Replicas reveal lack of pride

Characterized by rockeries and pavilions surrounded by water, maze-like Lion Grove Garden is one of the most popular of the classical gardens of Suzhou. [Photo/visitsz.com]

A Chinese version of London's Tower Bridge in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, was recently judged by netizens to look more grandiose than the original construction and it has become a popular spot for tourists to take photos.

But for Suzhou, a historical and cultural city well known for traditional gardens and classical rivers and lakes that only the south of the Yangtze River boasts, the bridge looks somewhat incongruous with the local architectural style.

This is not an isolated case of such an architectural replica in China. According to media reports, there are at least 10 buildings across China modeled after the White House, with one even used as a local government's office building. The Eiffel Tower, the Sphinx, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Arc de Triomphe are also copied across China.

Like naming residential communities after the names of foreign places, the enthusiasm for copies of foreign buildings reflects some regions' lack of respect for local history and their lack of confidence in Chinese culture.

A city should be proud of its own history and its buildings should serve as a record of its development and vicissitudes. A city's architectural style is by no means the combination of individual buildings, but an organic blend of its architectural, natural and cultural landscapes.

However, due to the lack of care and respect for their own history and culture, many regions in China have modern replicas of ancient buildings without any personality, or choose to run after buildings on a grand scale or in a Western style.

City authorities should know that with modern technological means, any ancient building can be replicated, even in a more grandiose style, but such architectural replicas are doomed to be counterfeits without a soul.--People's Daily