The Plan to Protect the Historical and Cultural City of Beijing is a major push by the capital to protect its historical features dating back to ancient dynasties.

Backed by law, the long-awaited plan is so far the most important and comprehensive cultural preservation document in the city's 3,000-year history.

After approval the plan was published in full and made available to the public.

Although there is no concrete date, the plan will be put into effect soon, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning.

The plan tries to tackle a fundamental dilemma as the city becomes modern - the need to safeguard the past while continuing to build the future and the need to balance the demands of development and culture, said Chen Jianjun, a committee official.

To preserve the city as a whole, the plan gives detailed requirements in 10 different areas, such as the ancient city water system, the traditional central axis, the prestigious imperial palace, the world-famous "hutong" and ancient trees.

The historical experts who drafted the plan said the preservation and restoration of ancient treasures is the responsibility of present generations and history is an indispensable foundation and resource for the further development of new Beijing.

About 40 historical and cultural sections have been selected for special protection under the plan. Thirty sections are in the ancient city area.

They and another 200 heritage sites in the old city cover a total area of 2,617 hectares, which means that 42 per cent of the old city is to be preserved.

The old city - the original area laid out in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties - comprises the 62.5-square-kilometre area within Beijing's Second Ring Road where the city wall and moat used to be.

The plan sets ceilings on the height of new or renovated buildings in the old city area, requiring a traditional cyan and gray color and sloping roofs for all types of architecture.

The 6.8-square-kilometre Forbidden City, the imperial residence of emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties, will be the main focus of the preservation plan.

The blueprint also focuses on the protection of rivers and lakes in and around Beijing, to restore them to their former state.

The names of traditional streets and alleys will be protected and must not be changed arbitrarily, the plan says.

The municipal government is considering drawing up several other protection regulations, which will help bring the preservation of historical and cultural heritage under protection of the law, according to the Urban Planning Committee.

Presently, Beijing has about 3,550 historical sites at various levels, with a total floor space of 2 million square meters. Some, such as the Great Wall, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven, are on the World Cultural Heritage list.

Historical experts say they are glad to see a vigorous city that respects tradition and that the municipal government has made significant efforts in cultural relic protection in recent years.

Over the past three years, the government has earmarked 330 million yuan (US$40 million) to revamp nearly 100 historical and cultural sites, such as the Baita Temple, the Temple of Successive Emperors, and the city wall relics of the Yuan (1271-1368) and Ming dynasties.

The government will allocate another 600 million yuan (US$72.6 million) between 2003 and 2008 to maintain and renovate 100 more places of historic interest across the city, according to the Beijing Cultural Relics Bureau.

( October 8, 2002)