The planning of the Beijing Legation Quarter and the multiple identities of post-colonial heritage (1950s–2010s)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe planning controlling post-colonial heritage discourse has long been influenced by changing political and economic narratives. This paper documents diversified uses and narratives of colonial heritage in twelve plans of the Beijing Legation Quarter, China to investigate the influence of multiple identities in Beijing’s development. By analysing the particular spatio-temporal dynamics in eleven former legation compounds, it presents three planning strategies used in colonial heritage site regeneration (diminishment, transformation, and enforcement) and argues that the ambivalent or paradoxical discourses of colonial heritage in the Beijing Legation Quarter result from Beijing’s multiple cultural identities.KEYWORDS: Planning strategiescolonial heritageidentityurban planningpost-colonial AcknowledgementsThis article was innitiated during a conference held by Michael Herzfeld and Yu Hua, who inspired the conception of this article. The authors are very grateful to Sun Yanchen, Zang Xiaolin, Su Junjie, Lu Yue and Zhang Rouran for their professional and precious suggestions. We also would like to thank editors and reviewers for their detailed comments on optimizing structure of this article.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 Joan C. Henderson. "Conserving Colonial Heritage", 7–24.2 Roy Jones and Brian J. Shaw. "Palimpsests of Progress", 122–38.3 ‘Colonial heritage’ here refers to that with a colonial impress. Since modern times, China has been an independent and sovereign nation. It was dependent on, and dominated by, western powers, which profoundly impacted the Beijing Legation Quarter. It is in this sense that the words such as ‘colonial’, ‘post-colonial’ and ‘decolonisation’ are used.4 Roy Jones and Brian J. Shaw. "Palimpsests of Progress", 122–38.5 Lisa Johnson. "Renegotiating dissonant heritage", 583–98.6 Cynthia Scott. "Sharing the divisions", 181–95.7 Susanne Förster et al. "Negotiating German", 515–29.8 Tunbridge, J. E. and Ashworth G. J. Dissonant Heritage, 1996.9 Tunbridge, J. E. and Ashworth G. J. Dissonant Heritage, 1996.10 Joan C. Henderson. "Conserving Colonial Heritage", 7–24.11 Alejandro Muchada. "Between modernization and identity", 601–20.12 Palmer Catherine A. "Tourism and colonialism", 792–811.13 Britton Stephen G. "The political economy", 331–58.14 Erisman H. Michael. "Tourism and cultural", 337–61.15 Said, Edward. Orientalism, 1994.16 Joan C. Henderson. "Conserving Colonial Heritage", 7–24.17 Roy Jones and Brian J. Shaw. "Palimpsests of Progress", 122–38.18 Western, John. "Undoing the Colonial City?", 335–57.19 Joan C. Henderson. "Conserving Colonial Heritage", 7–24.20 Liu Yang et al. "Dalian’s unique planning history", 1–22.21 Fei, Chengkang. The History of Chinese Concession, 1991.22 Zhang, Hong. “From a Symbol", 67–91.23 John Pendlebury and Yi Wen Wang and Andrew Law. "Re-using ‘uncomfortable heritage’ ", 211–29.24 At the 2012 Shanghai Municipal Government Counsellor Meeting, the counsellor Zhao Lihong suggested that efforts should be made to include ‘The building complex along the Bund of Shanghai' in UNESCO's Tentative List of the world heritage sites. Zhao’s proposal aroused a nationwide debate. Some argued against the idea because ‘the Bund building complex of Shanghai represented colonial history’. Similar controversy emerged when ‘Gulangyu, a Historic International Settlement’ in Xiamen was inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2017. The debates mentioned above can be read on the following website: http://m.guancha.cn/historiography/2012_03_29_68027.25 Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities, 1983.26 Yuk Wah Chan and Vivian P. Y. Lee. "Postcolonial cultural governance", 2016.27 Smith, Laurajane. Uses of Heritage, 2006.28 Ding He and Jie Zhang. "Vernacular uses", 844–56.29 Chen, Gang and Jiaguang Zhu. Historical and Cultural City – Beijing Series, 2005.30 Wang Changsong. "Culture and Form", 178–88.31 Chen, Gang and Jiaguang Zhu. Historical and Cultural City – Beijing Series, 2005.32 The main buildings of former Legations of Germany, Spain, Russia and Britain have been demolished. The current functions of these legations demonstrated in the table refer to those of the newly-constructed buildings on the sites.33 Bourdieu, Pierre. "Political Representation", 171–202.34 According to the Planning of Tian 'anmen Square and Chang 'an Boulevard in 1985, “Tian 'anmen Square and Chang 'an Boulevard should fully reflect the capital's status as the country's political and cultural center. This area mainly arranges major cultural facilities and large public