The fate of the Guo Family Courtyard, the only remaining traditional quadrangle in Zhengzhou's urban area, has finally been decided: the Zhengzhou Rail Transit Office has revised the construction plan for Metro Line 2, allowing the courtyard to be preserved in situ.

We don't cherish what we have until it's gone, and regret comes too late

Cities should leave room for ancient architecture

The fate of the Guo Family Courtyard, the only remaining traditional quadrangle in Zhengzhou's urban area, has finally been decided: the Zhengzhou Rail Transit Office has revised the construction plan for Metro Line 2, allowing the courtyard to be preserved in situ.

The debate lasted nearly two months. Although the Guo Family Courtyard has been preserved, the question remains: should ancient buildings make way for urban development? The contradiction between urban construction and the protection of ancient architecture is still thought-provoking.

Metro construction finally gives way to Guo Family Courtyard

On July 14, the reporter visited No. 112 Shuyuan Street, at the intersection of Zijingshan Road and Shuyuan Street —— the Guo Family Courtyard, which is close to the southern city wall of the Zhengzhou Shang Dynasty ruins.

The simple and unadorned style of the Guo Family Courtyard forms a sharp contrast with the adjacent modern high-rise buildings. The wooden door bears the construction date of the residence: the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932). Next to it hangs a simple plaque that reads "Cultural Relic Protection Unit of Guancheng District."

Guo Tianyu, 66, grew up in this courtyard and has lived there for over 60 years. He is currently the caretaker of the compound. Speaking of the process that led to the courtyard's preservation in situ, Guo said it was "extremely difficult and arduous."

When Guo first heard that the house was to be demolished for metro construction, he was puzzled. "After all, the courtyard is a cultural relic protection unit of Guancheng District. How can it be demolished just like that? Is building high-rises really that important? Does the metro have to pass through the courtyard?"

The news that the courtyard was about to be demolished attracted attention from the media, many cultural relic protection volunteers, and other sectors of society. Their efforts finally led to the preservation of the Guo Family Courtyard. On July 14, the reporter learned from the Zhengzhou Rail Transit Office that the evacuation land plan for Zhengzhou Metro Line 2 has been adjusted, and the traffic diversion plan avoids the Guo Family Courtyard.

How will the Guo Family Courtyard be renovated after being preserved in situ? Li Dong, deputy director of the Cultural Relics Bureau of Guancheng District, Zhengzhou, told the reporter that the ownership of the courtyard is still in private hands. After compensation measures are agreed upon, the courtyard will be nationalized. The cultural relics bureau will carry out seismic reinforcement and renovation of the buildings. In the future, the Guo Family Courtyard will become a scenic spot open to the public for free.

Guo Tianyu and his family are happy about the nationalization: "After all, it's a cultural relic. In the hands of the state, it can be better preserved, and everyone can visit." Currently, the two sides have significant differences over compensation.

Ancient buildings reduced to "vanishing relics" of the city

Peng Baohong, a volunteer for the protection of ancient dwellings in Zhengzhou, was one of the first volunteers to call for the preservation of the Guo Family Courtyard.

"Some time ago, the Sisters' Building, the former site of Li Dazhao's lecture hall in Zhengzhou, and the Suijing Office, the former site of the liberation of Zhengzhou, were demolished. It broke my heart. The preservation of the Guo Family Courtyard, which bears witness to a period of Zhengzhou's history, gives me a glimmer of warmth." Peng believes there is still a long way to go in protecting ancient architecture.

"Ancient buildings are the historical witness of a city, like a history book or a volume of archives, recording the vicissitudes of a city," Peng said. "Demolishing ancient buildings is undoubtedly erasing the city's memory. Today, some ancient buildings in Zhengzhou are becoming 'vanishing relics.'"

The repeated destruction of ancient buildings has left experts long dedicated to the protection of historical and cultural heritage heartbroken but helpless. Experts analyze the main reasons: first, China has not integrated independent disciplines such as architecture, archaeology, and history. The current architectural history major focuses on architecture rather than history, which is not conducive to establishing cultural relic protection awareness in the field of ancient architecture research. Second, the protection of ancient buildings and other historical relics requires a strong economic foundation, but funding for cultural relic protection is insufficient. Third, the contradiction between cultural relic protection and urban construction is directly reflected in the fierce conflict between cultural relic protection departments and construction departments. China has promulgated and implemented more than 400 laws, regulations, departmental rules, and normative documents related to cultural relic protection. Although a legal system has been formed, these laws are mostly guiding provisions with few rigid rules and weak operability.

Should ancient buildings make way for urban development?

"There are indeed more or less contradictions between urban construction and cultural relic protection, but such contradictions are not irreconcilable. Finding a balance between the two requires rational and scientific decision-making and practice. Protecting and restoring landscapes with ecological and cultural value is an important part of urban planning. These landscapes should not be regarded as obstacles to urban development." Zheng Dongjun, a professor at the School of Architecture of Zhengzhou University, believes that through scientific and reasonable planning, ancient architectural landscapes and urban infrastructure can complement each other. From the perspective of urban planning, preserving historical ancient buildings is protecting the life and future of a city.

Nanyang strictly investigates those responsible

Provincial-level protected cultural relic Wannan Academy demolished ——

Nanyang strictly investigates those responsible

On July 15, the reporter visited the Experimental Middle School on Jinxian Street in Nanyang City and found that the East Lecture Hall of Wannan Academy, a provincial-level protected cultural relic, had been forcibly demolished by a construction company, leaving only broken walls and a scene of desolation.

Wannan Academy, founded in the 16th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, was comparable in scale to the famous Songshan Academy and Bailudong Academy in Lushan, and was the largest academy in Henan. It has produced five academicians, including Ding Shusheng and Yang Tingbao, a distinction unmatched among all century-old prestigious schools in the province. In 2008, it was approved by the Henan Provincial Government as the fifth batch of cultural relic protection units.

As soon as the media reported the incident, Nanyang Mayor Cheng Zhiming issued instructions demanding that relevant departments strictly investigate in accordance with laws and regulations. At 3 p.m. that day, the Nanyang Municipal Government held an on-site meeting, requiring relevant departments to quickly restore the damaged Qing Dynasty building to its original appearance and to seriously deal with those responsible according to law. As of press time, the provincial cultural relics department has rushed to Nanyang to further investigate the cause of the damage and whether restoration is possible. It is also learned that local police have intervened in the investigation.

According to Jia Fujun, deputy director of the Ancient Research Institute of the Nanyang Cultural Relics Bureau, the East Lecture Hall had become dilapidated due to years of neglect. As early as 2009, the school had commissioned the institute to produce a maintenance and reinforcement design plan, but it was shelved due to a large funding gap. "According to the Regulations on the Implementation of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics, whoever uses it must maintain it. The cost of restoring ancient buildings is enormous, and objectively speaking, it is indeed very difficult for the school. But destruction is ultimately wrong."

Xia Tingxian, an alumnus of Nanyang No. 1 Middle School, called the reporter and said: "It is truly heartbreaking. A thousand-year-old temple and a century-old prestigious school — how can they be demolished just like that?" Lv Fenglin, a civil cultural relic protection advocate in Nanyang, said: "This place carries and bears witness to Henan's excellent cultural and educational tradition. It is a great pity that it was severely damaged just because of a teaching building."