2008 — A Letter to Provincial Party Secretary Zhang Chunxian
A Letter to Provincial Party Secretary Zhang Chunxian. Respected Secretary Chunxian: My name is Luo Changjiang. I am a member of the Provincial CPPCC, Vice Chairman of the Zhangjiajie Municipal CPPCC, Chairman of the Zhangjiajie Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League, and a cultural figure (National First-Class Writer). Attending this first session of the 10th Provincial CPPCC, I truly wish to say a few words of heartfelt gratitude to you in person on behalf of the people of Zhangjiajie — gratitude for your
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 Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
A Letter to Provincial Party Secretary Zhang Chunxian
Respected Secretary Chunxian:
My name is Luo Changjiang. I am a member of the Provincial CPPCC, Vice Chairman of the Zhangjiajie Municipal CPPCC, Chairman of the Zhangjiajie Municipal Committee of the China Democratic League, and a cultural figure (a national first-class writer). Coming to attend the First Session of the Tenth Provincial CPPCC this time, I truly wish to say a few words of heartfelt gratitude to you in person on behalf of the people of Zhangjiajie—grateful that you value Zhangjiajie so much, grateful that you have pointed out the direction of development and clarified development goals for Zhangjiajie, and grateful that you have put Zhangjiajie's urban construction on the fast track. The people of Zhangjiajie have thus seen the prospects and hope for urban construction.
As the head of a local organization of a participating party, my main energy in participating in and discussing state affairs and offering suggestions over these years has been spent on Zhangjiajie's urban construction. In addition to completing the "required tasks" of party research, I am currently responsible for two major topics assigned by the main leaders of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government: one is "Research on Urban Image Enhancement," and the other is "Research on Urban Cultural Strategy." I have read your speech at the Zhangjiajie World Tourism Excellence Construction Situation Report Meeting on April 1, 2007, I don't know how many times. The more I study it, the more confident I am about the future of our city; the more I study it, the more respect and gratitude I feel toward you. Including your speech during this visit to Zhangjiajie (January 6), I have read it over and over again—it was truly excellent! On April 15, 2007, I wrote to the main leaders of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, suggesting among other things: we must firmly seize the major development opportunity presented by the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government leaders attaching such great importance to Zhangjiajie's construction. Heaven and earth as my witness, I love Zhangjiajie too much!
To express my respect and gratitude to you, entrusted by several Zhangjiajie natives, I have specially prepared a gift for you and Governor Zhou Qiang respectively—a creative planning document for the "Banbian Street" project of the Lishui Scenic Belt. Inspired and moved by the spirit of your "April 1" speech, with me taking the lead, several Zhangjiajie natives have racked their brains and condensed this painstaking effort. I earnestly request that you find time in your busy schedule to read it, and see how thoroughly these private citizens have grasped your ideas on Zhangjiajie's urban construction! Through their well-intentioned efforts to play the "Chunxian card," you will surely feel the burning hearts of a group of passionate people...
In the document, a chapter is specially devoted to showcasing examples of modern buildings in the stilted-house (Diaojiaolou) style, both local and from elsewhere, eloquently proving from a technical level that adopting the stilted-house style as the main tone of Zhangjiajie's city is entirely feasible and fully operable. The "Banbian Street" project in the document aims to create a ten-li landscape of classic stilted-house architecture. Once this creative concept is put into practice, it is expected to achieve a tremendous effect with minimal effort, making the Lishui Scenic Belt the core of the city and settling the matter once and for all. Just as Sydney, with its Sydney Opera House, instantly rose from a third-rate city to a first-rate city, Zhangjiajie, with its distinctive stilted-house-style architectural complex marked by "Banbian Street," can immediately hope to elevate itself to a status comparable to the world's famous waterfront scenic belts—on equal footing! At the end of the document is a 5-meter-long scroll of architectural style illustrations for "Banbian Street," striving to embody your concepts about Zhangjiajie's main urban tone and strengthening the city's tourism function. Please take the time to unroll it, and I hope you will like it! During the city's "Two Sessions," we held a large-scale photo exhibition that created a great impact among the leadership of the city's "Four Major Bodies," hundreds of people's congress deputies and CPPCC members, and tens of thousands of citizens. Among them, people of insight remarked with emotion: if we follow the conventional path, not to mention catching up with those developed cities at home and abroad, we cannot even catch up with nearby Changde; but if we create something as distinctive as "Banbian Street," we can in no time dare to challenge the world's famous tourist cities!
For many years, I and some like-minded local people have been earnestly advocating the incorporation of Tujia stilted-house style elements into the city's architectural appearance, but despite our tireless efforts, the results have been minimal. Now things are better—with your decisive word, the external image of our city is saved. Of course, limited by differences in understanding, fully implementing the main urban tone you advocate and establish will still require great effort; therefore, it would be even better if you could pay special attention to it. The situation is obvious: if this move is not made well, if the city's architectural appearance remains half-cooked and neither fish nor fowl—a "four-unlike" mess—then "visible change in three years, great transformation in five years" will be greatly compromised.
As for the creative concept of "Banbian Street," there is no need for me to elaborate further. If it can receive your attention and encouragement, it would undoubtedly be a blessing for Zhangjiajie city and the people of Zhangjiajie! I noticed that in your speech during your visit to Zhangjiajie on January 6, you affirmed and advocated enlightening the people's wisdom and pooling the people's wisdom. If this gift of mine can reflect and corroborate this view of yours, I would be honored beyond measure.
The letter has grown long, so I will stop here. Please allow me to say on behalf of the people of Zhangjiajie:
The people of Zhangjiajie are grateful to Secretary Chunxian!
The people of Zhangjiajie love Secretary Chunxian!
Luo Changjiang
Written in haste late at night on January 17, 2008, Changsha