buildings of the Party and the country and creates conditions for major gatherings and activities.”35 Chen, Gang and Jiaguang Zhu. Historical and Cultural City – Beijing Series, 2005.36 Dongcheng District People's Government of Beijing. The Site, 1997.37 Gehan Selim. "Instituting order", 67–89.38 He, Xin. Why the Entry Ceremony Cross the Dongjiaominxiang, 2011.39 Huang, Yukang. "Demystifying the barracks", 4–6.40 Ziva Kolodney and Rachel Kallus. "From colonial to national landscape", 323–48.41 Górny Krzysztof and Górna Ada. "Street names in Dakar-Plateau", 1–24.42 When Beijing Legation Quarter was formally demarcated in 1900, each hutong in the area was given a foreign name by the adjacent legation. For instance, ‘Bingbu street (兵部街)’ was renamed as ‘Rue Linevitch’ for its proximity to the Russian Legation. Other renamed streets include Rue Meiji, Rue Marco Polo, Rue Verbiert, Rue Hart, Rue De club and Rue Bovse, etc.43 Wang Yanan. "The Modernization of the Ancient Capitals", 141–47.44 Buildings of the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Light Industry are built in the north of the quarter where there used to be walls and buffer glacis.45 Beijing Municipal Planning Commission. Research and planning of Chang 'an Boulevard and Tian 'anmen Square, Citation2002.46 Zhou Linlin. Study on Restoration, 2012.47 Zhang Fuhe. "The Beijing Legation Quarter and Historicism ", 1987.48 Zhou Linlin. Study on Restoration, 2012.49 Zhang Yiwu. "The capital of China", 26–32.50 Kearns Robin Alun E. "Joseph and Graham Moon", 731–49.51 Foreign guests who lived in the compound include American writer and journalist Anna Louis Strong, Zelanian educationist and social activist Rewi Alley, Japanese social activist Saionji Kinkazu, Chilean painter and peace champion Jose Ventureli and the leader of black Americans movement Robert F. Williams.52 Jeldres Julio A. A Personal Reflection on Norodom Sihanouk and Zhou Enlai, 2012.53 Li Shudong. " Reflections on the Conservation", 2002.54 The aims of the Association are to enhance people-to-people friendship, further international cooperation, safeguard world peace, and promote common development. Further information can be read on the following website: http://en.cpaffc.org.cn/introduction/index.html.55 Zhang Fuhe. "The Beijing Legation Quarter and Historicism", 1987.56 The Chinese poem reads as follows: ‘四海皆兄弟, 五洲是一家, 和平千岁颂, 友谊万年夸’.57 The ‘Long Live Peace’ sculpture consisting of a flying goddess and several peace doves embracing the goddess, was erected in 2001. It symbolizes ‘the hope of world peace by Chinese people and the people from around the globe’. In 2004, a bronze bell inscribed with ‘Safeguard world peace and promote friendship between our peoples’ was made and hung on a newly-built Italian style pavilion named as ‘the Peace Bell Pavilion’.58 Kearns Robin, Alun E. "Joseph and Graham Moon. Memorialisation and remembrance", 731–49.59 Zhong Heyan. "Beijing's metaphor", 2008.60 Sarah. Legation Quarter, 2009.61 Ye Zheng and Kai Cui. "Renovation for the No.23 Yard of Qianmen", 56–61.62 The diversity and exoticness of cuisine is emphasized in this place. There is a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant, a French fine dining restaurant, a Japanese sushi restaurant, etc.63 Ye Zheng and Kai Cui. "Renovation for the No.23 Yard of Qianmen", 56–61.64 The content of the advertisement can be read from the following website: https://www.jianshu.com/p/ee53f9047900.65 Sun Yanan and Xiaoyu Lei. "Legation Quarter", 102–05.66 Zhang Yiwu. "The capital of China", 26–32.67 Ding He and Jie Zhang. "Vernacular uses", 844–56.68 Hall Stuart. "Introduction: Who Needs ‘identity’? " 1996.69 Anderson Benedict. Imagined Communities, 1983.70 Zhang Yiwu. "The capital of China", 26–32.71 According to the National Economic and Social Development Plan of Beijing in 2000, “the strategic goal of Beijing's modernization drive is to build a modern international metropolis by 2020.”Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 52378002]; R&D Program of Beijing Municipal Education Commission: [Grant Number KM202210016014]; Pyramid Talent Training Project of Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture: [Grant Number JDYC20200301].Notes on contributorsDing HeDing He is an associate professor in Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. His research interests include urban planning, heritage studies and architecture.Lin YuanLin Yuan is a graduate student in Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Her research interests include urban planning and heritage studies.Wenting ChenWenting Chen is a graduate student in Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. Her research interests include urban planning and heritage studies.