20th Century Architectural Heritage Reader

I. Pioneering masters of 20th century Chinese architectural heritage

The history of 20th-century architectural heritage falls under a “major transformation not seen in a century，” encompassing at least three dimensions. Firstly， the comparative changes between nations. Secondly， the shifts and changes in centers of civilization and culture. Thirdly， advancements in technology and changes in the living environment. Professor Arnold Toynbee of Britain （1889--1975）， lauded by Western society as “the greatest historian of the 20th century，” after studying 26 global civilizations， predicted that Chinese civilization would provide cultural treasures and intellectual resources for the worlds transformation in the 21st century. Indeed， this reminds us that when recounting the history and contributions of 20th-century Chinese architecture in dialogue with the world， the roles and achievements of Chinese architects must be highlighted and spread.

As early as 2005， architectural editor Yang Yongsheng， following his previous works such as Four Generations of Chinese Architects， introduced The Five Architectural Masters， including Lv Yanzhi， Liu Dunzhen， Tong Jun， Liang Sicheng， and Yang Tingbao. They were pioneers in establishing architectural education and design research in 20th-century China， creators of iconic 20th-century architectural works， and educators who studied and passed down Chinese architectural thought using modern methods. Their philosophies are invaluable to us and must be revered and remembered.

Lv Yanzhi was a renowned 20th-century architect who won the design competition for the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in 1925. In 1927， his designs for the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and monument in Guangzhou were again celebrated， marking him as the first to use modern reinforced concrete structures for Chinese national architectural forms.

Liu Dunzhen was a Chinese architectural scholar and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He was a pioneer in Chinese architectural education. He dedicated his life to researching ancient Chinese architectural designs， achieved multiple breakthroughs in academic construction， authored many works， served as the director of the Documentation Department at the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture， and worked closely with the French Department Director Liang Sicheng， using modern Western research methods， changing the previous domestic approach of solely relying on textual research.

Tong Jun was an architectural scholar in China who， besides teaching and research， participated in designing over a hundred projects， particularly excelling in architectural and garden theories. His influence resonates with architects domestically and internationally. In the history of Chinese architecture， its hard to find another architect like Tong Jun who embodies the roles of architect， professor， and scholar. In his later years， drawing on 50 years of experience， he wrote dozens of weighty theoretical works and over ten books.

Liang Sicheng was a renowned architectural scholar in China and worldwide and one of the pioneers of Chinese architectural education. He employed modern Western scientific methods to research traditional Chinese architecture， pioneering the direction of 20th-century architectural research in China. The American scholar John King Fairbank once commented on Liang Sicheng and Lin Huiyin： “Of all the people I have met， they possess the most profound dual cultural backgrounds. Not only were they educated in orthodox Chinese classical culture， but they also studied extensively and traveled broadly in Europe and America. This allowed them to form their aesthetic interests and standards based on a combination of Eastern and Western knowledge.”

Architect Yang Tingbao was born in the same year as Liang Sicheng. He is a master known for his long-standing reputation in architectural design， and he adeptly merges Chinese classical architecture， vernacular construction， and modern Western technological concepts in his work. From 1927 to 1982， Yang Tingbao was involved in the design or exploration of 132 projects. His first design after returning from the U.S. was the Liaoning main station of the Jing-Qin Railway （now Shenyang North Railway Station）. It was the first major train station designed by the Chinese. Earlier stations include the Beijing Qianmen Station， built in 1906， and the Jinan Station of the Jiao-Ji Railway， built in 1915.

The century-long saga of 20th-century Chinese architectural history is crafted by its works. Only when architects are not confined to one style can we see the diverse blossoming of architectural styles. Paying homage to Chinese architectural classics， the most authentic and dazzling aspect highlights the design philosophies and careers of the main architects and engineers centered around the 20th-century timeline.

II. Jiangsu： Architectural records of the reform and opening-up journey

The Jinling Hotel， completed in 1983， was a cutting-edge high-rise for its time， praised by Tong Nai as a “first-rate design.” The design sought a perfect fusion of traditional culture and modern technology， conveying the characteristics of the era through a modern and dignified architectural form. Its construction quality and decorative standards were top-notch. With 37 floors standing at 110 meters， it was dubbed the “Tallest Building in China” at the time， representing Chinas opening-up reforms. It has been included in “History of World Architecture.” The Nanjing International Exhibition Center， commenced in 1998， employs a high-tech architectural style. The main building features a modern steel structure supported by large-span steel trusses， creating a pillar-free space of 75 meters in width and 245 meters in length， accommodating 2，068 international standard booths （3 meters by 3 meters）. The modern streamlined spatial form harmoniously integrates with the internal exhibition space， perfectly balancing form and function.

As cities strive for modern architectural appearances， societal demand for urban cultural essence and regional characteristics is on the rise. In the 1980s， Ye Juhua led， with participation of Pan Guxi， Zhong Xunzheng， and Ding Wowo， the restoration of the Nanjing Confucius Temple complex. They respected the historical “temple-market integration” layout， reviving the urban fabric and architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It became a representative example of historical and cultural districts at the time. In 1997， Du Shunbao led the design of the Nanjing Yuejiang Tower. Inspired by the essay “Yuejiang Tower” by early Ming Dynasty literary scholar Song Lian， it cleverly utilizes the existing terrain of Lion Mountain， blending the main building seamlessly with the mountainous environment and the Ming city wall. The architecture adopts the Ming Dynasty official style. Its wings feature descending layered hip roofs with varied heights and dynamic undulations. Glazed green tiles contrast with vermilion columns， creating an imposing tower scene in the modern city， putting an end to the history of Yuejiang Tower being “recorded but nonexistent.” In 1999， Suzhou invited world-renowned architect I.M. Pei to design the new Suzhou Museum， marking Peis “final masterpiece.” Adjacent to the Humble Administrators Garden in the north and the former location of the Zhong Wang Mansion （original site of the Suzhou Museum） in the east， the new museum design philosophy is “Modern yet Chinese， Modern yet Suzhounese.” It taps into the symbolic elements of Wu culture， innovating and continuing the elements of classical gardens in southern China. Through modern techniques， it captures the ambiance of traditional gardens， bridging the traditional and modern， integrating harmoniously with the historical context of the old city of Suzhou.

