Consecutive governments have all given good protection to the Forbidden City. After the building of new China, the Forbidden City was listed as a key cultural relic under state protection, making it the best-preserved palace in the country.. The location selection, layout, and even the detailed decorations all provide ideal examples of Fengshui theory.

With the rapid development of Beijing in recent years, the problem of protecting and maintaining the original style and features of the ancient capital is becoming increasingly imminent. A number of modern buildings violate the cultural bearings and traditional pattern, which strictly followed Fengshui theory. The surrounding environment has also deteriorated in the past 50 years.

Just 20 or 30 years ago, Beijing still retained the grand layout of an ancient imperial city. The city was built around the imperial palace along a south-north axis, with large areas of plain and low-built common residences setting off the grandeur and magnificence of the palace. Now Beijing is caught in a painful struggle between its dual identities as a world-famous ancient capital and a modern international metropolis.

Birdview of Wangfujing Road

The Oriental Plaza at the mouth of Wangfujing Road near Tiananmen Square was originally planned to be a 70-meter high monstrosity with a construction area of 800,000 square meters. But the huge building, four times larger than the Great Hall of the People and two and a half times taller than the Gate of Heavenly Peace, would have overpowered various symbolic buildings in Tiananmen Square and in effect, move the center of the city. Anything taller or larger than the imperial city in Beijing is considered a form of betrayal to the ancient capital. A compromise was reached and the plaza was built much shorter and smaller than what was originally intended. Beijing's time-honored architectural traditions created a number of famous buildings such as the Temple of Heaven and Gate of Heavenly Peace. However, as emperors and leaders of the past have realized, Beijing's modern buildings should not be built at the cost of damaging the ancient ones. With a little compromise and understanding, it's possible to incorporate modernization while at the same time preserving the ancient heart of the city.

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