One of the biggest commercial tourism projects in China in the recent past has been the rebuilding of the Daming Palace in China’s ancient capital of Xi’an. The original palace was built during the Tang Dynasty – when Xi’an was known as Chang’an – but was demolished.

The 1.2 billion yuan (US$180 million) “Daming Palace National Heritage Park” involved the demolition of a large swathe of urban space in which 100,000 residents were displaced before their homes were destroyed. The remaining ruins of the Danfeng Gate were also demolished. The vast space is now home to military re-enactments and a miniature model of the old palace.

The project aims to attract the millions of travelers who visit Xi’an every year, primarily to see the Terracotta Warriors – which were not destroyed and then rebuilt. It opened on October 1 of this year.

Kitschy? Yes. But the huge investment in the rebuilding of Daming Palace underscores how the people involved in the development of Chinese cities are beginning to look at history and heritage differently.

An article about the Daming Palace project and cultural heritage in The National touched upon something we’ve been noticing in recent travels around China. The story quotes Leo Yatming Sin , a professor in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong:

“Sometimes they have sacrificed cultural heritage for development … Now many government officials have noticed cultural heritage is important for attracting tourists, [so] now they start thinking about preserving.”

In other words, officials have realized that historical sites don’t stand in the way of economic development, they enhance it and give a city the kind of character that cannot be manufactured by modern property developers.

As we recently noted in the case of Beijing’s Gulou area, many irresponsible real estate projects that would have been approved in the past are now being rejected or downsized significantly.

Over the last two centuries, China lost countless important historical sites and artifacts, but there is still much left that is worth saving. We are heartened to see that the people who decide the fate of China’s heritage are beginning to appreciate the irreplaceable value of history.

Daming Palace Image: UPI

Just a decade ago long ago, most rail service in China was well-run, punctual and very, very slow. As the countryside rolled by slowly, it was difficult not to think about how nice it would be if China were to one day have its own version of Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train.

What a difference ten years makes. China not only boasts the world’s largest high-speed rail network, but it is aiming to set a record for the fastest train in the world sometime next year. The announcement was made at the 7^th World Congress on High Speed Rail last week, held not coincidentally, in Beijing.

The current fastest train in the world is France’s TGV, which in 2007 was clocked at a record 357.2 miles/hour (574.8 kilometers/hour). China’s CSR Corp announced in Beijing that it is developing a train aiming to top the TGV. There is plenty more ambition where that came from: China is planning on having 42 high-speed rail lines totaling 10,000 miles (13,000 km) in use by 2012.

What does this mean for travelers? Let’s take a look at the upcoming Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail line, which is currently being tested. Once operational, it will only take five hours to travel between the two cities in the comfort of a train.

Figuring in traffic, advance check-in and the duration of the Beijing-Shanghai flight itself, the new rail line will only be a little slower than flying, and without any turbulence, delays or airline food. China’s high-speed trains are also newer and more spacious than most of its air fleet, with the added bonus of being able to see the country as it whizzes by.

Right now the recently launched Shanghai-Hangzhou line and the Chengdu-Chongqing line are already an option for WildChina clients. In the coming months and years, high-speed rail will become an increasingly common transport option for anyone looking to experience China differently.

Image: China Daily

It appears that one of our favorite historical spots in Beijing, the area including the Drum and Bell Towers and surrounding hutongs – often referred to as the Gulou area – will be spared from demolition.

A multibillion yuan property development called “Time Cultural City” was going to be built on a 12.5-acre plot at Gulou, threatening the Yuan-era hutongs in the area, which date back more than 600 years. After government intervention following public outcry, a vastly downsized “time museum” requiring no demolition will be built 20 meters southeast of the Drum Tower.

As was noted in a recent interview on this blog, much of Beijing’s ancient charm disappeared with the destruction of the old city wall, which now exists only in the names of subway stations.

But there are still plenty of historical sites in Beijing worth preserving. One of the people working to make sure that shortsighted development doesn’t trump cultural heritage is He Shuzhong, founder of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center.

“I see the changing of policy as a sign of government progress,” He told Global Times. “It shows that the government has a better understanding of the value of old community culture and it accepts the voices from the public and non-government organizations.”

We applaud He’s efforts to protect Beijing’s historical treasures and the Beijing government’s wise decision to spare the Gulou area from the wrecking ball.

Drum Tower image: kafka4prez’s flickr page

I didn’t know what to expect at Mr. Liang Congjie’s memorial service, or specifically, how to dress for it. In any event, I put on a full black outfit, a bit on the formal side and found my way through the neighborhood in northern Beijing. There were no Porche or BMWs lining the narrow alleyway, the building was simple – Beijing Science Activity Center.  Once inside, a few young volunteers greeted me. They are the typical volunteers of Friends of Nature, college graduates, and passionate environmentalists. The whole low-key nature was just perfectly fitting to see off Mr. Liang Congjie.

The surprise came inside the memorial hall.

