20th century heritage list salutes Chinese structures
Updated: 2016-09-30 08:01
By Wang Kaihao(China Daily)
 |
|
The Great Hall of the People in Beijing. [Photo from China Daily] |
Renowned Western-style architecture from the early 20th century was also included, such as the Bund in Shanghai; the Russian-style Saint Sofia Cathedral in Harbin, Heilongjiang, and Tianjin's Marco Polo Square, a former Italian community.
College campuses host another major type of architecture. Old buildings at Tsinghua University, Nanjing University and Wuhan University are among the examples.
"Many of the included structures have abundant stories and are witnesses of historical vicissitude, and they are thus alive," said Shan Jixiang, head of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics. "However, more historical communities from the 20th century outside the list are endangered."
He added that the new list will make people aware of preserving more recent architectural sites for future generations.
"When restoring them, they should be treated as cultural heritage sites rather than general construction. Otherwise, historical information will be irreversibly lost," he said.
