China News Service, Yangzhou, June 18 (Reporter Cui Jiaming Correspondent Dai Suning) The "China Jade Carving Town · Wantou" awarding ceremony was held on the banks of the Dayun in Yangzhou. Yu Zhou, deputy mayor of Yangzhou City, expressed the hope that the ancient town of Wantou Today, China's jade carving township awarding as a starting point, relying on the millennium ancient charm, cultural accumulation, and industrial foundation, promote the development of the industrial and artistic industry and the cultural tourism cultural and creative industries to a new level.
Yangzhou, which has a history of more than 2,500 years of city building, is a historical and cultural city that coexists with the Grand Canal. The ancient canal in the urban area of Yangzhou intersects with the Bayou and Beijing-Hangzhou Canals in the north, and Guazhou and the Yangtze River in the south. The total length is 28.7 kilometers. The ancient town of Wantou is the first bay where the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal enters Yangzhou City. With the nourishment of the canal water, it has created a long history of jade carvings in the bay.
"World Jade, Yangzhou Gong, Yuanwantou". Wantou has a long history of jade, and its jade craftsmanship is well-known. It is a bright pearl in the development history of jade in Yangzhou and even China. It has always been one of the distribution centers and production centers of jade materials in China. Today, walking in the ancient town, you can hear the sound of "squeaky" jade, antique jade shops and workshops next to each other. According to the relevant person in charge of Wantou Town, "After years of development, Wantou Town has formed a 40,000 square meter jade market in the center of the town, gathering more than 400 jade merchants and more than 3,000 employees, including: National Master 3 People, 7 provincial masters, 23 municipal masters, etc. Annual output of 60,000 works, creating an output value of nearly 800 million yuan. Jade production and marketing has become one of the pillar industries in Wantou Town."
The ancient town of Wantou won the title of "Hometown of Chinese Jade Sculptures". Photo by Cui Jiaming
In May 2020, the China Light Industry Federation and the China Arts and Crafts Association jointly awarded the honorary title of "Hometown of Chinese Jade Sculptures · Wantou" in Wantou Town. Experts from the appraisal group agreed that Wantou Town’s application for the title of “Hometown of Chinese Jade Sculptures” has four significant advantages: one is the long history of making jade and its well-known jade craftsmanship; the second is the large scale of the industry and the obvious advantages of agglomeration; the third is to rely on the jade market To form a leading industry; fourth, local leaders attach importance to and guide the improvement of policies.
Pan Xueyuan, Secretary of the Guangling District Committee of Yangzhou, said in his speech, "The ancient town of Wantou won the title of "Hometown of Chinese Jade Sculptures". This is not only affirmation of the cultural history of Wantou jade and the spirit of ingenious governance of jade, but also an article that we continue to do well in the jade industry. Spur and encouragement of the bigger jade culture brand, we will cherish this honor more, and use it as a new starting point and motivation to work hard on inheritance, protection and development, and strive to make the Wantou jade culture bloom more in the new era Dazzling glory."
The signing ceremony of the project was also held on the day of the event. The six cultural and creative projects of Cuifotang Jewelry E-commerce Park, Jade Fine Art Museum, Lacquer Fine Art Museum, Shaanxi Cultural Interpretation, Zhiquan Children's Play, and Greenland Global Commodity Direct Sales Center were all signed. . "Through the construction of the "tools" industry gathering and distinctive cultural and characteristic towns, Wantou, the millennium ancient town on the banks of the ancient Sui and Tang dynasties, completed the second transformation, and set off again to reproduce the prosperity." Wu De, Party Secretary of Wantou Town Yu Ru said. (Finish)