First of all, there were many more older people than I ever expected.  Secondly, people were wearing their daily outfits – quite a few women were in their brightly colored cotton coats (–棉袄),  a typical winter outfit for northerners from the country side. Somehow, that surprised me because environmentalists in China are such a niche group of people that people usually associate them with the active college grads whose lives are not inundated with the needs of a car, house, kids, etc., and sometimes, idealistic intellectuals who still continue to dream into their old ages. I had no idea that Liang’s grassroots movement was truly grassroots based. These are common Chinese you see everywhere – no formalities of dressing for the occasion.

Then one of these old ladies spoke up. “I am from Xinxiang, Henan.” From the moment she spoke, she started to cry. She recounted how Liang helped her to start grassroot organization to protect the environment in her village, and how Liang coached her on how to speak with government officials, how to motivate her followers. (Now, her organization had more than 10,000 members.) As she talked, she became more emotional, by the end, she was practically wailing, with many in the audience were crying silently as well. I used to see this kind of wailing at funerals for relatives in the countryside, but wasn’t a bit surprised here.  It simply seemed the right way to say goodbye to such a leader.

More than 300 people were there, who had come on their own – many by buses, by taxies – but the goal was the same. They were here to celebrate Liang’s life and find a sense of camaraderie among us all. Liang is the last of three famous Liang men important to modern Chinese history. Liang’s Grandfather was Liang Qichao – the one who attempted to assist the emperor in setting up a modern democracy in the 19^th century, and Liang’s father was Liang Sicheng – the founding father of Chinese architecture and also the one who fought against the demolition of Beijing’s old city wall in the 1950s. Liang himself was the one who fought to protect Yunnan Snub-nosed monkeys, Tibetan antelopes, and the environment. All three of them fought in losing battles, but all three believed that the losing battles were worth fighting as they woke up the nation, woke up the people.

There were many people wanting to speak at his memorial, so I didn’t want to fight for stage time, as my personal interaction with Liang was fairly limited. But, I think it’s important to share what kind of a person he was.

I first met him in late in 1999. A few of my conservation friends wanted to take me to meet him, so I did. His office was humble and simple, and so was him home, but somehow, seeing him in his home was simply inspiring – reminding people once again that you really don’t need all the fancy stuff in life, but focusing on doing something meaningful is more important.

Soon I married an American journalist, and I wanted him to meet Liang and his wife. So, we invited them to my house for dinner. My husband was cooking and he was fretting over the fact the cucumber that day wasn’t that good. Liang arrived, my husband and I were both a bit formal as he was a very well respected and well known scholar so we didn’t know how to treat him appropriately. Casually, Liang strolled into our kitchen, picked up a piece of cucumber and took a bite.  My husband looked at him sort of nervously and asked, “how is it?”.  Liang simply said, “不好吃” (“not good”). Then we all laughed. That broke the ice. He was straightforward, and immediately, we were talking like old friends.

Then, my dear husband’s roasted whole chicken was ready. He cut off two drumsticks, and two pieces of breast meat, put them on separate plates to serve. To my horror, he served the guests the breast meat and reserved the drumsticks for himself and me! In China, drumsticks were the best part and always served to the guests! Liang looked at the plate and simply said, “美国女婿还没训练好.” (“American son-in-law still needs more training!”)  That became the legend joke in my marriage. We went on to discuss many issues related to the environment and US/Chinese relations.

I guess the point of me sharing this is to say, Liang is such a personable man that he didn’t become a crusader environmentalist that turned people off, but instead, he brought these serious issues to our daily lives, made the issues accessible to everyone.

I took a cold shower Monday morning, because it takes about 10 minutes flushing out the cold water before the hot shower comes on. I wasn’t brave. I simply did one little thing to pay my respect to Mr. Liang Congjie.

Huanghuacheng, or the “Yellow Flower” Great Wall, has long been a lesser-known section to visitors.  Often been referred to as the “Wild Wall,” Huanghuacheng‘s remote location and disrepair made it  mysterious to those looking to visit China’s architectural wonder.

This will all change when local government approves access to the Wild Wall that, the Global Times reports, recently underwent a (now complete) five-month repair project.

Huanghuacheng‘s appeal lies in its unique “lake and mountain scenery,” and of course, scores of yellow flora. However, the section has historically been plagued with issues ranging from “landslide-induced collapses, earthquakes and cracks,” which prompted its closure to the public from 2004 onward.

The impending re-opening of the section makes us contemplate the fate of the Wall’s wilder side. With increasing damage and commercialization of the other sections, it would be in the best interest of cultural preservation to limit the traffic and development in the area. (After all, the government allegedly took drastic measures to ensure historical authenticity.)

But, with the prevalence of mass / “fast” tourism in the area, and across China in general, this may not be an immediate concern. We hope that for the sake of the wall’s cultural integrity, and the preservation of Huanghuacheng‘s “wild” nature, local officials carefully and thoughtfully plan the re-introduction of the Wild Wall to the public.

Yes, you read that headline correctly.

The China Post today reports, “Chinese tourists may be allowed free travel in Taiwan as early as next July, with residents of Beijing and Shanghai possibly first in line for the opportunity.”

