While there is a tremendous amount of history in the hutongs that remain in Beijing, there are fewer and fewer left. They are only one story buildings and there is simply no room left in Beijing. The bulldoze these neighborhoods and put a 10 - 50 story apartment building in its place and you have just given homes to hundreds of rural workers that are needed in urban China to fuel the growth they desire and we in the developed countries demand.

Everyone blames China for their pollution and political rights abuses, but these folks are just trying to develop a lifestyle that is a fraction as fat and happy as ours. The pollution being created is because the west (but increasingly the east) demand more stuff that they can manufacture cheapest. It is our fault as much as it is theirs. They just want to have a refrigerator! Can you blame them?