China News Service, Yangzhou, April 10th: Exploring the protection and utilization passwords of the ancient city of Yangzhou: keep the memory and update organically
China News Service reporter Cui Jiaming
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the national historical and cultural city protection system and the 40th anniversary of Yangzhou being included in the first batch of national historical and cultural cities.
Luyang City is full of spring, and it is fireworks in March. A reporter from Chinanews.com walked into Yangzhou to explore the password for the protection and utilization of this thousand-year-old ancient city.
In the wave of urbanization sweeping across China, Yangzhou is one of the few cities that have maintained their distinctive cultural characteristics and charm.
Talking about experience, Yangzhou city literature and history expert Wang Huhua told Chinanews.com that history and culture have made Yangzhou unique, and the "magic weapon" of Yangzhou's success is the protection of the ancient city.
Tang Dynasty stone pagoda on Wenchang Road, Yangzhou.
Photo by Cui Jiaming
"History is the root, and culture is the soul; no matter which city is built, Yangzhou must first protect the national historical and cultural city." Wang Huhua said, "The national historical and cultural city is Yangzhou's 'first emblem', 'first asset' and the first The trump card', we should shine, use our feet, and beat our feet. Historical and cultural heritage is not only a spiritual resource, but also a material 'asset', which is the guarantee for the sustainable development of the city."
The total area of Yangzhou City Site (Sui to Song Dynasty) is about 18.25 square kilometers, of which the historical urban area of Ming and Qing Dynasties covers an area of 5.09 square kilometers. one of the historic districts.
The entire ancient city site area is about 13 square kilometers, and the spatial structure of the city in the past dynasties is preserved, including the city walls, roads, water systems, and architectural sites of the past dynasties.
Yangzhou Dongguan Street Historical and Cultural District.
(Data map) Photo by Meng Delong
The ancient city carries the history and culture of a city and is engraved with the historical imprint of a city.
The 5.09-square-kilometer Ming and Qing Historic City is full of rich and profound cultural charm, and it is the most cultural gathering place that can show the charm of Yangzhou.
When introducing the situation of the ancient city, the person in charge of the relevant local department said that the historical urban area of Ming and Qing Dynasties includes four historical and cultural blocks, Dongguan Street, Renfengli, Wanzi Street, Nanhexia, and 7 groups of traditional buildings.
There are 19 national key cultural protection units, 18 provincial-level cultural protection units, and 153 municipal-level cultural protection units.
On Wenchang Road in Yangzhou alone, there are historical relics such as Tang Dynasty stone pagoda, Song Dynasty ancient well, Ming Dynasty Wenchang Pavilion, Qing Dynasty Yunsi Yamen and other historical relics.
"Yangzhou promotes the protection and revival of the ancient city in accordance with the idea of 'protecting its appearance, beautifying its face, enhancing its charm, and casting its soul', and has taken a development path with local characteristics." As a famous historical and cultural city protection in Yangzhou for more than 30 years And a worker in academic research, Gao Yongqing told a reporter from Chinanews.com that Yangzhou has been committed to the renewal and improvement of the human settlement environment of the ancient city for many years, and has won the China Best Human Settlement Environment Award and the United Nations Habitat Award.
In 2021, the protection and renewal of Dongguan Street and Renfengli Historic District was rated as a national excellent case by the Science and Technology Commission of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Renfengli also won the first prize of heritage protection from the Architectural Society of China.
Yangzhou Slender West Lake.
Photo by Meng Delong
"According to the organic renewal model of 'small-scale, embroidery needles, localization, and gradualism', implement multiple participation mechanisms such as government leadership, social support, residents' integration, and professional support, and explore new paths for ancient city protection." Executive Director of the Publicity Department of the Yangzhou Municipal Party Committee Li Guangchun, deputy minister and second-level inspector, told Chinanews.com that nowadays, Dongguan Street historical and cultural district has everything to eat, lodging, travel, shopping and entertainment, and has become a cultural tourist attraction in Yangzhou; Nanhexia historical and cultural district, relying on Yanshang culture and the ruins of the guild hall, has become a cultural and tourist attraction in Yangzhou. Another display window of Yangzhou food culture; Renfengli historical and cultural block has played the role of historical and cultural celebrities, highlighted the culture of the market, and has become a creative space for Yangzhou culture.
When it comes to the protection and utilization of the historical and cultural blocks in Renfengli, Li Guangchun said that large demolition and construction is not the protection of the ancient city, nor is it the protection of the ancient city.
The exploration of the protection and utilization of Renfengli District is based on the renovation and renewal model of “collecting, storing and renting” in the district, starting with dilapidated houses, old houses and vacant houses, replacing and leasing them, and then carefully repairing them with government funding or market investment.
Li Guangchun summed up his experience into three "changes", that is, in terms of protection concept, change "demolition and retention" to "retention and demolition"; in terms of public participation, change "I want to change" to "I want to change"; In terms of development motivation, the "one-man show" has been changed to "the chorus".
Renfengli is more than 700 meters long and arranged in the shape of fish bones.
Photo by Cui Jiaming
The ancient city is the "mother body" of Yangzhou, the source of culture and the home of the spirit of the citizens. It strives to preserve, continue and demonstrate the historical space, street texture, architectural style, cultural relics and traditions of the ancient city that are "quaint, authentic, and civic." The brand name is to create an old town and old street with memories of growth and nostalgia for the native Yangzhou people and foreigners who travel and travel, so that they can feel "the street is still the same street, the store is still the same store, and the taste is still the same".
Zhang Baojuan, secretary of the Yangzhou Municipal Party Committee, said when investigating the protection and organic renewal of the ancient city, "Keep the memory of the ancient city well, speed up the protection and organic renewal of the ancient city, let the ancient city of thousands of years radiate new vitality and vitality in the new era, and let the historical city of Yangzhou have more weight in the country. ."(Finish)