Since the 1980s, the Chinese Communist Party has encouraged the provinces of the People’s Republic of China to exploit local resources, including archaeological remains and historical sites. In response to this injunction, cities that once were dynastic capitals have taken up their imperial antecedents for cultural and economic gain, by excavating palace foundations, reconstructing city walls, building museums, and installing plaques and billboards that remind tourists and local residents of the prestige of the local past. By marketing the past, however, these cities also transform it, adding new layers to the historical landscape in the very process of excavating it. This talk will historicize current representations of a number of former capitals by contrasting them with older interpretations of the local landscape.