Available via license: CC BY 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
Current Urban Studies, 2021, 9, 744-758
https://www.scirp.org/journal/cus
ISSN Online: 2328-4919
ISSN Print: 2328-4900
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 Dec. 10, 2021 744
Current Urban Studies
Detecting the Evolution of Collective Memory
Space Using a Space Syntax-Based
Analysis Method in Beiyuanmen
Historical and Cultural Block
Siqi Gao1, Lu Han1, Chunhui Li1, Lizhi Zhao2
1Architectural Design & Research Institute of Tsinghua University, Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
2China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing, China
Abstract
With the rapid development of globalization and urbanization, the atmos-
phere of cultural life in the historical and cultural districts of the city has be-
gun to change. The collective memory of the block is gradually missing, and
the
local crisis of homogenization appears. Therefore,
the Beiyuanmen block was
selected as a typical case, using spatial syntax and in-depth interviews to em-
pirically study the collective memory of residents. It is found that the collec-
tive memory space of Beiyuanmen block has the following changing trends:
the
collective memory space structure level of the block continues as a whole,
and
the alley space that carries the residents’ unconscious habitual memory is
facing
varying degrees of destruction; the
scope and intensity of collective memory
space are consistent with the direction of urban development,
and the overall
collective memory center tends to shift westward; the
elements of collective
memory space have changed obviously, from being dominated by a single re-
ligious building function in the old period to a coexistence pattern of reli
gious
buildings and public facilities in the new period. Based on the above analysis
,
it is considered that the collective memory space in historical and cultura
l blocks
is the result of the transformation of residents’ values and ethnic interaction.
Keywords
Collective Memory, Space Syntax, Beiyuanmen Block, Space Evolution
1. Introduction
Historical and cultural blocks inherit the natural growth mechanism of cities,
How to cite this paper:
Gao, S. Q., Han,
L
., Li, C. H., & Zhao, L. Z. (2021). Detect
ing
the Evolution of Collective Memory Space
Using a Space Syntax
-Based Analysis Me-
th
od in Beiyuanmen Historical and Cultur-
al
Block.
Current Urban Studies, 9,
744-758.
https://doi.org/10.4236/cus.2021.94
044
Received:
November 13, 2021
Accepted:
December 7, 2021
Published:
December 10, 2021
Copyright © 20
21 by author(s) and
Scientific
Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY
4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Open Access
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 745
Current Urban Studies
keep rich memories of cities, and play an important role in protecting historical
features and highlighting local characteristics. In recent years, under the influ-
ence of large-scale construction activities, population structure adjustment, and
changes in modern life needs, the phenomenon of urban homogeneity in ap-
pearance has generally appeared. Low rental cost and proximity to downtown dis-
tricts of historical and cultural blocks attract the flooding in of migrants. Histor-
ical and cultural blocks began to suffer from memory loss and emotional frac-
ture due to the influence of the gathering of immigrants on the locality and au-
thenticity of the blocks (Wang et al., 2017). Therefore, it has become the impor-
tant content to retain the “gene” of urban characteristics to tap the rich memory
elements of urban historical and cultural blocks and reshape the sense of identity
and belonging of residents in the blocks.
Collective memory was put forward by French social psychologist Maurice
Halbwachs, who defined it as the process and result of sharing the past by mem-
bers of a specific social group. In other words, collective memory is attached to
the material reality and shared by the group (Maurice, 2002). Aldo Rossi consid-
ers that cities are places of collective life and memory, and begins to emphasize
the historical value of the relationship between collective and place (Kuijk et al.,
2010). Collective memory, as a hidden dynamic system, is the common memory
generated by social groups in a specific place in various time sections, which is
usually attached to various material or non-material carriers for visualization,
preservation and transmission. Collective memory needs to be expressed and rec-
ognized in the way of spatial existence. It means that space is the container car-
rying collective memory, and collective memory is the connotation information
accumulated in space. They are inseparable. At the same time, besides the mem-
ory carrier, the collective memory cannot be separated from the subjective con-
sciousness and emotion of human, which reflects the relationship between time,
space and social groups in the urban geography category.
