The sign reads, "Protect the famous historical city, forever keep the ancient capital's charm." The problem with this picture is that it does not even begin to convey the extent of the destruction of the Qianmen area. Tens of thousands of square meters have been razed. Some of the courtyard homes torn down were hundreds of years old, historical and architectural treasures that are simply gone and cannot be replaced. Much of the new construction in the area will be courtyard homes, stylistic replicas of the lost originals. I'm not making this up... |