The Republic of China (1911-49) era buildings have become the focus of dispute in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

"Architecture from the period has a high profile, the buildings possess high academic and historic value, and their demolition is truly unwise," said Zhang Hong, an architecture professor from Southeast University (SEU).

During the 1911-49 period, Nanjing was China's capital city, and site of some of the era's most ambitious architectural projects.

According to a group of architecture experts from SEU, who have banded together to protect the city's heritage, many buildings from the period have already been torn down to make way for urban construction.

Starting in 1988, the group have listed more than 200 buildings of significant historic, architectural and cultural value.

More than 40 have already been lost.

According to Zhang, buildings from the time represent the transitional period of contemporary Chinese architecture, shifting gradually from a pure Western style to a combination of both Western and traditional Chinese styles,

Zhang Yan, another architecture expert, says that because of Nanjing's central location, there is a mix of both northern and southern architectural styles.

The public's view on the preservation of the buildings is not so clear.

Wang Huisheng, a 74-year-old local resident, is a strong advocate of protecting the architecture he grew up with.

"These buildings are an irreplaceable record of that period of history," said Wang.

His grandson, Wang Qiang, disagrees.

"Those old buildings, usually in commercial districts, should give way to urban development which is crucial to the improvement of our daily lives," said Wang junior. "I don't think they have much historical importance compared with other relics from ancient dynasties."

The local municipal government has shown some commitment to protecting the buildings.

More than 500 million yuan (US$ 62 million) has been invested in preserving the buildings since 2000 with 134 designated provincial-level protected cultural relics, including Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace.

But this is just a drop in the ocean for a city with more than 1,000 buildings from the relevant period.

"The majority of buildings cannot be included on the protection list and have not received enough protection. Often, buildings are removed by real estate companies without notifying the government," said a member of staff, surnamed Wu, from the city's Urban Planning Bureau who declined to give his name.

But, according to Wu, the bureau is working on a detailed record of all the remaining 1,000-plus buildings from the 1911-49 period, including those of former foreign embassies and the residences of then celebrities.

The bureau is calling for joint protection efforts from individuals, non-government organizations and relevant departments of the local government.

(China Daily October 25, 2005)