With the in-depth study of collective memory, Nagel took Beirut, the capital
of Lebanon, as an example to study the selection and construction of national
collective memory in the post-war reconstruction process (Nagel, 2002). David
took the Dock Village in Victoria, England as an example to study the spatial
production of collective memory in daily living areas (David, 2007). Mah studied
Newcastle’s declining shipbuilding industry landscape and the memories of local
residents (Mah, 2010). Ardakani pointed out that collective memory is an im-
portant driving force for the sustainable protection of historical cities. Collective
memory is evoked, which can trigger local identity and strengthen local attach-
ment. If it is ignored or forgotten, the historical area is likely to lose its social and
cultural capabilities (Ardakani & Oloonabadi, 2011). Alderman studied the street
renaming phenomenon in the southern United States in order to commemorate
Martin Luther King, evoke historical memory, and establish the status of black
society (Alderman & Inwood, 2013). In terms of research methods, Steven used
early topographic maps, old photos, and local history to help residents confirm
facts and recall memories (Steven & Alderman, 2004). Daniel used portable re-
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 746
Current Urban Studies
cording and information interaction technology to record the sensory and psy-
chological responses of participants’ brains and bodies into the environmental
landscape anytime and anywhere to reflect the memories evoked by the landscape
(Daniel, 2004). Maria used a large-scale questionnaire to investigate the collec-
tive memory, identity and attachment of residents about the place after the bor-
der changes (Maria, 2008). Zhou Wei selected the Nanjing Confucius Temple block
as a typical case, using cognitive maps, oral interviews and GIS spatial statistics
methods to empirically study the collective memory of residents in urban streets
and alleys (Zhou & Huang, 2016). Li Zhifei used grounded theory from the
perspective of tourists to study the role of collective memory in the local attach-
ment of tourists in cultural tourism destinations and analyzed the internal rea-
sons (Li & Nie, 2018).
In summary, the research objects of collective memory have shifted from po-
litical spaces, national landscapes, and memorial landscapes to secular spaces such
as daily life, rural landscapes, and abandoned landscapes. Cases have also gradu-
ally expanded from traditional museums and memorial landscapes to cultural
heritage and industrial heritage, focusing on topics such as historical space pro-
tection, site reconstruction, and urban renewal. The research method is based on
field surveys in geography, and fully borrows from other humanities and social
sciences. It focuses on case studies, rich in case studies, and qualitative research.
There are few quantitative studies and model constructions.
At present, the research on the interaction between collective memory and
space mostly adopts cognitive methods based on subjective evaluation, such as a
cognitive map method and scene identification method, which are greatly influ-
enced by the subjective education background, cognitive ability and expression
ability of cognitive subjects. However, space syntax can link the non-material in-
formation “memory” based on the time dimension with the material attributes of
the “place” based on the space dimension and express it structured through graphic
language, because its characteristic of recognizing the object through the sub-
ject’s behavior. Therefore, this research proposes to use space syntax, supplemented
by interviews, to establish a relationship chain combining three dimensions of
subject cognition, object response, and time process. The proposed method is
explored through a case study of Beiyuanmen block, in which the characteristics
and evolution trend of collective memory space including spatial structure, shape
center, element attributes is analyzed. And the internal mechanism of the change
of collective memory behind the process of block change is also discussed, in
order to provide help for the theoretical research on the excavation, protection
and inheritance of collective memory of historical and cultural blocks in Chi-
na.
2. Study Area and Methods
2.1. Study Area
Beiyuanmen block, also known as Huifang, is located in the core area of the old
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 747
Current Urban Studies
city of Xi’an. It is the most well-preserved and largest traditional residential his-
torical and cultural block in the old city of Xi’an, and is also one of the most rep-
resentative Hui inhabited areas in mainland China (Yang et al., 2004). The rea-
sons why Beiyuanmen block is chosen as the research object are as follows. On
the one hand, the region has the traditional foundation of historical and cultural
block, and the formation of its collective memory space is relatively mature from
the time dimension. On the other hand, due to the obvious impact of globaliza-
tion and urbanization, its population composition is more complex. The main types
of local people are local residents, service workers in the tertiary industry and for-
eign tourists. The changes of Beiyuanmen block in terms of society, economy and
space are all representative, and the temporal and spatial evolution of collective
memory space is also more typical.
