Part of the ancient city wall in Kaifeng, Henan province. (Photo/Chinanews.com)
(ECNS) -- A historical city's plan to modify its ancient walls for the sake of tourism has stirred up debate about the tricky balance between economic benefits and cultural preservation, China National Radio reports on Wednesday.
Kaifeng in Henan province is home to China's second largest ancient city wall, which runs for 14.4 kilometers and bears significant historical value. It has been proposed to build a "garden in the air" upon it to generate tourist revenues.
The proposal was sponsored by Cheng Suiying, a cultural tourism expert from Henan University. According to the plan, new construction should be added atop Kaifeng's ancient city wall, including pavements three to 10 meters wide, bicycle lanes, exhibition halls and even coffee shops.
Cheng hopes to relieve Kaifeng's traffic burden by strengthening the city wall's tourist functions.
However, the proposal has raised concerns regarding the importance of historical preservation.
Questions regarding the ancient wall's ability to hold the weight of traffic or coffee shops have subsequently emerged.
The project would ultimately need approval form state departments before becoming a reality, said He Yuling, an expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
He added that China has yet to see a mature business model for developing ancient city walls.
