BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) — At a web site in Beijing the place pockmarks from artillery shells nonetheless scar the traditional metropolis partitions, a brand new store promoting porcelain from China’s porcelain capital Jingdezhen has opened its doorways not too long ago.
Instead of settling in a busy shopping center or a hutong with a cultural vibe, China X, regionally referred to as “Green Porcelain House,” has chosen Wanping, a fortress city about 20 kilometers southwest of Tian’anmen Square. There, the traditional metropolis partitions nonetheless bear shell scars left from the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
At first look, the pairing appears uncommon: one represents Jingdezhen’s ceramics heritage, whereas the opposite embodies the nation’s wartime reminiscence. Yet, as ongoing renewal initiatives intensify the city’s historic options, a rising variety of companies are gravitating in the direction of Wanping, enhancing its heritage attraction.
For store proprietor Liu Siyang, nonetheless, the placement alternative went far past business concerns.
“I was born and raised at the west end of Lugou Bridge, right next to Wanping,” mentioned Liu. “I can still remember that when it rained, water would stream through the shell scars in the wall like little waterfalls. As a kid, I thought it was fun, without understanding what those scars truly signified.”
The Lugou Bridge, often known as the Marco Polo Bridge, has stood for over 800 years and lengthy served as a key gateway into Beijing.
It was on July 7, 1937, that Japanese troops attacked the Chinese garrison close to the Lugou Bridge and commenced shelling the city, marking the escalation of Japan’s aggression right into a full-scale invasion and the beginning of China’s nationwide resistance.
“We visited many places in Beijing before finalizing our shop location. When we came to Wanping, we felt this was where we belonged,” mentioned Liu. “The history here gives the town a special character, and porcelain is also part of Chinese history. We felt they belonged together.”
Over the previous 89 years, whereas the war-inflicted scars endure, the city has reworked. Across the road from Liu’s porcelain store stands the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, a logo of this transformation.
“When I was little, the museum was very small,” Liu mentioned.
Following a 10-month enlargement and renovation, the museum formally reopened in July 2025. Now housing 1,525 historic images and three,237 cultural relics, it stands as China’s solely massive complete memorial museum totally documenting the historical past of the struggle.
To protect Wanping’s historic integrity, the brand new exhibition corridor was constructed underground beneath the adjoining Lion Dance Square, avoiding visible disruption to the traditional city panorama above.
History can be tangible past the exhibition halls. Along the traditional partitions, shell scars left throughout the struggle have been fastidiously preserved somewhat than repaired, serving as silent memorials to a painful chapter.
A Beijing resident surnamed Yang, who visited Wanping for the primary time, paused beside a shell scar to take images. “I had seen pictures online, but standing here in person is completely different. You can really feel how close history is,” he mentioned. “We do not live in a peaceful age, but we are fortunate to live in a peaceful nation.”
In latest years, native authorities have spearheaded complete city renewal efforts in Wanping, balancing historic conservation with high-quality growth.
Since 2023, practically 3,000 sq. meters of unlawful buildings hooked up to town partitions have been eliminated, reopening historic views that had lengthy disappeared. Restrictive boundaries round key heritage websites have additionally been changed with visitor-friendly signposts designed to encourage cultural appreciation.
“We hope to make history easier to understand by bringing people closer to it,” mentioned Shen Jin, deputy basic supervisor of Beijing Fengtai Culture and Tourism Group.
This sense of proximity drew Wang Deqiang and his 14-year-old daughter from Guangdong Province. “I’ve learned about the war in history class, and I want to see these relics with my own eyes,” mentioned the woman.
An identical motivation introduced 80-year-old Xiong from Nanchang City in east China’s Jiangxi Province. “The last time I came to Beijing was in 1992. This time, I wanted to take a closer look at Lugou Bridge,” she mentioned.
Wanping’s renewal has additionally created alternatives for brand new companies. The Lugou Bridge’s iconic stone lions have been reinterpreted into common cultural souvenirs, together with fridge magnets and desk ornaments. Alongside the Green Porcelain House, the city now hosts 26 new shops, together with cafes, eating places, bookstores, memento shops and artistic studios.
In December 2025, Liu Yanhong, a consultant heir of the Linglong pillow-making approach, an intangible cultural heritage from Fengtai District in Beijing, opened a studio in Wanping. Inspired by Lugou Bridge, she designed a pillow that includes its stone lions and the well-known moonlit surroundings, with the ear gap of the pillow resembling the bridge’s arch.
“At first, I only intended to commemorate Lugou Bridge, yet I never expected it would be so popular,” mentioned Liu, including that integrating conventional handmade crafts into the historic city infuses it with distinctive allure.
According to Shen, as a substitute of introducing chain shops or massive business complexes, the city selected to draw cultural companies that mirror its id, creating areas the place guests are keen to decelerate and keep. In the primary half of 2026, Wanping obtained about three million guests.
Standing on town wall at present, guests can see not solely Lugou Bridge quietly stretching over the shimmering Yongding River, but additionally high-speed trains rushing by within the distance.
“With the land remaining safe and sound, Wanping continues to embrace new changes,” mentioned Shen. “Next year marks the 90th anniversary of the July 7th Incident. While preserving the town’s historical heritage, we will introduce more cultural festivals, marathons and other events, and work to develop Wanping into a global memorial site for peace.”