© All Rights Reserved 2025 | Privacy Policy
Tax ID / EIN: 23-7441306
Skyline of Las Vegas
Real news. Real stories. Real voices.
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Supported by
NPR

China's Demolition Derby Turns History Into Rubble

By Louisa Lim
Published February 8, 2012 at 2:05 PM PST
Liang Sicheng, known as the father of modern Chinese architecture, lobbied Mao Zedong to preserve ancient buildings in Beijing. Despite efforts to have his former courtyard home in Beijing preserved as a cultural relic, it was recently demolished.
Louisa Lim
/
NPR
Liang Sicheng, known as the father of modern Chinese architecture, lobbied Mao Zedong to preserve ancient buildings in Beijing. Despite efforts to have his former courtyard home in Beijing preserved as a cultural relic, it was recently demolished.
Yan Lianke is one of China's most famous authors, known for his absurdist stories about sensitive subjects. He moved into a new house in 2008, and a year later was told it would be knocked down to make way for development.
Louisa Lim / NPR
/
NPR
Yan Lianke is one of China's most famous authors, known for his absurdist stories about sensitive subjects. He moved into a new house in 2008, and a year later was told it would be knocked down to make way for development.

Copyright 2012 NPR
Tags
NPR World
Louisa Lim
Beijing Correspondent Louisa Lim is currently attending the University of Michigan as a Knight-Wallace Fellow. She will return to her regular role in 2014.
Related Content
The Dining Issue
Sink your teeth into our annual collection of dining — and drinking — stories, including a tally of Sin City's Tiki bars, why good bread is having a moment, and how one award-winning chef is serving up Caribbean history lessons through steak. Plus, discover how Las Vegas is a sports town, in more ways than one. Bon appétit!