Keep the City’s Heritage and Let People Memorize the Hometown (Part 1)

Author: Yang Baojun，President of the Urban Planning Society of China, National Engineering Surveying and Design Master, Former Chief Economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development

"Everything has its origin, but only by knowing how to preserve its roots can it thrive." The reason why Chinese civilization has endured hardships without ever breaking is inextricably linked to the cultural heritage embedded in the vast land, urban history, and historical books. Urban and rural historical and cultural heritage serves as an essential carrier of Chinese civilization, carrying cultural genes, harboring the wisdom of ancient people, inheriting millennia of memories, nurturing local residents, and providing a connection to Chinese cultural lineage, and the essence of its heritage.

Since the 18^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has conducted numerous field inspections of historical and cultural cities, delivered important speeches, and made comprehensive deployments regarding the protection and inheritance of urban and rural historical and cultural heritage. On December 12, 2013, at the Central Urbanization Work Conference, the General Secretary pointed out: "Inheriting culture does not mean simply reverting to antiquity; modern elements will continuously be integrated into urban construction, but we must simultaneously protect and promote traditional great culture and continue the historical and cultural lineage of the city." On December 20, 2015, at the Central Urban Work Conference, the General Secretary emphasized: "We must protect not only ancient buildings but also modern structures; not just individual buildings but also streets, neighborhoods, and urban layouts; not merely fine modern buildings but also country constructions with local characteristics." In his report to the 20^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the General Secretary demanded that "efforts be increased to protect cultural relics and cultural heritage, and that the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage be strengthened in the process of urban and rural development" ... Each inspection and series of instructions bear witness to the General Secretary's deep concern and profound reflections on the protection and inheritance of urban and rural historical and cultural heritage.

Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, particularly Xi Jinping's Thought on culture, the cause of protecting and inheriting historical and cultural heritage in our country's urban and rural areas has achieved historic accomplishments in this new era. Currently, there are 142 national historical and cultural cities, 799 Chinese historical towns and villages, 8,155 traditional Chinese villages, more than 1,200 historical and cultural blocks, and 67,200 historical buildings, forming a comprehensive and systematic carrier for the inheritance of outstanding traditional Chinese culture. A tapestry depicting the coexistence of urban and rural development alongside history and culture is being gently unfurled upon the great land of a new era in China.

Insisting on Comprehensively Protecting Cultural Heritage

During the inspection tour in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province on the afternoon of October 12, 2020, President Xi Jinping instructed everyone, saying, "In the process of regenerating old cities and developing new ones, it is imperative to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of cities, ensuring the continuity of their cultural lineage. This allows history to complement the present, creating a harmonious interplay between the past and the contemporary." The historical and cultural heritage of towns and villages carries the genes and lifeblood of the Chinese nation, serving as faithful narrators of our cultural and civilizational history. They not only depict past glories but also profoundly influence the present and future. Priority must be  prioritized, doing best to ensure that every historical artifact is preserved. Throughout China, there are many ancient trees and old houses that retain historical memories and embody people's emotions, to which ordinary people have deep feelings. We should respect these feelings and fully discover historical and cultural resources, identifying and including heritage of preservation value, making them visible to the public. Even for ancient streets, old houses, and traditional dwellings not included in the protection list, the government cannot casually destroy, alter, or relocate them without consideration. More importantly, ‘protecting everything that should be preserved’ does not mean applying a one-size-fits-all approach to protection. Instead, measures should be adapted to local conditions. By excavating regional cultural characteristics and discovering regional cultural genes, we can protect the unique geographical environment, cultural traits, and architectural styles of cities, preserving their historical and cultural lineages.

Rugao is a county-level city in Jiangsu Province and a crucial node city along the ancient Tongyang Canal. In recent years, Rugao City has respected history in its urban development and construction, comprehensively protecting historical and cultural heritage while inheriting fine traditional culture in detail. It has carried out protection and regeneration projects of streets such as Maojia Lane, the east riverbank near Yingchun Bridge, and Tongcheng Lane. During the regeneration process, protection has been placed, avoiding large-scale demolitions and constructions, actively excavating the historical and cultural characteristics and memories of the old city, restoring the texture of traditional streets and the style of historical buildings, preserving and repairing stone-paved roads in the lanes in their original form. Efforts have been made to retain different traces left by time and space in the lanes, allowing many ancient components, old stones, and aged bricks and wood to return to their original building 'positions' after cleaning and repair, telling stories of history to the world from new constructions. For example, during the renovation of Zhongshan Middle Road, archaeological discoveries were made, including the original wooden foundations of Zhongshan Bell Tower and the remains of the road leading to the county government office from the Tang and Song dynasties in Rugao. To protect these historical remains, Rugao City rerouted existing traffic around the site, covering it with a glass walkway above, and reconstructed Zhongshan Bell Tower based on its original style. This not only protected historical remains but also recreated historical scenes, awakening historical memories in the hearts of citizens and tourists and bridging the gap between the people and history. Today, Zhongshan Bell Tower has become a new landmark and a popular spot for photos in Rugao. Through the protection of historical resources and the display of cultural heritage, Rugao City has brushed away the dust of time, revealing the historical and cultural splendor of the old city.

Source: <https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/6LFGalDHEjiTom7pt8_B4w>

Translated by Zhang Chenxi