By Yan Shuang and Li Yanhui

With the mergers of Dongcheng and Chongwen districts and Xicheng and Xuanwu districts being hammered out, Beijing's four central districts are on their way to becoming history. Xinhua reported Thursday that the State Council has officially approved Beijing's proposal to merge districts, although it didn't say when the mergers would take place.

However, the decision to combine districts, eliminating the names of Chongwen and Xuanwu, has stirred residents' emotions, making them wonder how the change will affect their communities' cultures and feelings of identity.

"I don't think the merger will do any good for the conservation of Beijing culture," Tan Hong, the agent for Nancheng Erge, a local band known for its unique "Beijing" fusion of xiangsheng (comic cross talk) and rock, told the Global Times. "This city has already done enough to damage its cultural roots and heritage, so replacing the names of Chongwen and Xuanwu, which have a much deeper historic meaning than Dongcheng and Xicheng, would only lead to another cultural loss."

Fei Baoling, an 83-year-old folk artist, told the Global Times, "I doubt that the economies of Chongwen and Xuanwu districts will be greatly stimulated by this merger as the government has claimed. It may be better if Chongwen and Xuanwu merge as one. Xuanwu has many guild halls, and Chongwen is rich in its intangible cultural heritage, so they're more related to each other."

But Fei conceded that investment from Xicheng and Dongcheng could help preserve cultural heritage.

Other residents were more optimistic. "I'll support this decision, and I'm looking forward to seeing it bring positive effects to our economic development and solving real problems in our lives," said one Xuanwu district resident.

Of course, some were indifferent. "I don't care. If they want a merger, so be it. I don't think it'll affect my life at all," said one young man in Chongwen district. "But it'll be better if the new government could help me solve my housing problem."