As a fan of political architecture, I'll direct you to one of David's many interesting posts, on the durability of old public architecture from the pre-Communist era in Nanjing. The written commentary is accompanied by some great photographs:
Places like ZhonghuaMen distinguish Nanjing from other cities in China. Many cities only bear the faintest traces of their former landmarks: a name on a sign, a plaque on a roadside. In Beijing the city's walls were the envy of many an urban metropolis. Now their path is marked by a wide-laned highway. The names of subway stations mark the sites of former gatehouses: Dongzhimen, Andingmen, Xuanwumen. In Jinan, streets where shopping malls and public squares now stand bear the names of former temples. Nanjing, however, is somewhat different. Unlike other second-tier, provincial capital cities, its old spaces, for the most part, survive.
If you are interested in, fascinated by, or worried about China, you need to give David's blog a regular read. It's a combination of history, anthropology, and political journalism and offers a first-hand view of the situation in China. It presents the nuance of China -- that it isn't all one giant redeveloped Beijing occupied by development millionaires and overstressed workers jumping into suicide nets.