Comments on: The Last Hour of Old Kunming http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/06/14/the-last-hour-of-old-kunming/ Exploring urban life through word and photography Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:05:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Sam Massie http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/06/14/the-last-hour-of-old-kunming/comment-page-1/#comment-289836 Sam Massie Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:04:33 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4628#comment-289836 This is how I think of Chinese urban redevelopment: not a loss of "authenticity," but a loss of individuality: "this is what makes [Kunming] different from other cities." Not fabrication replacing authenticity, but a single fabrication replacing many distinct fabrications. This is how I think of Chinese urban redevelopment: not a loss of “authenticity,” but a loss of individuality: “this is what makes [Kunming] different from other cities.” Not fabrication replacing authenticity, but a single fabrication replacing many distinct fabrications.

]]> By: Christopher Szabla http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/06/14/the-last-hour-of-old-kunming/comment-page-1/#comment-289781 Christopher Szabla Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:45:39 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4628#comment-289781 It's ironic - the Cultural Revolution wiped out so many famous Chinese shrines and temples - Chinese history "from above". Deng Xiaopeng Thought has wound up wiping out most of the architectural evidence of historical China "from below". I wouldn't call it a loss of "heritage" or "culture" - what replaces the alleyways is, in its own way, as uniquely Chinese as what's being replaced. ("What is authenticity?" is an old question.) There is, however, a loss of depth, of texture. By contrast, I think the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/world/asia/28kashgar.html" rel="nofollow">planned destruction of Kashgar</a> is much more akin to the Cultural Revolution - a thinly veiled political act. It’s ironic – the Cultural Revolution wiped out so many famous Chinese shrines and temples – Chinese history “from above”. Deng Xiaopeng Thought has wound up wiping out most of the architectural evidence of historical China “from below”.

I wouldn’t call it a loss of “heritage” or “culture” – what replaces the alleyways is, in its own way, as uniquely Chinese as what’s being replaced. (“What is authenticity?” is an old question.) There is, however, a loss of depth, of texture.

By contrast, I think the planned destruction of Kashgar is much more akin to the Cultural Revolution – a thinly veiled political act.

]]> By: John Massie http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/2009/06/14/the-last-hour-of-old-kunming/comment-page-1/#comment-289664 John Massie Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:58:28 +0000 http://www.urbanphoto.net/blog/?p=4628#comment-289664 I can't remember the last time I've been so touched by a picture of a crumbling and dirty back alley. This is a great piece. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so touched by a picture of a crumbling and dirty back alley. This is a great piece.

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