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Controversial chimney stokes industrial heritage debate

By Yuan Quan/wang Fei | China Daily | Updated: 2017-08-30 08:46
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A tourist rides a bike through the 798 Art Zone in Beijing, which was built on the site of an abandoned factory and is now one of the city's best-known tourist attractions. WU HUI/FRO CHINA DAILY

Reminder of a bygone age

In 1983, the central government ordered Beijing, the capital for more than 850 years, to become "a political and cultural center" and to "no longer develop heavy industry".

For this reason, some scholars suggest the chimney should be retained as a reminder of a bygone age.

"The chimney and the pagoda have coexisted for 40 years, and the two buildings together have become new historic relics," said Zhao Zhongshu, a senior engineer at the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design. "Understanding of architectural heritage is constantly developing and enriched. I don't agree that the chimney should be dismantled. It should be protected as industrial heritage."

Opponents dispute the concept of "industrial heritage".

The chimney is only 40 years old and has no special value or features compared with other chimneys, according to Zhu Zuxi, vice-director of the Beijing Geographic Society.

"It is a total failure of Beijing's protection of cultural relics and of city planning. The nightmare of the Tianning Pagoda should end," Zhu said.

Chen Ying, a former worker at the power plant, said the city should be proud of the chimney.

The 43-year-old said the power plant was the first in Beijing to be equipped with fuel-burning boilers, which were highly efficient and relatively clean for their time.

"The chimney was built so high specifically to protect residents from the emissions," she said.

Chen recalled how she and a few colleagues climbed on the 36-meter-high boiler houses every two hours during winter to ensure the machinery was working correctly: "We worked hard, but we were very proud, because our work made the city warm and bright."

It has been the only chimney in downtown Beijing since 2008. "Why not keep one chimney to mark the past?" she said.

Last year, more than 60 percent of 700 respondents to an online poll were in favor of preserving the chimney.

"That's why we plan to lower it to 8 meters. It will preserve the skyline and a piece of history," Huo, the renovation plan's chief designer, said.

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