The Last Days of Old Beijing

Michael Meyer talked about his book The Last Days of Old Beijing: Life in the Vanishing Backstreets of a City Transformed, published by Walker & Company. In his book he profiles the transformation of Beijing’s residential landscape from communal courtyards and marketplaces to Western style shopping malls and high-rises. According to the author the old neighborhoods, a collection of interconnected courtyards known as hutongs, are being razed at an average of 600 per year with accompanying displacement of the residents and disruption of a way of life. Mr. Meyer accompanied his talk with a slideshow. After his presentation he was joined by discussion by Orville Schell. He also responded to questions from members of the audience.

Michael Meyer has lived in China for many years, recently in a hutong under threat of demolition. He has worked for the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations and has trained China’s UNESCO World Heritage site managers in preservation close