French in Old Peking 
For instance, the Si He Yuan once belonged to a family.
In 1958, with the Government鈥檚 permission, people were encouraged to move into the yards by paying a sum of money, not a large sum, to the local housing bureau, who built extra rooms and was responsible for maintenance. More came in during the Cultural Revolutionin 1966, and even more after the deadly earthquake of 1978. In the end, this yard was shared by 10 families. Tenants didn鈥檛 regard it as their own home, and the owners were reluctant to maintain it for others鈥 use.
Hua Xin min has a French look, but she doesn鈥檛 think of herself as French. This is not because her grandfather and father were Chinese, but because she has been close to the country and culture her entire life. Even while she spent 20 years in Paris, her heart was in China.
For 6 years, Hua voluntarily fought for the preservation of the Yards, and what鈥檚 more importantly, the owners鈥 private property which has been denied for ages. Where does her passion and persistence come from? Is it from her French roots or Chinese roots? It鈥檚 hard to say.
Walls and doors create a secure place for a home. Hua doesn鈥檛 own a yard. But her full time job for 6 years has been to allow more families live in their own homes.
When people are free of worries, they are the best designers for their own yards. That鈥檚 Hua Xin Min鈥檚 goal, and her best example is the small yard near Hou Hai. The owner had a dream of the old yard and home.
The two-years renovation will end in Summer, and his dream, a traditional Chinese dream of home, will soon be realized.
Ever since 16th century, the French have had a fascination with China. Everyone has different interpretations, but their curiosity remains the same. They hope to encounter a unique culture, and sometimes it鈥檚 surprisingly familiar鈥
But more often than not, there are stories and lives unimaginable to European eyes. That鈥檚 why Haski and his fellow came to China. He has helped a poor girl reenter school, he has written about villages struck by HIV, and now, he has a story from his own life, a story of Chinese character, 鈥淐hai鈥.
On the wall and gate, a character with a circle reveals a fight between old and new, tradition and modernization.
In the year of 1946, Beijing had 3065 Hutongs and tens of thousands Si Heyuan. Now the number of small alleys is reduced to less than 500, along with all the temples, yards, houses, decorated doorways and green trees. Usually, it鈥檚 only a huge character, 鈥淐hai鈥 painted on a door that announces the doom of a HuTong. Buildings continue to go up, showing Beijing鈥檚 determination to compete with other modern metropolises, but do foreign expats like riding this wave to the future?
No
For those who witness the change. It鈥檚 even harder to comprehend.
Fred is learning to play Xun, the oldest Chinese musical instrument.
Chaudeluet is still working in the forbidden city. While Hutong and Si He Yuan have largely been destroyed, the palace remains untouched.
Victoire is racing against time to record the temples and their stories. She has found 40 in the past two months.
And in his newly built yard, Haski still feels like he is working in China. Though, he鈥檒l never forget his first house.
These 4 French people are only a sample of the 3000 French living in Beijing and 300 thousand foreign expats hanging around the capital. But their love of the unique culture, their worries over its fate is anything but small.
This building used to be home to some people, now it lies in ruins and soon will be forgotten in the capital city of Beijing. And as French painter Chaudeluet said, without a past, how can we understand our future. In the rush to enter the modern era, this is a question that demands an answer. But it鈥檚 not too late, if you try, you can still hear the voices of the old life here. That鈥檚 all for this edition鈥檚 rediscovering China. I鈥檓 Laurel Bennett, thanks for watching.
Editor:Hu Source:CCTV.com