The reasons for selecting the representative “time period” which influenced
the evolution of collective memory space in historical and cultural blocks are as
follows (Huang, 2010). The collective memory space in Beiyuanmen block be-
fore 1911 was mainly influenced by feudal politics, economy and culture. Before
1911, the collective memory space of Beiyuanmen block evolved in a natural and
organic way under the background of feudal rule. Therefore, the district preserved
relatively complete spatial structure and morphological mechanism. During the
Republic of China, Xi’an formulated several rounds of urban planning, but they
were seldom implemented. The urban construction changed little. The spatial struc-
ture of the district changed drastically with the gradual implementation of the
first round comprehensive planning in Xi’an until the founding of the People’s
Republic of China. After 1978, under the background of rapid economic develop-
ment and urban expansion, the protection of historical and cultural blocks has re-
ceived more and more attention, and a series of protection and renewal measures
have been implemented. In view of this, and limited by the data, this research
will divide into three periods to analyze the temporal and spatial evolution of col-
lective memory space in Beiyuanmen block, which are feudal tradition period (be-
fore 1911), economic recovery period (1911-1975) and rapid development pe-
riod (1975-2020).
2.2. Methods
The proposed space syntax-based analysis method contains three main parts.
The first part is to collect historical maps and satellite remote sensing maps of
various typical years in Xi’an’s development process. In order to further reveal
the collective memory space characteristics of historical and cultural blocks, this
paper puts historical and cultural blocks in a larger urban area for embedded
system analysis, and draws the street texture of Xi’an in 1911, 1975 and 2020 re-
spectively (Shi, 1996). The convergence effect of high road movement and acces-
sibility on people flow information attracts the convergence of elements in col-
lective memory space. The collective memory space itself enhances the conver-
gence ability of roads due to its outstanding attributes and activities. There is a
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 748
Current Urban Studies
high coupling between them. Therefore, Depth map software is selected to ana-
lyze the choice and integration of blocks, combined with the spatial function and
other factors, to express the degree of collective memory of the space. In the second
part, since the collective memory research of the local elderly group is more rep-
resentative, this paper selects 40 local elderly people in Beiyuanmen block for in-
depth interviews after field investigation and data access. Streets, parks, squares,
schools and fairs around residents usually retain rich and diverse collective mem-
ories, neighborhood emotions and traditional spirits, which are the places where
ordinary citizens rely for their lives, work, leisure, social exchanges and cultural
identity. Thus, the interview content mainly includes the layout cognition, evolu-
tion and historical events of street space, public buildings and landscape in the
block, which basically covers various forms of collective memory in Beiyuanmen
block. Thirdly, according to the collective memory space mentioned by residents,
combined with historical documents, the distribution of points is determined th-
rough Baidu maps and historical maps. Overlapping with the space syntax analysis
diagram, so as to explore the evolution characteristics and internal mechanism
of collective memory space.
3. Analysis of Collective Memory Space
3.1. Evolutionary Characteristics of Collective Memory Spatial
Structure
The meaning of choice values is that the shortest path between any other two
line segments within a certain radius of a certain line segment can be obtained
(Guo & Quan, 2013). A space with a higher degree of choice indicates a place
that residents pass more frequent. And it mainly carries the mediocre and repe-
titive daily activities of residents. This daily content is not only the source of au-
thenticity and locality of historical and cultural blocks, but also an important
part of collective memory. Based on the consideration of the actual spatial scale,
the analysis of the angular segment choice of the Beiyuanmen block is carried
out (Figure 1). As it was shown, the standard deviation of choice in each period
gradually decreases. It indicates that the street space, especially the alley space,
still has higher frequency of use. When the topological radius is less than 500 m,
the residents in the block mainly travel by casual walking, generally through the
alley space. When the topological radius reaches 2000m, residents travel mainly
by purposeful vehicles, generally through street space. The Beiyuanmen block
still continues the traditional “long streets and short alleys” spatial structure,
which has a high degree of integration with the collective memory represented
by the residents’ lives. However, it should be noted that the number of streets
and alleys has shown a significant reduction trend, from 103 in 1975 to 80 in
2020, and the collective memory of daily activities it carries is also threatened.
In the traditional feudal period, when the residents travel distance is 500
meters, the areas with the highest choice of streets and alleys, that is, the areas
where residents walk most frequently are the intersection of West Street and
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 749
Current Urban Studies
(a) (b)
(c) (d)
(e) (f)
Figure 1. Transformation in choice maps of years 1911, 1975 and 2020. (a) Angular segment choice radius 500 in year 1911 map;
(b) Angular segment choice radius 2000 in year 1911 map; (c) Angular segment choice radius 500 in year 1975 map; (d) Angular
segment choice radius 2000 in year 1975 map; (e) Angular segment choice radius 500 in year 2020 map; (f) Angular segment
choice radius 2000 in year 2020 map. Source: authors.
