Coming Down Alert – Worrying News From Beijing – Gulou Area

The following from the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Centre and yet another in the worrying number of projects across China that seem to demand the destruction of culture in order to create, eerrr, culture!

Saving Gulou from demolition – a special public event this Saturday

Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center’s (CHP) crucial public forum on the planned redevel opment of Gulou is being held this Saturday 27 March at Contempio. CHP is urging everyone to attend to help protect this unique neighbourhood for future generations to enjoy.

Multiple sources have indicated that a 5 billion RMB budget has been allocated to convert 12.5 hectares of the Drum and Bell Tower area into a ‘Beijing Time Cultural City’ – putting the neighborhood in serious danger. Such a massive scale development will include large infrastructures like public squares and a museum. As a result, there will be extensive evictions, demolition, and construction in this ancient area, and gone will be the traditional courtyards, hutongs, and local residents.

We hope to see you at the forum to hear what you, and other Beijing residents, think about this proposed plan. Please forward this email widely to other concerned Beijingers so even more people know about our forum and this threat to the Gulou area.

Date: Saturday 27 March, 2010
Time: 2.30-5.30pm
Venue: Contempio No.4 Zhangwang Hutong｜ 北京市东城区旧鼓楼大街张旺胡同4号

Featuring:

He Shuzhong | CHP Founder and Chairman, cultural heritage legal expert
Wang Jun | Xinhua Senior Reporter, author of Chengji

Dominic Johnson-Hill | Plastered T-Shirts founder
Bian Lanchun | Architecture professor at Tsinghua University

This event is free. No pre-registration is required.