Qikou Town

2006 World Monuments Watch 

For more than two centuries Qikou, a unique terraced townscape carved into a steep hillside on the banks of the Yellow River, served as a vital trading point marking the eastern terminus for river-bound freight. From Qikou, goods would be transferred to camel caravans heading to points north and east. Following the introduction of rail transport in the 1930s, Qikou no longer played a role in cross-country trade. As a result, the town fell into economic decline and was eventually abandoned. While the process spared the site from redevelopment, the recent “rediscovery” of Qikou by China’s tourism industry has opened the door to potentially harmful forms of cultural and eco-tourism. Rapid economic development in China has brought the threats of superhighway access to Qikou and a proposed riverfront highway that would sever its historic access to the waterfront.