Beiyuanmen Street, and the intersection of Miaohou Street and Daxuexixiang
Street. As a bridge between the internal space of the block and the external urban
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 750
Current Urban Studies
space, Beiyuanmen Street plays an important role in promoting the integration
of internal social activities and external service functions of the block. When the
travel distance reaches 2000 meters, residents mainly travel through West Street,
forming a relatively independent pedestrian and vehicle branch system from
Miaohou Street. However, the importance of the intersection of West Street and
Beiyuanmen Street in residents’ walking choices has gradually decreased. The
importance of Miaohou Street has gradually increased, occupying a higher posi-
tion in the spatial perception and collective memory of residents. At the same
time, residents’ car travel is no longer concentrated on West Street. Miaohou Street
has also become the main channel of choice for car dealers. Miaohou Street has
long been an area for residents to walk through daily, and it has become a place
for residents to communicate with neighbors and fulfill their daily needs. The spa-
tial scale of the street and functions of the buildings on both sides can also prove
that Miaohou Street is a pedestrian service-oriented street. The current situation
of mixed pedestrians and vehicles will inevitably cause inconvenience to the dai-
ly activities of the residents in the neighborhood. It also has a negative impact on
the collective memory formed in daily activities.
3.2. Evolutionary Characteristics of Collective Memory Spatial
Morphology Center
In space syntax analysis, local integration value at walking scale is usually used to
analyze the accessibility of the space and the possibility of being selected as a
travel destination. The higher the space accessibility, the easier it is for people to
gather. This means that the collective memory of the space is higher. Figure 2
depicts a shift of intensified distribution from 1911 to 2020 and a decrease in lo-
cal integration values from 1.87 to 2.30. Affected by the Xi’an city center, the lo-
cal integration degree of the block in different periods are of characteristics of
south-high and north-low, the east-high and west-low. The axes with the highest
degree of local integration is concentrated in Beiyuanmen Street-Beiguangji Street-
Miaohou Street-Sajinqiao Street, forming the core area of collective memory in Bei-
yuanmen block. The overall integration capability of the eastern integrated core
(the section of Beiyuanmen Street and Beiguangji Street) is significantly higher
than that of the western integratied core (the section of Sajinqiao Street and Miao-
hou Street). Among them, the residents in the eastern integrated core have the most
active social activities, and it is also the area with the highest degree of collective
memory among historical and cultural blocks.
In the feudal tradition period, there was little difference in the local integration
value of the streets in the core area of integration. With the implementation of the
first round of overall planning in Xi’an, Sajinqiao Street has become the only main
axis that crosses the whole block and runs through the north and south of Xi’an city.
As a result, the local integration value of Sajinqiao Street has been significantly im-
proved. In 1993, Beiyuanmen Street was built into a cultural tourism street with
architectural style in Ming and Qing Dynasties (Xi’an Local Records Office, 2010).
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 751
Current Urban Studies
(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 2. Transformation in local integration maps of years 1911, 1975 and 2020. (a) Local integration in year 1911 map; (b) Local
integration in year 1975 map; (c) Local integration in year 2020 map. Source: authors.
The consumption demand of tourists has catalyzed the development of those
industries dominated by tourism services. According to the survey, catering in-
dustry accounted for 69.3% of the total business volume in Beiyuanmen Street.
The life service functions serving the residents in the block began to move to
Beiguangji Street and Miaohou Street. Therefore, the local integration degree of
Beiguangji Street has been greatly improved, and its axis status has risen from No.
4 to No. 2. Beiyuanmen Street and Xihuamen Street, as street axes mainly serving
tourists, have dropped in status, under the interference of tourism development,
the spatial form center of residents’ collective memory has a westward shift trend
(Table 1).
