They believe that the replica will provide a stark contrast to the bleak remains in Beijing, and reminder young people of that period of history.

Upright at the center of the "storm", Xu said he will not be swayed. He believes the Yuanmingyuan ruins can continue to serve as a reminder of history, while the Hengdian replica will showcase the artistic achievements of pre-1860 China.

"Nothing can change my mind. This project is a long-cherished ambition of mine and for 15 years I have been collecting materials from the original Yuanmingyuan, which were scattered to all four corners of the earth," he said.

Li Jianping, a Yuanmingyuan expert, said both viewpoints seek "to protect China's great cultural heritage and enhance its position in world cultural history."

"The advantages and disadvantages of the replica will not be clear until it has been built," said the expert.

Currently the park has only three rebuilt structures - a European-style maze, a pavilion and the palace gate of Qichunyuan.

Some experts have said that a rebuilt Yuanmingyuan would still be incomplete without all its lost treasures. A bronze horse head looted from the garden was recently sold for US$8.84 million and returned to China