Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng: The pair's attempts to preserve historical Chinese architecture were obliterated by Mao's so-called Cultural Revolution, from which the country has not recovered.

The article delves into the significant contributions of architectural historians Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng in shaping the historiography of Chinese architecture in the 1930s. It highlights their efforts to establish a national architectural identity, the challenges faced during Mao's Cultural Revolution and the subsequent erasure of their preservation-oriented vision from China's architectural discourse.