Walls protecting ancient relics in real danger: study

Ongoing probe at historic sites finds 6,884m are hazardous

Some of Beijing's most ancient structures are seriously degraded, according to an ongoing conservation study.

Checks at 11 historical sites discovered that 35 sections - a combined 6,884 meters - of century-old walls around imperial gardens are potentially hazardous.

The study, which was carried out by the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, also found 27 sections at five imperial gardens and altars are in danger, making up almost 80 percent of all hazardous sections. The Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, as well as Jingshan and Zhongshan parks, were among the sites tested.

The results of the authority's report, which was instigated after routine checks discovered "serious problems" in ancient walls around Beihai Park, comes just days after workers clearing snow found a collapsed section of wall on the northeastern grounds of the Summer Palace.

Beihai Park's eastern walls are extremely close to courtyard houses and bungalows, and some residents are believed to have used the aging wall to hang shelves for storage or growing fruit. A nearby health service station, which is about 1.5 meters from the eastern section, also laid cement along a 20-meter section during a renovation, Beijing Daily reported.

Investigations are ongoing, said Xia Ran, a press officer for the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, although she added that the center has no authority to punish or fine residents for such behavior.

Zheng Maolin, director of basic construction at Beihai Park, said garbage piled up by residents against one wall has also eroded ancient relics, while the stability of some has been affected by nearby basement construction.

The ancient complex should also have at least a 3.5-meter lane alongside the walls for fire trucks, according to law, yet some alleys are less than 1 meter wide, he said.

Officials also have similar concerns when it comes to the 800-year-old Jingshan Park, which was used as an imperial garden during Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The southwest section of its walls is partly occupied by a restaurant and a dormitory for soldiers' families due to "problems left from history", said Meng Tao, director of basic construction at Jingshan Park.

"The water pipes in the restaurant and dormitory building may erode the wall, but won't cause a collapse," he assured.

Meng added that the park does not own the property rights for about 40 percent of its walls, meaning it has little power to fix sections, even if they are found to be damaged.

The wall surrounding Jingshan Park is actually a 400- to 500-year-old inner wall, while the outside wall - about 60 meters farther out - is now part of residential complexes, explained Zhang Fuqiang, director of the park's cultural research office of Jingshan.

He said: "If the government wants to recover the ancient face of Beijing, it's crucial we remove households and fix the ancient walls."

He added that the removal of neighborhoods has already been completed around the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven.

China Daily

(China Daily 02/15/2011)