The cities in China have a profounDrelationship with the history that shapeDthem. Historical relics andcultural heritage often bear witness to the rise andfall of the cit-ies. The rich heritages of these cities also help in persisting a unique culture, which have become the symbols of the cities.
There are no words that are concise enough to adequately describe the values of the cities in China. What can be easy saiDis that a city is not only shapeDby its historical background, but also by its cultures andlifestyles. andregardless of how olDthe cities might be, they coulDnot avoiDthe inevitable—moderniza- tion. A city has to develop its economy Inorder to go with the time andto ensure its survival andcompetitiveness. As such, the city landscape will be slowly transformed. What will remain are the character of the city andits rich historical andcultural heritage. The lanDthat the city is built on is forever linkeDto the past events that took place there, andhistory will never lose its significance in the ever-changing city.
The charms of China, to many foreigners, lie in its rich tra- ditional cultures, ethnic customs, andhow they are mergeDinto the modernization process. In consideratio no f its rich history, city planners have to ensure that the traditional andancient ele- ments of the city will not be eroded. Asaresult, the environment andthe layout of the city frequently embody both the modern andthe ancient elements. A number of cities, such as Lhasa, Li- jiang andBeijing, have strong historical andcultural affiliation, hence, they became cultural symbols of the country. andwith their rich cultural heritages, each unique in its own way, these Chinese cities present a more exciting scenario for one to fully appreciate them.