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Constructing Identity: A Comparative Study of Ming and Qing City Walls in China (1368-2010), The Construction, Destruction, and Preservation of city walls in Xi’an, Beijing, and Nanjing

Wanze Li (MS Report, 2023)

Asahi Shimbun. Zhongshan Gate. Photograph. December, 1937. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zhongshan_Gate.png
Asahi Shimbun. Zhongshan Gate. Photograph. December, 1937. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zhongshan_Gate.png
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Asahi Shimbun. Zhongshan Gate. Photograph. December, 1937. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zhongshan_Gate.png
SCMP Pictures. Part of the Ming dynasty city wall collapsed in the ancient Chinese capital of Nanjing. Photograph. 2016. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2049738/chinese-authorities-fear-further-collapse-mingdynasty-city-wall?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article&campaign=2049738
Hailin Xiao. The spectacular "CoilingDragon." Photography. https://www.njcitywall.com/Article/jingqufuwu/chengqiangyingxiang/meitushangx/2016/0819/111.html
Asahi Shimbun. Zhongshan Gate. Photograph. December, 1937. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zhongshan_Gate.png
SCMP Pictures. Part of the Ming dynasty city wall collapsed in the ancient Chinese capital of Nanjing. Photograph. 2016. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2049738/chinese-authorities-fear-further-collapse-mingdynasty-city-wall?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article&campaign=2049738
Hailin Xiao. The spectacular "CoilingDragon." Photography. https://www.njcitywall.com/Article/jingqufuwu/chengqiangyingxiang/meitushangx/2016/0819/111.html

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MS REPORT

This research report examines the construction, destruction, and preservation of city walls in Nanjing, Xi’an, and Beijing as a method of identity-making, and how these processes were influenced by policies and political intentions from the Ming and Qing periods to the contemporary era of thePeople’s Republic of China (PRC). Utilizing a chronological framework, this study draws on an array of primary sources encompassing government records, official histories, newspapers, photographs, and statistical data. By providing a deeper understanding of how the manipulation of city walls contributes to the formation of a changing identity, this research report aims to present an overview to the readers and assist preservationists and policymakers in making better design and planning decisions on ancient city walls in China.

Wanze Li