China News Service, Shenzhen, February 9th: Visiting Pinghu, a century-old town in Shenzhen: the rise of a new hub city and Hong Kong people are keen to check in
China News Service reporter Cai Minjie
The New Year in the Year of the Dragon is approaching, and the number of returning passengers at Pinghu Railway Station in Shenzhen, Guangdong has increased significantly. From the first station of the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway (the section from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is now known as the "Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway") to the time when it will soon become a comprehensive transportation hub, this century-old station built in 1911 has gone through many "changes." For more than a hundred years, the people of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong have shared joys and sorrows and walked together on this artery. The opening of this station is inseparable from a special figure - Liu Zhubo, the founder of Pinghu Xu.
Aerial view of Pinghu Railway Station. Photo courtesy of Pinghu Subdistrict Office
In the history of exchanges between the Mainland and Hong Kong, there is a saying that "Liu Zhubo's face is worth Ho Tung's money". From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, Liu Zhubo, who was born in Yuen Uk Wai, Ping Wu Hui and grew up in Hong Kong, was active in Hong Kong's political and business circles. He successively served as Chairman of Hong Kong Tung Wah Hospital, President of the Chinese Football Association, and a member of the Fundraising Committee of the University of Hong Kong. , has made great contributions to Hong Kong’s business, education, health and charity.
Liu Zhubo, who has extraordinary influence, always cares about his hometown Pinghu. "Back then, Liu Zhubo traveled between Hong Kong and Pinghu, Shenzhen many times. He saw the inconvenience of transportation and the huge social and economic differences between the two places, so he secretly determined to change the backwardness of his hometown." Liu Xiaoqing, the commentator of Liu Zhubo's life exhibition, said that at the beginning of the 20th century, Guangzhou Construction of the Kowloon Railway was started, but the Pinghu station was not included in the design drawings. In order to change Pinghu's backwardness, Liu Zhubo came forward to persuade the Guangdong and Hong Kong authorities, railway construction companies, etc. to set up a railway station in Pinghu at his own expense.
Liu Zhubo had "great face and status" at that time. The governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong accepted his suggestions and immediately revised the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway line. In 1911, this railway line connecting Hong Kong and the mainland was opened, and Pinghu became the first station for trains to enter Shenzhen.
After that, Liu Zhubo also commissioned a famous Hong Kong designer to plan and design, raised funds to independently plan and build Pinghu New Market, created a market, opened a factory, and built a hospital. This initially established the scale and scope of Pinghu Market as a central town at the intersection of Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Huizhou. status.
Thanks to the Guangzhou-Kowloon Railway, Pinghu Market has a major artery to Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Merchants and farmers from all over the world come here in droves, and foreign goods and local specialties are gathered together. Pinghu Market becomes one of the three famous markets in Bao'an County during the Republic of China. With the train station, more and more Pinghu people are heading to the vast world.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Hong Kong's industry and commerce developed rapidly, attracting a large number of mainland businessmen and craftsmen to make a living. Pinghu people were caught up in the huge wave of migration. "When they arrived in Hong Kong, Pinghu people were diligent and enterprising. Some developed better, so they came back to set up factories." Zhang Yuqing, director of the Office of the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Pinghu Street, Longgang District, Shenzhen, said that the Pinghu descendants who immigrated to Hong Kong returned to their hometown and provided services in medical care, education, etc. They have made outstanding contributions in many aspects. Today, young people from Hong Kong have returned to work and start businesses, focusing on scientific and technological innovation. They have not only stimulated employment but also promoted the improvement of Pinghu science and technology.
More than 100 years have passed, and today Pinghu has convenient transportation: Shenzhen Metro Line 10, as the first subway in Pinghu, is seamlessly connected with Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Pinghu Station; as one of the nine major hubs in Shenzhen, Pinghu Station will be connected with Guangming, Futian and other stations Jointly build a hub system; the construction of Shenzhen-Huizhou Intercity Pinghu Station and Shenzhen-Dalian Intercity Bainaikeng Station is advancing. With the continuous construction of tracks one after another, a modern "hub city" is about to emerge.
Pinghu has entered the "orbital era", the economic and social development of the area has accelerated significantly, and the business district has continued to rise. "In the past, Pinghu people went to Shenzhen and Hong Kong for consumption. Now, the major complexes at their doorstep make them linger and attract Hong Kong people to come here for consumption." Vice President and Secretary-General of Pinghu Association of Hong Kong, Pinghu Port Mok Shun-fat, executive vice-president of the Chinese People's Association, said that Pinghu Wanda Plaza has become a check-in point for Hong Kong people, and the shopping mall is "overflowing" (Cantonese, meaning very crowded) on weekends.
"I usually go to Pinghu Railway Station and take the urban rail, which takes me to Luohu in 15 minutes, and then I go to Hong Kong after crossing the border." Now, Mo Shunfa, who is over 70 years old, still often walks around Shenzhen and Hong Kong: "Seeing the development of Pinghu today , Liu Zhubo’s original intention must have been realized long ago.” (over)