Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Overview — Social Undertakings (II)
Section 2: Science and Technology. Science and technology in Xiangxi developed from nothing under the care of the Communist Party of China and the people's government. In the early years of New China, at the Party's call, a large number of scientific and technical personnel dedicated to mountain-area development came to Xiangxi and, together with all ethnic groups, pioneered the cause of socialist construction in Xiangxi.
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 Some administrative divisions, population, socioeconomic data, and policy information may be outdated and are for reference only; for the latest situation, please refer to official releases by the local government and scenic areas.
Section II Science and Technology
Science and technology in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture developed gradually from nothing under the care of the Chinese Communist Party and the people's government. In the early period after the founding of New China, at the Party's call, a large number of scientific and technical personnel dedicated to mountain-area construction came to Xiangxi one after another and, together with the people of all ethnic groups, opened up the cause of socialist construction in Xiangxi. In order to popularize scientific and technological knowledge in an organized and led manner and carry out mass scientific research activities, in 1956 the prefecture and counties established science and technology popularization associations, with separate societies for agriculture, forestry, meteorology, physics and chemistry, and medicine, with more than 30 members. Thereafter, although Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture's scientific and technological cause went through several twists and turns, its development was still relatively rapid. Especially since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the CPC Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture Committee and the prefectural people's government earnestly implemented the Party's policy on intellectuals, restored abolished scientific research units and academic groups, enabled some research projects that had been forced to stop to continue, and, according to the needs of production development, newly established research units and sericulture experimental stations for agriculture, forestry, livestock breeding, tung oil trees, mining, raw lacquer, giant salamanders, agricultural machinery, medicine, dry grain, and kiwifruit.
I. Scientific Research Achievements
Scientific research in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture emphasized proceeding from the region's actual conditions and conducting research in light of the characteristics of ethnic minorities and local resources, in order to serve the development of industry and agriculture. Over more than 50 years, the prefecture has organized and implemented more than 3,450 various science and technology plan projects, with multi-channel investment of 1.478 billion yuan. Through the joint efforts of scientific researchers, 920 scientific and technological achievements at or above the prefectural level were obtained, among which 15 reached the domestic leading level, 22 reached the advanced level, and 3 filled domestic gaps; more than 320 new products were developed, providing important support for the rapid and coordinated economic and social development of the prefecture.
In 1956, in response to the serious harm caused by the "rice caseworm" in the Xiangxi region, senior agronomist Ouyang Huilin led scientific research to eradicate the rice caseworm. Through three months of field investigation, more than 10,000 larvae similar to rice caseworm larvae were collected and reared and identified indoors. The identification results showed that only those collected on cutgrass were the true "rice caseworm," thereby correcting the claims that rice caseworms overwintered in small bamboo clumps and in the heart leaves of palm trees after the onset of winter, and guiding the whole prefecture to adopt effective control measures, basically bringing the harm of the rice caseworm under control by 1958. This scientific research achievement attracted the attention of academic circles at home and abroad. The national academic journals Acta Entomologica Sinica, Acta Entomologica Applicata, and Acta Agriculturae Sinica, as well as the Journal of Biology of the Royal Biological Society of Britain, all published Ouyang Huilin's research papers. Su Guorong, a female assistant agronomist at the Fenghuang County Dry Grain Research Institute, with the assistance of relevant units, bred a new high-yield corn variety, "Xiangfeng Danyi No. 1," with a yield of more than 700 jin per mu, changing the long-term stagnant situation of corn production in the prefecture, and was rewarded with a merit citation and promotion by the provincial and prefectural people's governments. Tang Jucai, a livestock technician at the Longshan County Livestock Research Institute, successfully researched the "rabbit-attenuated swine fever whole-body muscle tissue vaccine," which was promoted domestically and adopted by other countries. In 1978, Peng Tuyuan, a Tujia peasant technician in Baojing County, studied the living habits and control methods of the tung tree longhorn beetle, solving the insect pest problem in tung oil production and winning a Hunan Provincial Scientific and Technological Achievement Award. In 1981, the Fenghuang Science and Technology Commission organized scientific and technical personnel to conduct trial production of medium- and high-grade cigarette formulas, developing two new products: the Guxiang cigarette and a women's cigar formula. In 1983, the "BSS-2 timed ten-segment detonation velocity meter" developed by the prefectural radio factory won second and first prizes respectively for scientific and technological progress from the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building and the prefecture. "Research on the Development Patterns and Transformation and Utilization of Luota Karst" won a third prize for scientific and technological achievements from the province. Comrades such as Fan Zhisheng of the Luxi County Forestry Bureau engaged for many years in the purification, rejuvenation, promotion, and application of grape tung trees; the selected grape tung trees were promoted over more than 2 million mu in more than 60 counties (cities) in 15 provinces (regions) nationwide, adding more than 50 million yuan in output value, and won a second prize for national scientific and technological achievements in 1985. In 1987, the new hybrid corn varieties "Xiangyu No. 1" and "Xiangyu No. 10," bred by the Yongshun County Dry Grain Research Institute, were promoted over 2.6 million mu inside and outside the province, adding 130,000 tons of output and 100 million yuan in output value; "Xiangyu No. 1" won a first prize for prefectural scientific and technological progress and a third prize for provincial scientific and technological progress. From 1987 to 1989, the prefecture promoted "corn plastic film mulching cultivation technology" over 2.35 million mu, adding 470,000 tons of output and 282 million yuan in output value. Since 1987, the Xiangquan Group successively developed more than 10 new varieties such as "strong-aroma Daqu Xiangquan liquor," "Jiugui liquor," and "low-alcohol Xiangquan." In 1988 it won a gold award at the First National Food Expo; in 1998 it achieved an output value of 479 million yuan and profits and taxes of 228 million yuan, becoming a pillar industry of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture's fiscal revenue. In 1991, the "small masonry block technology" developed by the Jishou City Building Science Research Institute applied for 23 patents, and the results were promoted and applied in 7 provinces and cities; within the prefecture alone, applications reached more than 40 million square meters, saving more than 1.4 billion yuan in construction funds and 42,000 mu of land. "Promotion of Small Masonry Block Technology" won a third prize for provincial scientific and technological progress. In 1984, the "Comprehensive Development of Gallnut Production Technology and Resources," organized and implemented by the prefectural science and technology commission, trained 71,000 trainees from all over the country, and the technology was promoted to more than 60 counties in 10 provinces (regions) nationwide; in 1993 and 1994 it won first and second prizes respectively of the National Spark Award. In 1998, driven by the "Spark Science and Technology Westward Demonstration Project," the "2,000-ton fine spherical aluminum powder" project in Luxi County was included in the high-tech industry development plan; Jintian Aluminum became the first high-tech enterprise in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, and fine spherical aluminum powder was recognized as a high-tech product.
