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Qianmen Street: Yesterday once more

By Hao Zhou (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-07-03 11:37

Commercial Avenue

At the beginning of 2007, CCTV anchorman Rui Chenggang's essay titled "Why Starbucks Needs to Get Out of the Forbidden City?" triggered a heated nationwide debate about whether "the symbol of low-end US food culture" is "an insult to Chinese civilization."

But Qianmen Street differs from the Forbidden City. It has been an ever-open commercial street since it began taking shape. Many businesses born on this street, including Quan Ju De, which is famous for roasted duck, Da Bei Photo Studio and Qing Lin Chun Tea Shop, which will move back to Qianmen.

Meanwhile, influential international players such as Starbucks, Rolex, Apple and Nike will be integrated with customized local faces. Several Chinese theaters such as Guang He Lou and Zhong He Theater will also return to the street，introduced by Tian.

"We have earmarked 10 million yuan ($1.46 million) annually to support innovations of those old businesses in Qianmen for at least three years in a row," said Tian. "We would like to accommodate both traditional Chinese businesses and modern global ones and let them develop together."

Culture Rejuvenation

The green-white stone-paved path, the bird-cage-like street lamps and the re-erected sculptural archway, all the changes show the Beijing municipal government's great efforts to revivify Chinese traditional culture in people's minds. [chinadaily.com.cn]

At the end of 2005, the Republic of Korea had successfully and exclusively registered the "Dragon Boat Festival," which is also shared by China as a national traditional festival, to the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization as one of the masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.

Such an incident was no less a humiliation to the Chinese as spitting on their faces. From then on, China, with its 5,000-year history of civilization, became more aware of the importance to protect its cultural heritage than ever before.

The State Council, China's cabinet, adjusted the country's public holidays this year, adding three Chinese traditional festivals: the Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping, Festival; the Dragon Boat Festival; and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The revival of old Qianmen Street, the adjustment of national holidays and the colorful Chinese elements in the upcoming Beijing Olympics, all are meant to rescue, or at least remind modern Chinese of, our glorious history and cultures.

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