Historic Redevelopment in Southwest China

The Library at Wenshu Buddhist Monastery, Chengdu. Source: Me

Living in Europe for four years, I developed an interest in how different people treat their historic structures. Edinburgh, where I lived, is one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world, with both New and Old Town areas that make up the city center built between the 1300s and 1700s (my first flat was in a building erected in 1530). By comparison, Portland is a very young city, but as one of the oldest cities on the US West Coast, it has a rich history and has done some impressive preservation of its own. China’s modernization during the 20th century often came at the cost of its rich cultural heritage, a process that has gained speed over 30 years of economic reform. But what is China’s view of historic preservation today?