3.3. Evolutionary Characteristics of Collective Memory Spatial
Feature Attributes
Based on residents’ interviews and historical data, this article identifies 48, 31,
and 36 collective memory space elements in the feudal tradition period, the eco-
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 752
Current Urban Studies
nomic recovery period, and the preservation and renewal period. There are only
15 spatial elements in the collective memory of residents in each period, which
means that more elements are replaced in the evolution of collective memory
space. In this paper, the spatial elements of collective memory in each period are
divided into five types according to different functions, including administrative
office, production and life, religious activities, entertainment and leisure, and his-
torical heritage. As shown in Table 2, the essential attributes of feudal tradition
period are mainly religious activities and administrative offices. After entering the
period of economic recovery, the number of administrative office elements and
religious activities elements has been greatly reduced. It intuitively reflects the
historical background that the old system was overthrown and the new society,
politics, economy, and culture were restructured. During the period of rapid de-
velopment, the spatial elements of administrative office headed by Xi’an Munic-
ipal Government were successively moved away due to the influence of the land
value of the central city. With the improvement of residents’ living needs and the
diversified development of values, the types of public buildings in the block are
becoming more and more abundant. The proportion of production and living ele-
ments is greatly increased. At the same time, the number of mosques has increased
significantly due to factors such as population growth and sect division. The
block is still dominated by the collective memory elements of religious activi-
ties.
Table 1. Axes status change of local integration degree in Beiyuanmen block.
Morphological center
Street name
In 1911
In 1975
In 2020
Local
integration value
Axes
status
Local
integration value
Axes
status
Local
integration value
Axes
status
The section of Beiyuanmen
Street and Beiguangji Street
Beiyuanmen Street
3.29
3
3.46
3
3.37
4
Xihuamen Street
3.30
2
3.92
2
3.78
3
Beiguangji Street
3.27
4
3.43
4
3.99
2
The section of Sajinqiao
Street and Miaohou Street
Miaohou Street
2.98
5
3.27
5
3.33
5
Sajinqiao Street
3.42
1
4.06
1
4.13
1
Table 2. Changes of collective memory spatial function in Beiyuanmen block.
Spatial function
Feudal tradition
period (frequency)
Economic recovery
period (frequency)
Rapid development
period (frequency)
Memory intensity
Administrative office
39.58% (19)
17.86% (5)
2.78% (1)
reduce
Production and living
14.58% (7)
35.71% (10)
38.89% (14)
heighten
Religious activities
35.42% (17)
32.14% (9)
41.67% (15)
First decrease and then increase
Entertainment and leisure
0% (0)
7.14% (2)
11.11% (4)
heighten
Historical heritage
10.42% (5)
7.14% (2)
5.56% (2)
reduce
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 753
Current Urban Studies
In addition, there are great differences in the situation of collective memory
space elements existing in different periods in the process of block evolution.
As shown in Table 3, the completely preserved space elements in Beiyuanmen
block are all mosques. And the local integration value of each mosque is higher
than the average value of the block of 2.30. This shows that the mosque always
occupies an important central position in the social life of the block, and reveals
that the collective memory of the Beiyuanmen block has typical local roots and
religious dependence. Those spatial elements that have changed the original func-
tions or buildings, because they are located in the core area of the block or as-
sume important use functions, still maintain a high degree of collective memory
(local integration is as high as 3 or more). However, during the interview, it was
found that the historical significance and cultural connotation carried by this type
of space element showed signs of diminishing in the hearts of residents. Those
who have been completely demolished, leaving only the hidden spatial elements of
place names, such as Fubiao teaching center, have lost their functional effect, and
the local integration degree is only 1.82, resulting in poor accessibility and de-
clining status in the hearts of residents There is also a type of spatial elements
that are rebuilt in other places after the destruction of modern construction. Min-
gyuanlou, the representative building of Shanxi Gongyuan, was moved to Rev-
olution Park and renamed Revolution Pavilion during the economic recovery
Table 3. Evolution form of spatial elements of collective memory in Beiyuanmen block.
Evolution types of
collective memory
Evolution model of collective
memory
Element name
Local Integration
value (2020)
Stable inheritance
of space
Original site and building
Huajuexiang Mosque
2.69
Daxuexixiang Mosque
3.20
Dapiyuan Mosque
3.78
Xiaopiyuan Mosque
2.85
Xiaoxuexixiang Yingli Mosque
2.79
Beiguangji Mosque
3.99
Sajinqiao Mosque
4.13
Functional “compromise”
Inheritance
Original site, original function,
new building, or original site,
new function, original building
The Drum Tower
3.37
Gaojia Courtyard
3.23
Chenghuang Temble
4.59
Xi’ an No. 25 high school
3.23
Lianhu district government
3.78
Inheritance of recessive
spatial elements
Original site, new function,
new building, original name
Xicang
2.10
Jiaochangmen (Fubiao Jiaochang)
1.82
Reconstruction and inheritance
in other places
New address, new function,
original building (imitation)
Revolutionary Pavilion (Mingyuanlou,
Shanxi Gongyuan)
1.26
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 754
Current Urban Studies
period, which has almost been forgotten by local residents.
