The Engineering Administration Office's plan to move an ancient city wall to a museum roused strong criticism among experts from the Shanghai History Museum.

"It's foolish and unreasonable to relocate a part of the city's cultural heritage," Qian Zhonghao, head of the museum's research department, said on Monday.

Earlier this year, workers discovered the remains of an ancient wall on Luxiangyuan Road -- which according to historians was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to prevent foreign invasions.

The weather-beaten wall -- about four meters in height and three meters in length -- is exposed on the street and hasn't aroused much attention among passers-by.

"We are planning to relocate the wall into our under-construction Urban Engineering Museum, which is scheduled to open to the public next year," said Wang Jian, an official from the engineering office.

However, such a decision received vigorous criticism from Qian and fellow researchers at the Shanghai History Museum.

"It's the same as breaking a mirror, once it's broken there's nothing we can do," Qian said.

He explained that a cultural heritage cannot be dismantled and then rebuilt accurately. The relic would also lose its historical value if it is moved from its original location.

Most of the country's archaeological wonders -- from the terra cotta warriors in Xi'an and a recently-unearthed floodgate from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) between Zhabei and Putuo districts of Shanghai -- were localized for protection, experts said.

"The significance of the wall not only lies in its building materials but in the environment. The area has many stories to tell," said Zhang Wenyong, another researcher from the Shanghai History Museum.

Since Shanghai is located in a coastal area, military walls were widely fortified along its seafront to defend against constant foreign invaders, particularly "Wokou" or Japanese pirates.

After the city was forced to open its port to foreign merchants in 1843, defensive walls were gradually dismantled.

(Shanghai Daily March 31, 2004)