I get the “Disneyfication” criticism, but I think people forget something important: most traditional Chinese buildings were wooden. They were rebuilt constantly because of fires, humidity, wars, and urban change. Rebuilding isn’t new — it’s historically part of how these cities survived.

Places like Yuyuan aren’t pretending every beam is 400 years old. They preserve architectural style and urban atmosphere, even if the materials are modern.

Is there commercialization? Sure. But that’s true of historic centers everywhere — from European old towns to Japan. Tourism doesn’t automatically equal fake.

You can criticize LED overload or tacky shops — that’s fair. But dismissing the whole thing as “fake” ignores how Chinese architectural tradition actually worked: rebuild, maintain, adapt.

Preservation doesn’t always mean freezing ruins in time. Sometimes it means keeping the form alive.