4. Mechanism of Evolution of Collective Memory Space
The evolution of collective memory in Beiyuanmen block is affected by the ex-
ternal intervention of urban transformation and the self-motivation of its own
evolutionary organizational process. The intervention of urban transformation,
such as the lifestyle change of social progress, urban construction under the
background of market economy and the planning orientation of urban public pol-
icies, will inevitably drive the development of historical blocks with regional ad-
vantages. Only when the historical block retains its essential characteristics in the
process of its own evolutionary organization, the typicality of this place dif-
ferent from other historical and cultural blocks can be achieved. Otherwise, it
will lead to disintegration or even extinction. Therefore, the self-motivation me-
chanism behind the evolution of collective memory in the block is mainly ana-
lyzed.
4.1. Changes in Values
As a complete ethnic community, Beiyuanmen block is actually a more diversi-
fied combination of church blocks under its overall structure. Religious culture
transcends the category of blood kinship and has a powerful binding and cohe-
sive effect on residents. Mosques are not only religious centers, but also cultural
centers and educational centers. It plays a strong role in identity construction for
residents. The residential pattern of “living around the temple” was formed and
continues to this day. Social progress has brought about changes in people’s way
of life, and residents’ values have also altered. First, the individual self-awareness
has been significantly enhanced. For the pursuit of interests, residents’ behaviors
that destroy the spatial structure of block collective memory, such as self-con-
struction, road occupation along the street and re division of traditional courtyards,
are becoming more rampant in the Beiyuanmen historical and cultural block Se-
condly, social values are showing a diversified development trend. The growth of
mosques in the Beiyuanmen block was due to the division of sects caused by the
differentiation of value orientations. Thirdly, the culture is showing a tendency
of secularization. The rapid development of the private economy and the overall
commercialization of the block have gradually separated religious life from se-
cular life. Some residents even worship at home because of busy business, the
sense of occasion toward the religious activity has declined. The proportion of
Hui Minority people who go to mosques for daily religious activities also shows
a trend of declining with age. At the same time, public service facilities have be-
come more diversified under the promotion of the cultural inclusiveness of the
younger generation, and combined with the mosque to form a complex center of
the block.
The above-mentioned changes in values are the inevitable outcome of pur-
suing the maximization of benefits in social development. In the collision and
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 755
Current Urban Studies
communication with modern civilization, it not only changed some characteris-
tics of collective memory space, but also promoted the sense of local identity
within the ethnic group. National characteristics have always been the essential
feature that distinguishes the Beiyuanmen block from other historical and cul-
tural blocks in the city. Although the spatial control effect of mosques in the block
has decreased significantly, the strong centripetal force and sense of identity caused
by the mosques still effectively organize residents together. For example, the re-
construction of Dongjuyuan alley in 1994 and Sajinqiao Street in 2004 both ne-
gotiated with government departments under the joint organization of mosques
(Han & Wang, 2018). The interests of residents and the collective memory of the
block are protected.
4.2. Interaction between Ethnic Groups
After 1978, the strong development of tourism in Beiyuanmen block caused a
sharp increase in labor demand. A large number of foreign operators and tourist
immigrant workers flooded into the block. The ratio of Hui nationality to Han
nationality in the current ethnic structure in the block is about 1.5:1 (Huang, 2015).
