Heidelberg Asian Studies Publishing

With the threat and emergence of monotonous cityscapes in a rapidly urbanizing China, the pressure to preserve local characteristics has taken center stage. Central and local governments at the beginning of the 1980s responded by prioritizing 24 cities with historical value and cultural relics. Drawing on international standards and experiences of early Chinese architects such as Liang Sicheng, the concept of “Historically and Culturally Famous Cities” begins to take shape. The study Tackling Urban Monotony: Cultural Heritage Conservation in China’s Historically and Culturally Famous Cities delineates three revitalized residential areas in the Jiangnan region. While Pingjiang Historic Block in Suzhou and Tongli Ancient Water Town are characterized by Ming and Qing period architecture, Tianzifang in Shanghai is a mixed-use urban block with lilong housing and factory buildings. Based on these three areas which now serve as exemplars for integrated conservation and development, the study argues and demonstrates how “Historically and Culturally Famous Cities” developed from their initial concept into a multi-layered conservation system.