2010—Zhangjiajie's Central Urban Historic District Urgently Needs Rescue Protection and Scientific Renovation
Architecture is the vessel of urban culture. Historic cities at home such as Lijiang, Pingyao, and Fenghuang, and abroad such as Rome, Venice, and Paris, are full of charm thanks to the authenticity and integrity of their cultural relics and historic districts and the coherence of their surrounding historic settings. Yet overall, in China's urbanization process, "old city redevelopment"...
This article has been compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · City Overview section). Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
Architecture is the vessel of urban culture. Many historical and cultural cities—Lijiang, Pingyao, and Fenghuang in China, and Rome, Venice, and Paris abroad—are full of charm because of the authenticity and integrity of their cultural relics and historical and cultural districts and the related coherence of their historical environmental features. Yet on the whole, in China's urbanization process, "old city redevelopment" and "dilapidated housing redevelopment," marked by large-scale demolition and construction, have reduced historical buildings one after another and historical memories one after another to rubble. The cultural heritage in cities has gradually been pushed into an abyss of no return, causing ancient urban remains that have weathered hundreds or thousands of years to suffer damage far more severe than that from war or natural disasters. History is hard to preserve as an out-of-print edition; tradition has already become a swan song. The lessons are profound. As a vice minister of the Ministry of Construction once pointed out with concern: "The quick-success-oriented approach to old city redevelopment has brought disaster upon historical districts. The one-sided mentality of seeking change, seeking foreign styles, and seeking bigness has made the features of some historical cities vanish completely, with European continental styles prevailing, leading to a thousand cities looking the same." Against such a backdrop, the ancient city of Yongding was not spared either. In classical records and local gazetteers, and in the memories of local people, the ancient city of Yongding once had the glory of a "Little Nanjing." Many elderly people sigh: if it hadn't been destroyed, wouldn't it be even better than Fenghuang? However, due to war, the Great Leap Forward movement, and especially since the old city redevelopment that favored large-scale demolition and construction became popular, our ancient city of Yongding has no longer retained its traditions, and classics are hard to find. It is very difficult for people to find on their native soil a city memory and a dream of home with a uniquely distinctive temperament.
Regarding the definition of "historical district," the Washington Charter adopted by the International Council on Monuments and Sites in October 1987 confirmed that it refers to "the historic areas of towns, large and small, including the ancient central areas of towns and other areas that preserve historical features." As for the "ancient central area and other areas preserving historical features" of Zhangjiajie's central urban area, in the words of the soon-to-be-formally-issued "Zhangjiajie City Master Plan (Revision)," it should be the relevant sections of the "existing Cross Street—Nanzheng Street area and the north bank of the Li River" that are planned as key restoration areas to concentrate the display of the central urban area's historical and cultural accumulation. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, this has been the cultural, political, and economic center of the ancient city of Yongding and its main residential area and commercial distribution center, and it is the city's historical and cultural
The pulse is at stake. In November of this year, the Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League organized personnel to conduct on-site inspections and visits. The so-called "historic district" has only a handful of surviving remnants left, which is truly deplorable. As the city's "Master Plan" states with great restraint: "Due to historical reasons, the original urban layout and traditional districts were not properly protected, and the city's appearance has changed greatly."
I. A Brief Inventory of the Surviving Ancient and Old Buildings in the Historic District.
Nanzheng Street: With Huilong Road as the boundary, the section north of Huilong Road has long been unrecognizable after massive demolition and reconstruction; south of Huilong Road, after the massive demolition and reconstruction for the Cross Street Shopping Mall, Zhangjiajie Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and others, only a half-segment of traditional old street less than 200 meters from the Nanmenkou wharf remains.
Yanhe Street: (1) Sanyuan Palace (Zhaowu Hall). Built in the Qing Dynasty, with a brick-and-wood structure, its archway-style gate features exquisite decorative patterns and powerful stone carvings. It is a county-level cultural relic protection unit of Yongding District, but unfortunately it is severely damaged. (2) Nie Family Compound. There are two buildings, built in the Qing Dynasty, belonging to the typical courtyard-style brick-and-wood structure with a central patio. Although they still survive, they are incomplete and in urgent need of maintenance. (3) The old office building of the Yanhe Street Neighborhood Committee. This building uses dougong brackets, a feature rarely seen in southern residential architecture. It has two sections; the first section is a two-story shop, with very thick but severely rotted trough beams supported below by two massive cement columns. (4) The former Bamboo and Palm Rain Gear Factory. It is a typical southern courtyard-style building with a central patio, with quotations from Chairman Mao written on the walls. There is a very exquisite beam carved with "Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl," but the entire building is also severely damaged. (5) The former Yongding District Grain Depot retains a section of more than 100 meters of the ancient city wall of Yongding Guard City. (6) There also remain old wells, traditional dwellings, and others.