Among them, most of the Hui nationality has lived here for generations, and a
few Hui Muslims in Gansu, Ningxia, Henan and other provinces choose to work
here. The Han nationality is mostly migrant workers who live here for a long
time by renting houses. The ethnic relationship in the block is gradually chang-
ing. According to interviews, migrant workers from other places show hetero-
geneity due to the low correlation between themselves and the local cultural memo-
ries. They mainly interact with immigrant groups, and rarely take the initiative
to integrate into the collective memory space of the block, showing weak sense
in “cultural identity and belonging”. Indigenous people in the block have differ-
ent attitudes towards immigrants from other places. Some people think that
immigrants lack sense of responsibility and belonging. It is believed that immi-
grants do not pay attention to the protection of local culture, but become com-
petitors of the resources of the place where they moved in. The chaos of the so-
cial structure and the increase in employment pressure make the indigenous people
have a negative sense of place. As a result, the aborigines show repulsive though-
ts and behaviors for foreign migrant workers. However, another part of local resi-
dents believe that migrant workers have promoted the diversity of the block tour-
ism industry, stimulated the vitality of the block, catalyzed the population inte-
gration and national integration of the block, and made a significant contribution
to the development of the tourism industry in the ingoing area; moreover, a place
should be more inclusive and open to develop.
The dynamic change process of multi-ethnic relationship interaction is the
main factor of the evolution of collective memory spatial structure. On the one
hand, the change of ethnic relationship changes the original blood relationship
and geographical relationship, and breaks the living environment and social at-
mosphere of the original residents. In order to prevent the invasion of modern
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 756
Current Urban Studies
foreign culture and protect local traditional culture, the aborigines in historical
and cultural blocks unconsciously set up space and emotional defense lines. Due
to the difficulty of integration, foreign tourist labor immigrants further aggra-
vated the differentiation of living space, which brings a severe test to the protec-
tion of collective memory space. On the other hand, the block has shown a de-
velopment trend in which the proportion of Hui nationality and Han nationality
has declined significantly with age. The exchanges and interactions between the
Hui nationality and Han nationality are becoming more frequent. The Beiyuan-
men block is gradually transforming from closed to open.
5. Conclusion and Discussion
Collective memory is based on the present needs of society to construct the past,
emphasizing the relationship between social groups and space. However, a series
of changes during the urban transition period have caused changes in values and
group relationships within historical and cultural blocks. Both functional areas
and daily life areas have undergone drastic changes, leading to the reconstruc-
tion of the collective memory of historical and cultural blocks. Based on the above
empirical research on the Beiyuanmen, it can be seen that in the dynamic con-
tinuation of collective memory space, the protection of iconic node spaces such
as mosques always occupies an important position. In contrast, the core area of
collective memory formed by the streets and lane spaces representing the life scenes
of the people in the old days has gradually shifted to the edge of the block. Beiyuan-
men Street has changed from a significant bridge that connected the internal so-
cial activities and external service functions of the block to an isolated island where
residents rarely get involved. Residents’ daily life space is constantly being squeezed
and replaced. It even became a “blind spot” for the protection of historical and cul-
tural blocks and gradually disappeared.
Comparing the spatial change process of collective memory in the historical
and cultural block of Beiyuanmen, it is not difficult to find that the block has
entered a state of excessive tourism development. The involvement of capital and
the changes in ethnic relations have produced complex interest subjects. In addi-
tion, the relevant functional departments still lack a complete top-level design,
and have not yet effectively controlled the commercial development of the Beiyuan-
men block. Therefore, the non-daily consumption space continuously invades
and squeezes the living space and cultural space of the aborigines. The spatial
differentiation of neighborhoods continues to intensify, which in turn affects the
continuation of collective memory space. Beiyuanmen block, as a residential-ori-
ented historical and cultural block, its main value meaning is to reflect the spe-
cific life mode and neighborhood structure of the aborigines. The material space
structure and social network structure formed by the aborigines based on the
same cultural background, folk customs and living habits are the inner sources
of the vitality of the block. However, the traditional life functions of the current
block gradually fade away. The cultural foundation lacking the inheritance of the
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 757
Current Urban Studies
aboriginal people will be destroyed. It will eventually become a static piece of
historical memory in the growing commercial atmosphere. The history and cul-
tural block lacking vitality will also be reduced from a living heritage to a static
heritage lacking authenticity. Then the value and significance of historical and
cultural blocks will no longer exist.
In the future, historical and cultural blocks should formulate measures to pro-
tect the lifestyles of the aborigines and continue the collective memory of daily life,
such as restoring part of the daily life service space in the block, especially the
core area, and establishing a business control system for historical and cultural
blocks. At the same time, the current historical and cultural blocks have tried dif-
ferent spatial construction methods to achieve the continuation of multiple col-
lective memories. Strengthening the protection of functional compromise inhe-
ritance elements has become the basic idea of protecting the collective memory
of space. But it is also necessary to pay more attention to the cultural connota-
tion carried by the material space. Be wary of the possibility that the forgetting of
incorporeal memory exceeds the forgetting of physical memory.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this pa-
per.
