Debate stirs over demolition of late writer's residence
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E-mail Xinhua, March 9, 2012
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The temporary residence of late Chinese writer Lu Xun in Beijing's Xicheng district |
The temporary residence of late Chinese writer Lu Xun in Beijing's Xicheng district is slated for demolition, stirring online debate.
The No. 84 Courtyard on Zhuanta Hutong, or Zhuanta Lane, has been confirmed as Lu's residence from 1923 to 1924, according to a microblog post issued by the district government on Weibo on Wednesday.
It is where he created famous works such as "New Year Sacrifice" and "In the Drinking House."
However, the post said the structure had been rebuilt, leaving no sign of relics, and the space was not listed as a protected heritage site at any level.
The courtyard will be demolished to make way for public green space, according to the district's development plan.
Some netizens have voiced support for the demolition plan, saying the old architecture was unattractive and would also affect the city's construction if not demolished.
However, many others consider Lu a modern literary giant in China, and they believe his residence should be protected for its historic cultural value.
Lu Xun is the pen name of Zhou Shuren. He was born in Shaoxing, east China's Zhejiang province in 1881, and died in 1936. He abandoned his medical studies in Japan in his 20s after realizing that it was more important to spiritually enlighten his compatriots than to cure their physical diseases. Through his work, the master of irony produced harsh critiques on social problems in China.
Wang Bin, a researcher with the Lu Xun Liberal Arts College, said that Lu lived in four different places in Beijing, and the other three have been properly protected.
Of the four residences, the most famous is the No. 19 Courtyard of Neigongmenkousantiao Hutong in Xicheng district, a heritage site under state protection as well as the location of the Lu Xun Museum.
If the residence at Zhuanta Hutong is demolished, research on the writer and his creative pursuits in Beijing would be fragmented, Wang said.
Zeng Yizhi, a member of the China Cultural Relics Association, said that even if the architecture no longer existed, the courtyard should be preserved for its geographical significance.
Zeng said it is an issue of protecting historic cultural sites according to the law, not just protecting the home of a single late celebrity.
"In accordance with laws and regulations, what should be protected does not have to be a cultural relics site recognized by the state," she said.
According to Beijing's historic cultural relics protection regulations put into place in 2008, the residences of revolutionaries, cultural celebrities living in the contemporary period and famous people in ancient times should be protected.
The city's comprehensive planning from 2004 to 2020, approved by State Council, also stipulates that old parts of downtown Beijing should be preserved with no massive changes.
Xie Chensheng, a cultural relics expert and a drafter of China's Cultural Relics Protection Law, said traditional courtyard-style homes, or siheyuan, in Beijing should not be demolished.
Meanwhile, Lu's former home is not the only one to meet the wrecking ball recently.
The former home of famed architect Liang Sicheng and his wife, Lin Huiyin, was torn down three months ago for real estate development. The developer has since been fined and ordered to restore the residence.
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