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Beijing to evict residents of old courtyard homes
BEIJING, Jan 11 (Reuters) - China will evict residents of traditional courtyard houses in the capital in time for the Olympic Games in 2008 to protect the city's cultural heritage, Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday.
Entire blocks of the city's old alleyway, or hutong, communities on which courtyard houses traditionally sit, have been demolished and replaced with office towers and apartment blocks, sparking protests from residents told to relocate.
Courtyard houses, known as "siheyuan" in Chinese, used to be one of Beijing's most distinctive features, and whole families would live in rooms off one central, four-sided courtyard.
"Currently, many of the siheyuan courtyards have turned dilapidated and some are in danger of possible collapse," Xinhua cited Mei Ninghua, director of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, as saying.
But it did not say what would happen to the present residents.
Traditionally low Chinese structures have been making way for forests of skyscrapers in Beijing, though some old courtyards have been renovated and turned into chic, ultra-expensive residences costing thousands of dollars a month in rent.
Many have already been demolished, however, and replaced by block after block of uniform high-rises to house Beijing's growing population as the economy races ahead.
"The courtyards, featuring typical classical roofs, decorated with corridors and old pomegranate trees, often impress visitors with their grace, tranquility and elegance and are regarded as an important part of traditional Beijing culture," Xinhua said.
Other architectural schemes have been criticised for looking out of place in Beijing, home to UNESCO world heritage sites like the old imperial palace the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
Paul Andreu's National Grand Theatre, a gleaming half-dome of glass and titanium, has become a centre of controversy over whether it belongs next to the Soviet-era architecture of Tiananmen Square.
BEIJING, Jan 11 (Reuters) - China will evict residents of traditional courtyard houses in the capital in time for the Olympic Games in 2008 to protect the city's cultural heritage, Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday.
Entire blocks of the city's old alleyway, or hutong, communities on which courtyard houses traditionally sit, have been demolished and replaced with office towers and apartment blocks, sparking protests from residents told to relocate.
Courtyard houses, known as "siheyuan" in Chinese, used to be one of Beijing's most distinctive features, and whole families would live in rooms off one central, four-sided courtyard.
"Currently, many of the siheyuan courtyards have turned dilapidated and some are in danger of possible collapse," Xinhua cited Mei Ninghua, director of the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, as saying.
But it did not say what would happen to the present residents.
Traditionally low Chinese structures have been making way for forests of skyscrapers in Beijing, though some old courtyards have been renovated and turned into chic, ultra-expensive residences costing thousands of dollars a month in rent.
Many have already been demolished, however, and replaced by block after block of uniform high-rises to house Beijing's growing population as the economy races ahead.
"The courtyards, featuring typical classical roofs, decorated with corridors and old pomegranate trees, often impress visitors with their grace, tranquility and elegance and are regarded as an important part of traditional Beijing culture," Xinhua said.
Other architectural schemes have been criticised for looking out of place in Beijing, home to UNESCO world heritage sites like the old imperial palace the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
Paul Andreu's National Grand Theatre, a gleaming half-dome of glass and titanium, has become a centre of controversy over whether it belongs next to the Soviet-era architecture of Tiananmen Square.