In addition, Jiefang Road mainly has the Puguang Temple ancient architectural complex and the Soviet Memorial Hall; Chongwen Road has the Chongwen Pagoda; and Yongding Avenue has the Tian Family Old Courtyard, among others.
II. The surviving ancient and old buildings on Cross Street, Nanzheng Street, and Yanhe Street urgently need rescue protection.
The "Zhangjiajie City Master Plan," revised under the auspices of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, includes dedicated chapters such as "Central Urban Area Historical and Cultural Protection Plan" and "Central Urban Area Old District Renewal Plan." In addition, corresponding content is expressed in sections such as "Lishui River Landscape Belt" and "Urban Landscape Zoning." It contains clear provisions and requirements regarding the main problems existing in the old urban area, the purposes, principles, strategies, measures, and key points of renewal, the enhancement of the landscape of historic districts, and the protection of cultural relics and cultural inheritance. Previously, it was learned that Mayor Xiaoming repeatedly requested the cultural department to provide the objects in the historic district that should be protected. All of this fully demonstrates the clear understanding of the city's decision-making level on this issue.
In 2002, the report "Changing London—An Old City in a Changing World," published by the British Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, pointed out: ancient buildings are not a burden on London's economic growth, but the foundation of London's current prosperity. In fact, the most attractive places in London today, where people are most willing to live, work, and visit, are precisely the places in the old urban area where the historical environment is most completely preserved and cultural heritage is most richly conserved. The United States, with a history of only more than 300 years, cherishes every ancient and old building extremely; in Paris, France, the municipal government stipulates that the appearance of every ordinary residence may not be altered without authorization; domestically, places such as Lijiang and Fenghuang similarly give special protection to old residences that do not reach the level of cultural relic protection at or above the county level by numbering and listing them according to their value; in the urban area of Changde, there is an ancient well site called "Sanyanjing" located in the middle of a main street, where guardrails were placed around the ancient well site and vehicles and pedestrians were made to detour. The ruler's deep cherishing of historical remains and conscious awareness of protection are, in essence, also a marker of governing capacity and governing level. Because all cultural heritage has a span of time and a depth of history, maintaining awe and respect for time and history is a quality our generation should possess.
The central urban area of Zhangjiajie has a history of 2211 years since it was established as a county seat, and 1745 years since it was established as a commandery seat. Unfortunately, the only remaining structures that can represent the ancient city of Yongding and serve as carriers witnessing its historical and cultural features are the few mentioned above. However, these remaining buildings on Nanzheng Street and Yanhe Street are not only in danger of collapsing at any time due to long neglect and being battered by wind and rain; but also, because they are located within a certain old city renovation or shantytown redevelopment project, or within public land for the Lishui landscape belt construction, they may be irrevocably destroyed under the rumbling bulldozers at any moment. If these few material cultural carriers, which serve as historical memories, disappear, then the historical thread of our city will truly be completely severed. Due to the above reasons, our historic district has basically become nominal, and what is lost is lost forever. Learning from painful experiences, Zhangjiajie, which ambitiously aims to build itself into a world-class tourism masterpiece and an international tourist city, should possess a strong awareness a hundred times greater than ordinary cities of cherishing every tiny bit of historical heritage. The city's Master Plan states: "In the current planning, the area around Shizi Street to Nanzheng Street and the area on the north bank of the Lishui River are designated as a historical landscape and style enhancement zone, serving as a key site for restoring and centrally displaying the historical and cultural accumulation of the central urban area. This zone should carry out overall protection of the original urban texture, building layout, historical-style buildings, and spatial environment, preserving their integrity and authenticity as much as possible. The renovation, demolition, and new construction of buildings should all respect the original layout." "In view of the fact that there are currently few traditional architectural remains in the old city, it is recommended to carry out restoration and improvement through a combination of point, line, and area methods. Protect building clusters or individual structures in the old city that have preservation value." "Although the old urban areas have many problems, they also reflect the historical context of urban development and have become part of urban life. In the renewal of old areas, we should not blindly carry out large-scale demolition and construction, but should treat them categorically, preserve streets and features with historical value, and avoid 'constructive destruction.' Therefore, we suggest that in accordance with the city's Master Plan, the urgent task is to carry out rescue protection of the remaining ancient and old buildings on Cross Street, Nanzheng Street, and Yanhe Street as soon as possible:
1. Clarify the baseline and determine the objects of protection. Among the ancient and old buildings in this area, only Sanyuan Palace (Zhaowu Hall) has been listed as a cultural relic protection unit at the Yongding District level. It is suggested that the traditional dwellings on the half-segment of Nanzheng Street, the Nie Family Compound, the old office building of the Yanhe Street Neighborhood Committee, the former Bamboo and Palm Rain Gear Factory, the old city wall of the Guard City, old wells, and other ancient and old buildings, as well as traditional dwellings in the old urban area with protection value, be registered and announced by the cultural relics department and placed under listed protection.
