Flow Year NO.2 Imperial City, the ancient charm about to disappear: Remembering our flowing time

Author: Qiu Yang, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: The changes in Beijing have indeed exceeded people's imagination. In just a few months or even days, coordinates on the map might vanish, turning into dust on construction sites. This ancient city is filled with new things, obscuring its original appearance. The feeling of hutongs and siheyuan, the narrow alleys and ordinary households, seemed like yesterday, yet many memories lack a tangible place to revisit. Six months have passed since the publication of the themed anthology "Flowing Years" titled "The Ancient City, An Unforgettable Memorial." Our editorial has been well-received by many readers who love Beijing. However, as this was our first attempt at such a topic, there were bound to be omissions and regrets. The second volume of "Flowing Years," titled "The Imperial Capital, The Fading Ancient Charm," serves as a supplement and refinement of the first. We strive to tell and commemorate the fragments of this millennium-old city through more vivid topics. Faced with the city's large-scale demolition and construction, we hope to record what is within our current vision, even if it is only the remnants of physical objects or the vanished local customs carried by the environment. In the first volume, we included an article with photos of Zhuita Hutong from over a year ago. At that time, the western entrance of Zhuita Hutong had just begun to be demolished, with ruins scattered everywhere. A few days ago, when revisiting Zhuita, we found that the western half of the hutong had completely disappeared, with demolition extending from the western entrance, Ren'en Hutong, all the way to Lu Xun's former residence. Fortunately, Lu Xun's former residence has not yet been demolished, but Zhang Henshu's former residence to the west has been lost forever. Zhuita Hutong and nearby Fengsheng Hutong, Wuding Hutong, and others are among Beijing's oldest hutongs. Zhuita Hutong itself dates back to the Yuan Dynasty, having accompanied the city's urban journey. However, this area is now fragmented, with many exquisite grand mansions demolished and only isolated concrete structures remaining, losing their historical context. History, after all, cannot be repeated.
Today, authentic elements in Beijing are becoming increasingly rare. Walking on the streets, whether towering buildings or wide avenues, all seem familiar. Uniformity has become the city's mainstream, crude designs replacing cultural continuity, and the warm, simple beauty can only be found in old photographs. In recent years, Beijing has lost too much of its tradition. Hutongs have been demolished one after another, and fake antiques have been built in their place. Su'anbo is gone, the Flower Market is gone, South Xiaojie is gone, and Meishijie is gone. The rough Yongding Gate has been rebuilt, and an awkward Zhengyang Bridge archway has been erected. Recently, there were reports that the former residence of Cao Xueqin, which was demolished years ago for the construction of the Second Ring Road, would be rebuilt. Back then, many appeals failed to preserve a genuine relic, yet now, resources are being wasted to build a fake antique. The right and wrong of this are clear. In these demolitions and constructions, Beijing's culture is gradually blurring, to the point where sometimes, walking on a wide street, I wonder, is this Beijing? Beijing shouldn't just be about imperial grandeur; it should more about the spirit of the common people, a tapestry of ordinary folk's stories and legends.
The "Flowing Years" presented to readers attempts to as closely as possible restore history to the people, using a series of vivid articles to commemorate and touch upon Beijing. The words about the ancient city of Beijing will temporarily end with this volume. Starting from the next, we will explore new topics. We hope our words can leave a tangible record and a memorable legacy for this city. "Flowing Years" will always bear a responsibility—to bring the people the greatest possible truth. The content of this book mainly includes: Scenery, City, Culture, Images, Characters, Perspectives, Reflections, and Records. The book calls for the return of humanistic spirit in both text and images, whether through texts laden with profound history or of personal experiences, all capturing the essence of time slipping by.