Loveliness in Yangzhou
It could not be a shock before I was informed that Yangzhou was granted as the 2006’s Habitat
Scroll of Honor Awards by UN-HABITAT. Frankly, my hometown Yangzhou in China’s Jiangsu
Province, had scarcely been branded in my memory, less than attracting others with her charm or
loveliness. But for this occasion, chances are that residents (including me) in this ancient city have
to withdraw these undervalued opinions about her.
Quoted by the UN officials, this is the most prestigious award given by the United Nations in
recognition of the work carried out in the field of human settlements development. The aim of the
award is to honor individuals and institutions that have been instrumental in improving the living
conditions in urban centers around the world. Apparently, these affirmative statements have
aroused much stronger interest in convincing myself, delighting myself and further, finding a
pleasant answer for myself.
With a population of 1.28 million people, Yangzhou has developed from a shanty town into a
clean, modern city within five years. A total of US$ 770 million has been invested in solving
housing problems for over 148,000 people through the renovation of 3,050 housing units in the
city centre, and construction of 33,000 units of affordable houses. The Yangzhou Municipal
People’s Government has invested US$2 billion for the construction of infrastructure and has
guaranteed the supply of water, electricity and gas to the poor. Through cooperation with local real
estate development companies, the Municipality offers land buyers low prices and waives
government fees to enable land ownership. Fortunately enough, followed by the economic revival,
momentous changes have taken place in conservation of the old city and improving the residential
environment. Built in 486 BC, the old city, with more than two thousand years’ history, like a
venerable and wise scholar unveiled and blessed her citizens and descendants with a string of
wonders and miracles. Till today, we have been still safeguarding, staring and listening to her with
admiration.
1. Landscapes and Nature Reserves in Yangzhou
Numerous places of historic interest and natural relics have inherited their long and splendid
history. Here opens the oldest canal in China, here stand the emperors’ tombs in Han and Sui
Dynasties, here erect ancient walls in Tang and Song Dynasties, and here collect gardening arts in
Ming and Qing Dynasties. This city is endowed with abundant landscapes and so many natural
sights, some of which have been nominated as national key nature reserves, and sites of these
ancient ruins are heavily congested with tourists during holidays.
Here, I might feel guilty if I do not single out the landscape of Slender West Lake, which is
located in the northeast of Yangzhou city. Its name also originated from a romantic story — rumor
has it that a Southern Song (1127-1279) poet’s poem is as follows (in Chinese Pinyin): “Chui
yang bu duan jie can wu(垂杨不断接残芜), yan chi hong qiao yan hua tu(雁齿红桥俨画图); ye
zuo xiao jin yi guo zi(也作销金一锅子), gu ying huan zuo shou xi hu(故应唤作瘦西湖).”
The lake is surrounded by long dams and willow trees. Fishing platform emerges in the central
lake, and especially, in the Five Pavilion Bridges, the 24 Bridges and the White Tower.
Knowledgeable poets gathered there and addressed many elegant poems to their mistresses,
praising their beauty.
Meantime, the city’s other landscapes such as gardening arts, lakes and streets have profound
historical and cultural backgrounds. But it is not that the glorious history behind the old city
attracts the world, but that her splendid future before the young city in the new century.
2. Civilization in Yangzhou
Speaking of poems, it is generally believed that Chinese ancient literature earns a high reputation
across the world, and many more educators both home and abroad are indulging in the
appreciation of Chinese classical poems. Yangzhou’s civilization has made significant
contributions to the progress of the Milkway of Chinese culture. For instance, the famous poem A
Moonlit Spring Night on the River (chun jiang hua yue ye in Chinese pinyin) by Zhang Ruoxu
(660-720 in the Tang Dynasty) was honored as “using single work surpassing all the others in the
whole dynasty” with its graceful sentences. Another popular Ming and Qing Dynasties’ novel
named “A Dream of Red Mansions” by a talented but misfortunate poor intellectual Cao Xueqin,
mainly depicted the activities of the men and women living in a declining federal family. In China,
people old and young, man and woman all have a fascination for it, and get rapt by its plot, just
like Shakespeare’s works in Europe. Actually it is really difficult for a foreign visitor to figure out
the essentials of those prominent great civilization creations for the lack of the vivid experience in
China. In the coastal cities of China, salters, a noun which may sound strange to most foreign
guests if he/she knows little about modern Chinese history, had once waged an influential cultural
campaign in their contemporaries. Later ravaged by civil wars and battles against intruders,
Yangzhou city was also damaged badly and lost her vigor, subsequently the salters fade out on the
stage of Ming and Qing Dynasties.
3. New Appearance in Yangzhou
Since the reform and opening policy and then China’s entry of World Trade Organization (WTO),
due to the stable social environment, changes have taken place in Yangzhou over the past decades,
but no change is so critical and pervious as the remarkable progress in Yangzhou people’s
achievements in the ultimate goal of transforming Yangzhou into a world famous urban city, an
intersection of ancient culture and modern civilization. Thanks to the UN-HABITAT, they offer
the world a unique opportunity to witness the prosperity of new Yangzhou alongside the perfect
conservation of her old marrows. A clean, modern city has been presented in front of the eyes of
the general public. Yangzhou people, typical Chinese diligent and hospitable citizens, are willing
to pour more passions and their efforts to make wonders.
With the rapid development of its industry, Yangzhou has come to its crossroads: it is empowered
by abundant resources and the growth of its industry is enthusing, but it also faces major
challenges — developing first or tackling on contamination firstly, which is a question. Yangzhou
is a miniature of China, and its problems are part of the problems of China. Currently, through
purifying the Slender West Lake, refreshing the air and cleaning the streets, the Chinese leaders
have spared no efforts to take on the cities and countryside social development overall plan, in
order to cultivate a profound investment environment. My friends, having a journey to Yangzhou,
and I promise that it could be the best season you will have ever had.
英语 04-7
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