2. Take measures and begin repairs as soon as possible. The above few surviving ancient and old buildings have long been neglected and are precarious in wind and rain; rescue repairs are urgently needed, and they must absolutely not be left to fend for themselves any longer.
3. Clarify the bottom line and adjust or revise relevant plans. The so-called "clarify the bottom line" means clarifying the bottom line that the above ancient and old buildings confirmed by the cultural relics department must be protected. Then, whether it is old city renovation, shantytown renovation, or Lishui landscape belt construction, their planning and design must include them within the scope of protection and must not sacrifice them as a cost. Any plan that conflicts with this should be adjusted or revised in accordance with the requirements of the city's "Master Plan" and "Urban Landscape Plan," to "avoid 'constructive' destruction."
III. Suggestions for the protection and improvement of the historic district in the central urban area.
As mentioned earlier, in view of the practical need to build a world-class tourism boutique city, our city's Master Plan has a dedicated chapter elaborating on the protection and development of the historic districts in the central urban area. To corroborate the importance and severity of historic district protection, this research report has cited several contents of the Master Plan. Regarding the protection and renovation of the ancient city, the Master Plan also states the following: 'At present, the original layout and stylistic features of the ancient city have basically been lost, and only some areas still retain the skeleton of the ancient city's layout. In the future, during the renewal and renovation of the old city, research on the historical style of the ancient city should be deepened, verification of historical buildings, historic districts, and historical landscapes (such as the new and old eight scenic spots) should be strengthened, the scope of the ancient city should be delineated, and a protection and renovation plan for the ancient city should be formulated. The renewal of the ancient city should comprehensively consider the protection of historic districts, improve infrastructure, and increase traditional commercial and public facilities.' The protection and renovation of the ancient city take the construction of the Lishui waterfront area and the landscape restoration of Dongmen Creek and Ximen Creek as the carrier, focus on the construction of the historic district and waterfront landscape belt from Guren Causeway to the Old Cross Street section, combine with tourism services and the development of specialty and folk commercial activities, improve tourism service facilities and leisure spaces, enhance the ancient city's environment and appearance, and create new highlights for tourism in the central urban area. To this end, we propose the following suggestions:
(1) Administer according to law, and establish and maintain the authority and dignity of the city's "Master Plan."
As is well known, the city The Master Plan is for urban construction"Constitution". In view of old city reconstruction and urban construction, situations have appeared more than once in which the city's Master Plan was disregarded, whether for immediate interests or out of accommodation to developers. The newly revised city Master Plan will soon be officially promulgated and implemented. The city Master Plan was formulated under the auspices of the government. It is earnestly hoped that the municipal government will administer according to law, consistently establish and safeguard the authority and dignity of the city Master Plan, and not be swayed by other factors. Regarding the protection and renovation of the ancient city, the city Master Plan already has clear guiding opinions. It is hoped and believed that the municipal government and all functional departments will strictly follow and organize their implementation.
(2) Formulate and implement an ancient city protection and improvement plan.
