Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
people's square where only in spare time do people come and enjoy themselves in
appreciation of the magnifi cent palaces built by the labouring people of ancient
times and the gems of art in store there.
When Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall was completed in July 1977, the people's
square was further expanded and endowed with new signifi cance, adding to the
serenity and tranquility of the south end. The lofty antique building of Qian Men
(or Zheng Yang Men) has been preserved as well as the majestic Tian An Men. But
these two age-old gates have now lost their former function as vanguards of the
Forbidden City. They now serve with their artistic features as boundary marks of the
new people's square on its south and north borders respectively. Once the thorough-
fare—South Qian Men Street—from Qian Men to Yong Ding Men is expanded, the
prominence of the Tian An Men Square as the centre of the whole city of Beijing
will be further enhanced (Fig.
1.10
).
The square, which is now still undergoing further planning, is only an example
to illustrate that if we persist in critical inheritance on the basis formed in the course
of history and in accordance with the principles of making the past serve the present
and weeding through the old to bring forth the new, a court square whose theme it
was to extol feudal emperors can certainly be transformed into a people's square
whose theme it is to praise the strength of the people. By analogy, the city of Beijing
whose theme it was to extol feudal emperors, can likewise be transformed into a
people's capital whose theme it is to praise the strength of the people.
But we must also acknowledge that there did arise controversies in regard to
certain measures taken during the transformation of the old city. Although the
demolition of the outer red walls enclosing Tian An Men Square did not give rise to
any dissent, it was not the case with that of the old city walls. When the question of
removing the old city walls was fi rst taken into consideration in the new city plan-
ning, opinions varied. Now that the city walls have already been removed, we have
come to realize through the test of practice that whether it was absolutely necessary
to get rid of them is indeed a question worth investigation, especially when part of
the city moat has been turned into an undercurrent with their removal, thus reducing
the water area in the city, which has proved detrimental to the improvement of its
environment. It was particularly true with the moat outside Qian Men which runs
through the middle of the city from west to east. If it had been preserved, it would
not only have added to the natural beauty of the city, but also promoted its climate
conditioning and helped to provide the city with fresh air, which would be extremely
advantageous to the improvement of the city's environment and would supply its
residents with excellent recreation ground.
It ought to be mentioned here that before the Cultural Revolution, there was a
certain project in a district planning for the transformation of Tian An Men Square
to bring a section of the moat outside Qian Men into the new plan of the Tian An
Men Square. As a result, there would appear in the south of the square, a wooded
garden abounding in natural views. If this proposal had been adopted, it would have
added to the serenity and tranquility in the southern part of Tian An Men Square by
setting off the green lawns around Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall with a riverside
park outside Qian Men. But all this has proved to be something irremediable now.
