The central government on Tuesday said more must be done to protect China's cultural heritage as rapid urbanization is threatening the nation's cultural treasures.
In one prime example, the former Beijing home of architect Liang Sicheng, a pioneer of cultural heritage preservation, and his wife, the writer Lin Huiyin, was torn down to make way for new buildings in 2012, to the dismay of the public.
Many sites of cultural importance face a similar fate. Others are either poorly maintained or susceptible to vandalism due to lax implementation of regulations, poor awareness and the pursuit of profits.
High-end clubs were found to be located in the centuries-old Songzhu and Zhizhu temples near Beijing's Forbidden City before they were closed in January 2015.
The situation must be rectified immediately, Xie Chensheng, 94, who has devoted 70 years to the cause, told Xinhua.
"In a number of cities today, the economic return from the destruction of historic buildings and sites outweighed the need to conserve culture and tradition," Xie said.
China, which is home to huge numbers of historic relics, has more than 760,000 registered unmovable cultural items, which, while posing an arduous task for protection departments, are valuable resources to boost the economy.
GROWTH POINT
In Xuzhou, a city located in east Jiangsu Province, the site of a coal mine dating back more than 130 years was lucky enough to be saved from demolition.
In 2014, the local government announced it planned to build a plaza at the site and started to tear down some historic buildings. The demolition work was halted just in time thanks to intervention.
The site is now a protected landmark and attracts many visitors.
"Protecting historic buildings does not hinder urban development. On the contrary, it can contribute to it," said Ruan Yisan, an expert on historic cities with Tongji University.
In recent years, tourists have flocked to Pingyao County in north China's Shanxi Province, to enjoy its beautifully-preserved ancient town. Tourists contribute 100 million yuan (about 15.1 million U.S. dollars) in revenue annually.
Ruan believes more towns like Pingyao will spring up in the nation as preservation efforts are intensified.
CULTURAL CONFIDENCE
Observers hold that a lack of confidence in Chinese culture in the rush to erect foreign-style buildings is to blame for the destruction of cultural sites.
They said there was a heightened sense of cultural confidence behind the urge for strengthened protection of cultural heritage.
A commentary carried by the People's Daily on Wednesday said sites and buildings of historical importance are the nation's cultural foundation.
It said cultural heritage protection is important to ensuring traditional culture survives and strengthens China's image as a civilized nation.
"To preserve the treasures we inherited from our ancestors and to pass them to our children, we must be proud of our nation and its history," said Li Xiaojie, head of China Culture Relics Protection Foundation.
Since its cultural relics are also part of world heritage, China's intensified efforts to preserve its cultural treasures also demonstrate its responsible role on the global stage, according to observers.
