Buddhist monks outraged at plans to bulldoze centuries-old temple

[Ensapa]

Oh no. Looks like China has taken a step back from the progress they have in Buddhism. Lets hope they wont demolish the site!

Buddhist monks outraged at plans to bulldoze centuries-old temple
The Telegraph, Apr 11, 2013
Xi'an, China -- Buddhist monks in central China are up in arms over government plans to demolish large sections of a Tang dynasty temple along the ancient Silk Road.


<< Xingjiao temple complex in Xi'an

Local officials reportedly want to bulldoze nearly two-thirds of the Xingjiao temple complex in Xi'an, apparently in order to restore the sanctuary to its original style.

The revamp is part of a campaign to achieve UNESCO World Heritage site status.

"Some buildings will be demolished because it would make the environment more elegant," Zhang Ning, the head of the local Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau, told the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper this week. A report in the Shanghai Daily newspaper claimed the buildings would be "rebuilt with a new and prettier look."


 But the proposal has left local monks and Chinese micro-bloggers aghast.
The 1,300 year-old temple is home to three towers, one of which contains the remains of Xuanzang, a 7th century Buddhist monk revered for undertaking a 17-year pilgrimage to India.

While those towers will not be affected, many of the surrounding buildings have been slated for demolition by May. Some of those constructions date from between 1644 and 1911, according to the China Daily newspaper.

Local monks, who will be rehoused following the demolition, have vowed to fight the plans.

"If there was no demolition, we would support the world heritage application. But if the plan includes demolition, we shall quit," a local monk, Kuan Chi, told a meeting this week, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily.

Huang Chunbo, a micro-blogger, wrote: "I can't understand why you would destroy a cultural relic in order to apply for cultural heritage [status]. Isn't protection the point of the application?"

[brian]

I myself would not want to support a cause that says world heritage but at the same time they are demolishing some part of the heritage. it's just doesn't make any sense to me. Yeah, some parts might need a new facelift but not demolishing it perhaps. I wonder if they did the same to the Forbidden City too. It could be for the better if the buildings that were proposed for demolishing is very unsafe and is dangerous for the public. But then again, in this modern day, i believe there are ways that can be done to rectify this problem.

[Jessie Fong]

Heritage means something inherited from the past. So if they bulldoze and demolish a large part of the temple complex, then what is left?

UNESCO's Criteria for Selection

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.

Selection criteria:
to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;

to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;

to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.

The protection, management, authenticity and integrity of properties are also important considerations.

If they tear down the place and rebuild, which criteria will they use to be selected for the List?

I would be outraged, too.

[pgdharma]

This is ridiculous! Destroying a cultural relic to apply for cultural heritage? Isn't it contradicting that the local government ignores the  protection of heritage itself to pursue heritage recognition or perhaps the true intention of the local government behind the vigorous demolition in the name of applying for the title of World Cultural Heritage Site,  is to promote real estate development. These ancient temples have survived for thousand of years and to see it demolished to attract investment and drive up tourism is so sad.

[dondrup]

Why do you need to demolish two-thirds of the ancient and precious Xingjiao temple in order to restore to its original style?  Recreation is never the same as the original.  Even if the restoration effort is made with care, you can’t actually revive the original creation. Demolishing the temple structures is totally uncalled for!

China is fortunate to own this legacy of the past.  Every effort should be made to preserve these precious buildings in their original state.  It is an irony that China with so vast a piece of land in their country would resort to demolishing buildings! I am sure that the plans of the authorities to demolish the ancient site will fail the criteria for the UNESCO World Heritage site status.