III. Tianjin： A century-long mirage of international architecture

As the waves of time surge forward， urban transformations and splendid civilizations are etched and solidified. Among the five batches of 20th-century architectural heritage lists， 32 Tianjin architectures （or groups） are included. With diverse functions and styles， they lead Chinas architecture towards rejuvenation， presenting an open， inclusive， and diverse Tianjin culture. They offer a panoramic view of a century of architectural history in modern China， encapsulating a century of endeavors and aspirations， the soul and pride of a city， and evoke a plethora of emotions， representing a sincere dedication to the preservation and adaptive reuse of contemporary historical and cultural heritage.

In the 1950s， as the Republic joined the ranks of socialist nations， it fully embraced the experiences of the Soviet Union. Amidst the fervor of political movements， buildings reflecting socialist content but with nationalistic designs were erected. Guided by the pursuit of grandeur and national pride， notable public buildings like the Peoples Gymnasium， Tianjin Auditorium， and Tianjins Second Workers Cultural Palace emerged. These structures were stately， rich in national style， and held significant commemorative value. Architecture adopted advanced structures which， to some extent， blurred their architectural character， but still embodied the most representative style of that era. Buildings of that period particularly emphasized economic frugality， simplifying decorations and practicing restrained architectural methods.

During the 1960s and 1970s， modern architecture saw extensive development. Meanwhile， the architectural landscape of cities nationwide became more generic， with many buildings losing their unique identities. Still， many outstanding structures stood out， showcasing Chinese architects evolving understanding of modernism. The Tianjin Friendship Hotel， Tianjins first high-rise hotel， featured a well-organized layout， economically designed standard rooms， and a facade with clean， horizontal lines. This design approach became a popular model emulated in architectural designs of the 1970s. As time progressed， especially around the era of economic reforms， Chinese modern architecture was no longer about imitation but developed a style that both adhered to modern architectural principles and incorporated Chinese characteristics. Buildings of this time conveyed their message with clarity and authenticity， earnestly embodying modern architectural concepts， and representing a fusion of technology and philosophy.

When appreciating these architectural legacies， one should not focus solely on the structure but recognize the rich historical， cultural， and artistic information they encapsulate. Each building narrates stories of Tianjin， tales of both humiliation and glory that echo across time.

Along Jiefang North Roads financial street， where foreign banks were established， imperialist powers provided loans to the Qing and Beiyang governments， leading to rampant economic plundering and vast amounts of gold and silver flowing out.

The Ice Drinking Room， is where Liang Qichao， amid national crises， was about to implement reforms. In a moment of tension， he remarked， “Today， I am tasked in the morning and drink ice in the evening. Am I not burning inside？”

At Nankai School， Zhou Enlai， on the verge of graduation， exchanged heartfelt farewells with classmates and shared wishes of “Meeting again when China soars in the world.”

In the Guangdong Guild Hall in Tianjin， Sun Yat-sen gave two famous speeches， and Deng Yingchao and her patriotic female peers held a play to raise funds for refugees， the performance echoing from the theater to every corner of China.

At China Grand Theatre， Mei Lanfangs troupe performed for 24 days， and each show sold out. Thanks to meticulous acoustic design， performers didnt need to strain their voices， ensuring that even those seated at the back on the third floor experienced the same auditory pleasure as those in the front.

The Central Plains Company tower was a must-visit for foreign tourists in the 1950s， as it offered a panoramic view of Tianjin from its tallest building at the time.

The Tianjin Peoples Gymnasium echoed with applause when the Chinese ping pong team clinched seven world championships in 1995.

Turning to history for inspiration， the architectural legacies of the 20th century arent too distant from the present. Their significance extends beyond the past， serving as vital pathways for the contemporary world to reflect on history. Change and innovation require wisdom. The preservation of Chinas 20th-century architectural heritage demands reverence. We need interdisciplinary thinking and new strategies to ensure cultural legacies benefit contemporary society.

Published by China Intercontinental Press， 20th Century Architectural Heritage Reader marks a five-year-long endeavor by the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics Committee on 20th-Century Architectural Heritage. Embellished with more than 500 pictures and embracing 21 articles written by over 30 experts and scholars in the field of architecture and heritage studies， the reader is geared towards architecture students and the general public alike. It not only showcases the unique features and historical-cultural contexts of Chinas iconic 20th-century architectural projects but also unveils the vibrant practices of Chinese architects from the 20th century.

20th Century Architectural Heritage Reader

Edited by the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics Committee on 20th-Century Architectural Heritage

China Intercontinental Press

April 2023

108.00 （CNY）

Chinese Society of Cultural Relics Committee on 20th-Century Architectural Heritage

Chinese Society of Cultural Relics Committee on 20th-Century Architectural Heritage was established on April 29， 2014， as a subsidiary of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics. Shan Jixiang， the president of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and Director of the Academic Committee of the Palace Museum， and Ma Guoxin， a master of National Engineering Survey and Design and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering （CAE）， serve as the committee chairs. Between 2016 and 2023， the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and the Architectural Society of China jointly announced seven batches of “Chinas 20th Century Architectural Heritage” projects， totaling 697 items.