2008 — Speech on the Design Concept for the Lishui River Scenic Belt (Part 2)
2. On the concept and interpretation of the Lishui River Scenic Belt construction. The construction concept we actively advocate, thoroughly study, and take the lead in planning and designing is: adhering to "modern architecture in stilted-house style" as the dominant tone to create a tourism destination with distinctive local and ethnic characteristics. We oppose a waterfront landscape centered on "planting trees and grass"
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 Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
II. On the concept of building the Lishui Scenic Belt and its explanation.
The construction concept of the Lishui Scenic Belt that we actively advocate, deeply study, and take the lead in planning and designing is: adhere to taking "modern architecture in the stilted-house style" as the main tone and build a tourism destination with distinctive local and ethnic characteristics. We oppose the construction model of a waterside landscape belt centered on "planting trees and grass." The specific explanation is as follows:
(1) Although "scenery" and "scenic character" differ by only one character, their connotations are entirely different.
Regarding the difference between a "landscape belt" and a "scenic-character belt," Mayor Zhao Xiaoming gave a very direct statement. In June 2007, at the review meeting for the planning text of the Lishui Scenic Belt, he pointed out: "Landscape emphasizes nature; scenic character emphasizes humanity"; "The Lishui Scenic Belt and the Changsha Xiangjiang Landscape Belt are completely different matters, and the spatial scale is completely different"; "A distinctive way of life determines a distinctive architectural style"; "The Lishui Scenic Belt must fully reflect the people's conditions, folk customs, folk ways, and dwellings"; "Architecturally it must reflect the Tujia stilted houses. I agree that stilted houses should be built by the water. The most wonderful thing in a waterside city is to have Tujia dwellings." Here, Mayor Zhao Xiaoming's discussion of the difference between a "scenic-character belt" and a "landscape belt" and the way this difference should be applied in Zhangjiajie mainly emphasizes three key words: humanistic scenic character, regional and ethnic historical culture, and Tujia stilted houses. It clarifies the style and basic direction of the Lishui Scenic Belt's construction and grasps our distinctive advantage, namely our profound local ethnic cultural tradition and the unique architectural form chiefly embodied in Tujia stilted houses. This is why, around building a world-class masterpiece, we can only build a scenic-character belt with "modern architecture in the stilted-house style" as the main tone and with Zhangjiajie's local and ethnic characteristics, and cannot copy wholesale the construction model of a waterside landscape belt based on "planting trees and grass."
(2) On a scenic-character belt with "modern architecture in the stilted-house style" as the main tone and with Zhangjiajie's local and ethnic characteristics.
This mainly means two things: first, its architecture must be both in the "stilted-house style" and modern. The two form an organically unified whole and inseparably constitute the main tone of the scenic belt. Second, the effect of the entire scenic belt must have Zhangjiajie's local and ethnic characteristics. On the large scale, the scenic belt must fully display and give play to the advantages of our regional characteristics and local ethnic historical and cultural characteristics, rather than being an imported imitation of ordinary practices from elsewhere. In terms of specific architecture, it should have both the stylistic features of stilted houses and full use of modern building technology and materials as well as modern architectural functions. In inheriting tradition, it must never be conservative and simply copy what our ancestors had. Therefore, this scenic belt both inherits the excellent dwelling culture and tradition of the Tujia ethnic group and keeps pace with the development of contemporary building technology; it both conforms to modern people's cultural psychological tendency to return to tradition and love the simple and natural, and actively integrates with and can satisfy modern people's material needs in life, amusement, leisure, shopping, fashion, and so on. In other words, it must both satisfy the aesthetic requirements of cultural vision and be practical modern architecture, not something that is "good to look at but useless." The construction approach and model we actively advocate, seeking our own unique cultural qualities, is precisely to use the natural advantage of the Lishui River running through the city and the profound advantage of local ethnic culture to build an urban tourism destination that complements Zhangjiajie's scenic area, thereby becoming an important opening chapter in our building of a world-class tourism masterpiece!
(3) On the "waterside landscape belt with a 'planting trees and grass' greening model."
At present, the riverside landscape belts popular in many cities across the country are mostly park-style or garden-style green belts with a few cultural vignettes added. They are largely similar, clones of one another, found all over the country and even the world, and very few can stand out and form a unique influence or impact. If, in Zhangjiajie, where the urban area is relatively narrow and the mountain-and-water scenery is unmatched in the world, such a landscape belt were cloned again, it would have no competitiveness at all, whether in tourism city landscape development or in shaping the city's image. Here, we are by no means opposed to necessary greening in the Lishui Scenic Belt. It is only that after years of comparative research and reflection, we firmly oppose the concept of "mass-produced" green belts, firmly oppose the lazy practice of making green belts the main body in a "copy-every-landscape-belt-in-the-world" manner, and firmly oppose and resist the cloned "planting trees and grass" green belt model.