Why the tag-free travel? According to reports, the system would act as a trial run for visitors traveling between Taiwan and Mainland China.

Perk up, Beijing and Shanghai: you’re on the priority list!

Read more about the Taiwan-Mainland travel trial system.

Our friend and writer/photographer/tour leader Annika Hipple alerted us on Facebook yesterday to an interesting new China travel/environment article on Ethical Traveler, an e-news portal that “[promotes] travel as diplomacy that can make a difference on environmental and human rights issues.”

China's Great Green Wall: a long-term solution for the country's environmental concerns? (Photo: Mark Wasyl / Wired.com)

In the November 2010 issue, Katia Savchuk’s article, “China’s Great Green Wall Tests the Limits of Reforestation” explores one of China’s greatest environmental challenges. Nationwide deforestation, in conjunction with global warming, poor regulations and overgrazing, has ” contributed to the rapid spread of deserts,” thereby “threatening the livelihoods of 400 million people.”

China’s 2,800-mile-long (4,506 kilometers)”Great Green Wall, ” officially termed the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, will provide 400-million hectares’ (988-million acres) worth of artificial forest to 13 northern Chinese provinces in 40 years, to counter such climate change and desertification.

But, will this initiative, started in 1978, be an effective long-term solution to China’s worsening environmental conditions? We wonder the same thing for how this will affect the landscape of Chinese tourism.

Read the arguments for and against this ambitious $6.3-billion undertaking in the article.

We were saddened to hear of the passing at age 78 last week of Liang Congjie, a pioneering Chinese conservationist to whose legacy we owe a great deal.

Though unheralded and relatively unknown outside of China, Liang played a central role in the development of the contemporary Chinese environmental movement and protection of some of our favorite pristine wilderness areas in China.

In 1994 Liang founded Friends of Nature, China’s first environment-focused non-governmental organization (NGO). Over the next 16 years he and the staff of Friends of Nature worked tirelessly to educate the Chinese public about environmental issues and encourage the government to strengthen conservation laws and enforcement.

It is hard for us to imagine losing the mile-high cliffs of majestic Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the great natural wonders of not only China, but also the world. But that might have happened if Liang’s organization had not campaigned against a hydropower project in the gorge and won a last minute reprieve from China’s top leadership.

Friends of Nature won other practical victories in areas such as a dam project on the upper Salween River, the poaching of Tibetan antelope and illegal harvesting of virgin forests. But it also left a less tangible impact by inspiring and paving the way for the thousands of environmental groups that operate in China today.

We offer our condolences to Liang’s family and friends and our deepest thanks to all those who have followed his call and are working to keep China wild.

Liang Congjie image: New York Times

Photo: Michael Mudd

Shanghai seems to be the hub of travel news this week! Here’s what’s piqued our interest today:

• High-speed Shanghai to Hong Kong train: In addition to the newly-unveiled Shanghai to Hangzhou bullet train (watch video footage from WSJ), the Fragrant Harbor will now have high-speed access to (arguably) China’s most glamorous city with the Shanghai to Hong Kong bullet train in development. We’re keeping our eye on how these lines will affect travel during peak holiday seasons and the popularity of lesser-known river towns and tea plantations outside of Hangzhou.

• From volunteer to visitor: As the 2010 Shanghai Expo comes to a close this month, those who kept the months-long event running finally got their chance to experience it as guests. Watch the video footage of volunteers switching roles.

• Expo breaks World Fair attendance record: In the last few days, the Expo broke the record for World Fair visitors. Congratulations, Shanghai!  (But given China’s population and the amount of marketing and advertising done for the event, we’re not too surprised.)

In the next few years, much of China’s rail network will be converted to high-speed rail, allowing travelers and goods to move around the country at unprecedented speeds. Today China took one more step toward its high-speed rail dreams.

China’s newest high-speed rail line, which connects Shanghai with Hangzhou, was unveiled today. Now in less than one hour, one can travel from bustling Shanghai to Hangzhou’s teashops and silk stores, not to mention beautiful West Lake.

Trains left this morning from Hongqiao in western Shanghai for Hangzhou, a substantial 126 miles (200 km) away. Within 45 minutes, the trains completed their journeys, which previously took twice as long.

Some high-speed rail lines, such as the ones connecting Guangzhou with Wuhan and Chengdu with Chongqing, are already in operation. But there are many more to come.

China is planning on having 42 high-speed rail lines totaling 10,000 miles (13,000 km) in use by 2012. One of the biggest lines to be completed in that time is the 824-mile (1,318 km) line that will link Beijing with Shanghai. The line will reduce the trip between the two cities from 10 hours to five hours

There are other even more ambitious projects underway, including a high-speed line between Shanghai and Kunming in southwestern China. The new rail link, scheduled for completion by 2015, will cut travel time from the current 37 hours to less than nine hours.

If you’re considering a WildChina journey including travel between Shanghai and Hangzhou, let us know if you would prefer the convenience of high-speed rail.

Speedy and scenic – and without the hassles of air travel – this is one of the coolest ways to get around China. Watch this space for new lines as they become operational.

Image: hangzhou.aliyeye.com