Along the central line, you see the genuine Beijing lifestyle. The changes of the times have left traces on the people who live on either side of the line.

  Fake or real relics?

Yongding Gate at the southern end of the central line was built in 1553 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and dismantled in 1957 because it was thought to obstruct traffic at the time. But a new Yongding Gate was erected in the original site in 2004.

Yongding Gate at the beginning of the Republic of China

South of Yongding Gate in 1920s

Yongding Gate in 1956

Yongding Street in early 1900s

The reason Beijing restored the Yongding Gate was to complete the central line. Beijing's Olympic park is on the northern extension of the central line, and the reconstruction of the Yongding Gate is one of earliest efforts to put the notion of "humanistic Olympic Games" in to practice.

However, some experts are opposed to the rebuilding of Yongding Gate, believing the restored building lost its original flavor, being nothing more than clumsy replica of the ancient construction made of modern cement and steel.

"Beijing's charm lies in its 'oldness', not the 'newness'. Its ancient charm is unique in the world and not replicable," said Shu Yi, the curator of Chinese Modern Literature Museum.

The newly-built Yongding Gate

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