torn down and rebuilt; I can't recognize some of my old haunts. Why are we doing this wholesale destruction? It's like a modern revolution."

Underground Beijing is also changing fast. Just as the Olympics gave Athens 2004 reason to end unsightly urban sprawl, the Beijing Olympics has benefited locals by implementing a rash of new subway stops and extensions. A line that goes directly to the airport opened in July. "It's magnificent, all this renovation. The city is really changing, upgrading and looking good," said Keithas Stockland, an English consultant for Chinese airlines who has lived and worked in Beijing for almost 10 years.

"We want tourists to see Beijing shine, not look at poor people and see shameful living conditions," said a young Beijinger who identified herself as Kitty. "And an amazing transformation is going on here. I don't go to trashy TV karaoke bars anymore: I go to classy clubs like LAN or Studio 8." She patted her expensive hairdo carefully and then entered a newly opened subway station.

In general, Beijing's younger generation welcomes all these alterations and many foreigners accept them without knowing anything about the city's history. Perhaps only traces of old Beijing may remain, for example, pairs of stone lions standing guard in front of the gates of palace halls and old government buildings. How many know that the male playing with his ball symbolizes national unity, while the cub below the female represents fecundity for the people of China? Who takes note of those huge old red doors with golden studs? Who knows that the ones on the Gates of the Forbidden City are brass and plated with gold? Gates used by emperors are patterned with 9 x 9 studs-nine symbolizing the emperor's supremacy. Ancient palaces usually had nine courtyards. That glazed screen wall (yingbi) north of the lake in Beijing's Beihai Park has nine imperial dragons carved on it. Such ancient walls date back more than 3,000 years because only royals and nobles and religious temples could construct them.

Will all this architecture and history be brushed aside as Beijing evolves and keeps doing extreme makeovers? Certainly the city's modern skyscrapers and edifices are remarkable and eye-catching; certainly China's green agenda promotes environmental sustainability. But Chinese culture, especially ancient Chinese architecture, displays an entrancing aesthetic well worth preserving for local and visitor alike.