Mao Zedong once called the Chinese people “a blank sheet of paper on which you can write any hieroglyphs.” The same was his attitude towards the cities of China during the Cultural Revolution. However, Mao's actions seem trivial in comparison with the policies of his followers, who abandoned all restrictions - today China is experiencing urbanization on a scale unknown in world history. In her essay, renowned Sinologist Julia Lovell analyzes Chinese policy in the field of architecture and urban development. The cast ranges from Western architectural stars flocking to China like flies for sweets, political dissidents such as Ai Weiwei, and rebellious residents fearlessly singing songs as bulldozers approach. Translation: Oksana Yakimenko