This is not only a requirement of the city's "Master Plan," but also an inevitable measure for applying the scientific outlook on development to guide old city renovation. The protection of the surviving ancient and old buildings on Cross Street, Nanzheng Street, and Yanhe Street should be incorporated into the ancient city protection and improvement plan. Before the plan is issued, it is suggested that construction projects in the old urban area or certain sections of the old urban area be frozen first, so as to avoid repeating the mistakes once made in massive demolition and construction, because only these few unique surviving ancient and old buildings remain in the old urban area, and they can no longer withstand even slight disturbance. For example, the remaining half-segment old street at Nanmenkou is the only segment of traditional old street in our city. First, is there still a need to save it? Second, is there still a possibility of saving it? We have visited many cities in China; no matter how modernized they are, there are always more or less one or several historic districts, always one or several old streets. Huangshan's urban area is so large, yet visitors' interest is concentrated on Tunxi Old Street; Yangshuo County is so small, yet visitors' interest is still concentrated on Old West Street; in Changsha, the capital of our province, historic districts such as Taiping Street, once repaired, have become places where people linger and forget to return; Nanjing's Confucius Temple can be said to be a city calling card of Nanjing, and so on. There are truly too many examples of this kind. Therefore, if through demonstration it is indeed necessary to retain this half-segment old street, then how should it be retained? Once retained, how will it reflect the requirements of the city's "Master Plan"? How should it make its due contribution in aspects such as "combining with tourism services and distinctive and folk commercial development," "enhancing the ancient city environment and appearance, and creating a new highlight for tourism in the central urban area"? Moreover, not only this half-segment old street, but how to carefully plan the protection and development and utilization of the entire ancient city and its historic districts, "create a new highlight for tourism in the central urban area," and promote sustainable local economic development is even more the key to the entire ancient city protection and improvement plan. Therefore, we believe our decision-making level will adopt a very prudent attitude toward this half-segment traditional old street on Nanzheng Street and the other surviving ancient and old buildings. Another example is the Guren Dike site, a cultural relic and ancient site clearly requiring protection under the city's "Master Plan." It is a witness to the historical evolution of our city from the Warring States period and the Qin and Han dynasties onward, and is an extremely precious cultural remain of our city. When formulating the ancient city protection and improvement plan, the protection, development, and utilization of Guren Dike should be considered as a whole. Changsha used the strip-shaped open space on both sides of Du Fu Jiang Ge on the flood control dike to create a park with considerable regional characteristics and cultural taste. At the waterside section of Yanhe Avenue at the northern end of the Lishui Bridge, we also have a long strip-shaped open space. Could it be considered to turn it into a "Guren Dike Site Cultural Park" with strong cultural taste and regional characteristics? The pagoda at Huilongguan, once decorated with lighting, has become a scenic spot in our city; once the Guren Dike Site Cultural Park is completed, it will likewise become another highlight of our city. Another example is the area around the Tian Family Old Courtyard, which has both historical context and good feng shui, and also echoes the He Long Sports Center under construction. In 2009, the Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League submitted a proposal titled "Suggestions on Requesting the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government to Fully Support Yongding District in Planning and Building the Old Courtyard Cultural Industry Park (tentative name)." We are very grateful that the city's decision-making level attached great importance to this proposal, and the municipal government quickly listed it as a key municipal project, with Yongding District actively attracting investment. How can this area be built into a leading cultural tourism project in the central urban area? This especially requires careful planning and prudent action. These few examples are merely to show that formulating and implementing an ancient city protection and improvement plan in accordance with the requirements of the city's "Master Plan" is truly imperative.
(3) Establish a working body and strengthen protection functions.
Establish a leading group for the protection, development, and utilization of Zhangjiajie's historic district cultural heritage, coordinate the work of protection, development, and utilization, and strengthen the authority of protection, development, and utilization work. The leading group shall have an office under it to conduct a comprehensive baseline survey of all historic district cultural heritage in the city, including Nanzheng Street and Yanhe Street, propose protection standards, scope, objects, and specific requirements; formulate and organize the implementation of the "Zhangjiajie Central Urban Area Ancient City Protection and Improvement Plan"; coordinate the relationship between old city renovation, shantytown renovation, Lishui landscape belt construction, and the protection, development, and utilization of historic districts; and so on. Rationalize and improve the historic district management system, clarify the responsibilities of relevant functional departments such as planning, culture, construction, land, and tourism, as well as subdistrict offices, so that each performs its own duties, takes its own responsibilities, cooperates with one another, and plays its due role. At the same time, increase publicity for historic district protection and strive to create a situation and atmosphere in which "everyone is responsible for protecting cultural heritage." Increase law enforcement efforts, incorporate law enforcement work for historic district protection into the assessment content of grassroots governments and relevant departments, severely crack down on all kinds of illegal and criminal acts that damage cultural heritage, and create a good social environment for the protection and utilization of cultural heritage.
"What is past cannot be pursued; what is to come can still be taken as a lesson." Past matters can no longer be regretted. Under the leadership of the current Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, if even a tiny bit of the remaining cultural heritage of the historic district can be rescued and protected, and scientific improvement of the ancient city area can be begun, and its benefits and effects can be brought into full play, then it will be a great fortune for our city!