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Kunming bans foreign-sounding names
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-14 06:03
The southwestern Chinese city of Kunming is forcing
developers to change the names of properties deemed too foreign-sounding, saying
they debase traditional culture, officials said yesterday.
A view of Kunming |
At least nine developments in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, have
changed their names since officials began implementing new guidelines last
month. "Paris of the East Plaza," "French Gardens," and "Ginza Office Tower,"
were among others making the change.
"It's not proper to name these communities with so many weird foreign
titles," said an official with the Kunming Urban Planning Bureau, who would only
be identified by his surname Xiao.
"We feel obligated to keep our local characteristics," he said.
Foreign sounding names are popular in China, lending a hint of exoticism to
cookie-cutter housing developments and office buildings springing up in urban
centres. Many are targeted at China's rising middle class, who are better
educated and increasingly drawn to foreign travel, culture and ideas.
Kunming first enacted rules against naming developments after foreign places,
people, brands or companies in 1997.
Xiao said new guidelines were issued in August to add emphasis following a
denunciation of the practice by Kunming Communist Party Secretary Yang
Chongyong.
"The fashion for foreign sounding names on buildings is a loss to native
culture and reflects poor taste," Yang said in remarks reported by the official
Xinhua News Agency. "We must correct this practice immediately."
The August guidelines ordered authorities not to license new developments
without name approval. Xiao said officials from a number of government
departments would issue recommendations as to whether or not to approve names.
"If developers still continue to use foreign names, their projects won't be
allowed to start," Xiao said.
A spokeswoman for Kunming Zhujia Real Estate Co., developer of the "White
House Mini District," said the company was following the new rules.
"The old name seemed to suit the project, but I don't think there'll be any
effect on sales," said the woman.
She said the development's name had been changed to
"Zhujia Shangyu" roughly translated as "Good Living Business Estates."
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