References
Alderman, D. H., & Inwood, J. (2013). Street Naming and the Politics of Belonging: Spa-
tial Injustices in the Toponymic Commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.
Social &
Cultural Geography, 14,
211-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2012.754488
Ardakani, M. K., & Oloonabadi, S. A. (2011). Collective Memory as an Efficient Agent in
Sustainable Urban Conservation.
Procedia Engineering, 21,
985-988.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.2103
Daniel, J. (2004).
Memory and the Impact of Political Transformation in Public Space
(pp. 1-10). Duke University Press.
David, A. (2007). Kitsch Geographies and the Everyday Spaces of Social Memory.
Envi-
ronment and Planning A, 39,
521-540. https://doi.org/10.1068/a3866
Guo, X., & Quan, S. (2013). Study on Spatial Structure and Its Renewal Mode of Histori-
cal Cultural Districts of Kasha Based on Space Syntax.
Architectural Journal, S2,
8-13.
Han, J., & Wang, L. (2018). Addressing Social Network in Urban Heritage Conservation:
Case Study of Muslim Quarter in Xi’an.
Urban Development Studies, 25,
32-37.
Huang, J. (2010).
Study on the Construction and Morphology Transition of the Drum-Tower
Hui Community in Xi’an
. Ph.D. Thesis, South China University of Technology.
Huang, J. (2015). The Collaborative Evolution of the Traditional Urban Hui Community
and Urban Space Based on Space Syntax.
Journal of Northwest University (Natural
Science Edition), 219,
991-995.
Kuijk, F., Guimarães, R. L., Cesar, P., & Bulterman, D. C. A. (2010).
From Photos to
Memories: A User-Centric Authoring Tool for Telling Stories with Your Photos
. In: P.
Daras &, O.M. Ibarra (Eds.),
User Centric Media. UCMEDIA 2009
(pp. 13-20). Sprin-
ger. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12630-7_2
S. Q. Gao et al.
DOI:
10.4236/cus.2021.94044 758
Current Urban Studies
Li, Z., & Nie, X. (2018). Mechanism of Collective Memory of Cultural Tourism Destina-
tions on Place Attachment of Tourists: A Case of Wuzhen, Pingyao and Phoenix Town.
Areal Research and Development, 37,
95-100.
Mah, A. (2010). Memory, Uncertainty and Industrial Ruination: Walker Riverside, New-
castle upon Tyne.
International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 34,
398-413.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2427.2010.00898.x
Maria, L. (2008). Place Attachment, Place Identity, and Place Memory: Restoring the For-
gotten City Past.
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28,
209-231.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.02.001
Maurice, H. (2002).
On Collective Memory
. Shanghai People’s Publishing House.
Nagel, C. (2002). Reconstructing Space, Recreating Memory: Sectarian Politics and Urban
Development in Post-War Beirut.
Political geography, 21,
715-725.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0962-6298(02)00017-3
Shi, N. (1996).
The Historial Atlas of Xi’an
. Xi’an Cartographic Publishing House.
Steven, H., & Alderman, D. H. (2004). Memory and Place: Geographies of a Critical Rela-
tionship.
Social and Cultural Geography, 5,
347-355.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1464936042000252769
Wang, F., Lu, Z., Zhang, B., Zhang, S., Dong, W., Liu, P. et al. (2017). Memory and
Homesickness in Transition: Evolution Mechanism and Spatial Logic of Urban and Rural
Memory.
Geographical Research, 1,
3-25.
Xi’an Local Records Office (2010).
Lianhu District Records
.
http://xadfz.xa.gov.cn/book/list.html?catid=6179d9a8-d2f5-4647-ae6c-9e26243a9626
Yang, W., Zeng, J., & Li, Z. (2004). Protection and Development—On the Actualities and
the Countermeasures for Muslim Community in China Inland City.
Journal of Tianjin
University (Social Sciences), 6,
70-74.
Zhou, W., & Huang, Z. (2016). Research on the Protection and Renewal of Guangzhou
Xiguan Traditional Residential Community Based on Collective Memory.
Human Geo-
graphy, 31,
42-49.
