Redefining Authenticity, Reimagining Heritage (2009)

Undergraduate: Katherine Littlefield

Faculty Advisor: Robin Visser
Department: Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

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Redefining Authenticity, Reimagining Heritage:

The globalization, gentrification and conservation of Beijing’s Qianmen district

Based on an Asian Studies honors thesis, this presentation explores Beijing heritage conservation policy and practice through a case study of Tianjie Real Estate Development Company’s redevelopment of Qianmen, one of Beijing's most well-known historic neighborhoods. This project is part of a city-wide modernization effort, which is motivated by both the 2008 Olympics and the ongoing movement to meet and even set global norms for urban cosmopolitanism. This case study explores questions of ethical conservation of tangible and intangible heritage. It also considers the impact of the Beijing’s modernization on Chinese cultural identity and political mobilization. This case study finds that the failure of conservation efforts is largely due to a lack of legal requirements and economic incentives for developers. Further, Qianmen’s redevelopment offers two points of evidence of the emergence of a post-socialist civil society in Beijing. First, housing evictions of unprecedented scale and speed have met widespread protest by citizens, who demand greater government transparency. Second, the gay marriage protest at Qianmen Avenue on February 14, 2009 suggests that commercial spaces can empower consumers to become more outspoken citizens. In this way, commercial districts are evolving into spaces for democratic experimentation.