacking. Some buildings have disappeared in China's fast urban development. Ma is a designer of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Tian'anmen Square and Terminal 2 of the Beijing Capital International Airport.
The National Art Museum of China is among the most-representative 20th-century architectural works in Beijing that are included in the newly released illustrated book, The 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage Classics: Beijing Volume. [Photo by Xinhua and provided to China Daily]
For example, in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, a German architect helped build a railway station in 1908. The Gothic-style structure was long used as the main transportation hub of the city and carried generations of local citizens' collective memory. It was demolished amid a huge controversy in 1992 and was replaced by a new station.
However, as the public's consciousness improves, many proposals have been made to rebuild the old station, but new challenges have arisen.
Shan says that even buildings like the "great 10" are not perfectly safe. Though proposals to include them in a national list of cultural heritage sites have been discussed for years, they have not been approved by authorities for the old reason－they are "too young".
The Overseas Chinese Hotel, which ranked among the top 10 earlier, was demolished in 1988.
When the National Museum of China was being renovated in the 2000s, its facade was planned to be completely changed. The idea was dismissed after a fierce debate.
"More studies of China's 20th-century architectural heritage are needed to avoid such incidents from happening again," Shan says.
"No other century in human history has created such abundant architecture in such diverse styles. More and more heritage sites of that time have been globally recognized."
Since 2000, when UNESCO mentioned the urgency to safeguard 20th-century architectural heritage, many countries made protection of such sites a priority.
Sydney Opera House was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007. Seventeen structures worldwide, which were designed by the late French architect Le Corbusier, also got the status in 2016.
Heritage recognition is improving in China.
Ma handed a list to the International Union of Architects in 2004 that included 22 of the most-important Chinese architectural-heritage buildings from the 20th century, promoting an official identification of their status in China.
The nation's first list of key architectural sites of the 20th century was released by the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and the Architectural Society of China in 2016.
Shan Jixiang (right), director of the Palace Museum, Ma Guoxin (second right), an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and other guests launch a research center of 20th-century architectural heritage in Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]
The list has been expanded twice since then and now includes about 300 sites nationwide.
"Chinese architecture means much more than wooden buildings (like in ancient times)," says Jin Lei, deputy director of the 20th-century architectural heritage committee under the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics.
"Chinese architecture today follows traditions, but it should have the global vision to mix different styles."
Consequently, as a trial, the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design launched its architectural and cultural heritage research center, also on Tuesday.
The center is based on the principles of the International Council on Monuments and Sites, a major advisory body for UNESCO. It is to engage in systematic investigations and publicity of 20th-century architectural heritage in China and offer a platform for architects and heritage experts to exchange ideas for the renovations of relevant old buildings.
Jin says the recent efforts of academic organizations and architects will lead to better laws to protect heritage sites.
The purpose of protecting such sites is not only about creating new tourism destinations or past nostalgia.
"They can inspire more creative ideas for urban development in the future," Jin adds.