During the "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period, in order to further enhance enterprises' capacity for scientific and technological innovation, transform traditional industries, improve product quality, and promote the development of the circular economy, the People's Government of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture vigorously pursued the development of science-and-technology-oriented enterprises, the introduction and development of high and new technologies, and the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. In 2005, a total of 9 high and new technologies were introduced, among which the project of Hexin Nano Materials Company with a total investment of 8 million yuan to produce 3,000 tons of nano zinc oxide and magnesium oxide annually was officially put into production that year; Zhongya Magnesium Industry Company introduced a project from Northeastern University and Beijing Institute of Science and Technology to produce 30,000 tons of magnesium alloy composite materials annually. Through scientific planning, the "Hunan Xiangxi Manganese-Zinc-Aluminum New Materials Deep Processing Base" passed the review of the Provincial Department of Science and Technology and became one of the 10 high-tech characteristic industrial bases in the province. The introduction and development of these projects promoted the healthy development of the high-tech industry in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture. Focusing on improving the deep-processing capacity of new material enterprises, modern bioengineering technology, and modern pharmaceutical processes, it vigorously tackled key technical problems of advantageous products and greatly increased the added value of products. The key technology development of selenium-free high-purity electrolytic manganese metal and electronic-grade high-purity manganese tetroxide broke through major technical difficulties such as selenium-based production of electrolytic manganese metal, deep purification of manganese sulfate solution, automated control of the electrolytic manganese metal production process, and impurity removal in manganese tetroxide. Through scientific and technological tackling of key problems, a number of products with high technological content and high added value, such as high-purity zinc, ultra-fine spherical active zinc powder, micro aluminum powder, aluminum silver paste, high-purity electrolytic manganese metal, and chemical manganese dioxide, have gradually replaced traditional primary products and become the flagship products of a new round of the materials industry. In 2005, five enterprises including Xiangquan Pharmaceutical, Huali Pharmaceutical, and Rongjiang Manganese Industry established research and development institutions. Approved by the Prefecture People's Government, the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture High-Tech Business Service Center was officially established at Jishou University, becoming an incubation base for high-tech achievements and high-tech enterprises in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture. With strong support from science and technology departments, the new materials scientific and technological achievement commercialization base—"Luxi County Xibang Technology Co., Ltd."—was officially completed and put into production, becoming a model project for clean production of manganese materials in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture and a science and technology platform for the construction of the new materials base. At the same time, through in-depth activities such as "Science and Technology Activity Week," "Prefecture Government Expert Advisory Activities," and the "Agricultural Science and Technology Knowledge Renewal Action Plan," more than 20 academicians of the two academies in Hunan, well-known experts, and prefecture government expert advisors such as Xiao Tiaoyi and Qing Xianguo were invited to Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture to carry out technical lectures, scientific and technological consulting, and technical matchmaking activities, solving a number of key technical problems hindering the economic development of the whole prefecture, further expanding the development ideas for advantageous industries such as mining processing, agricultural product processing, and biopharmaceuticals throughout the prefecture, extending the industrial chain, and improving economic and social benefits.
The "Kiwifruit Series Product Development" project received major special support from the Provincial Department of Science and Technology. After the project was completed, it further enhanced the scientific and technological content and added value of the kiwifruit industry, promoted the development of deep processing of kiwifruit products, fully realized the complete utilization of kiwifruit raw material skin, fruit, and seeds, and created even better performance for increasing farmers' income, enhancing enterprise efficiency, and growing local fiscal revenue. At the same time, Yishida Company was actively guided to conduct research on storage, preservation, and deep processing technology for agricultural products such as ponkan, navel orange, and vegetables. The company's "Chestnut and Navel Orange Controlled Atmosphere Preservation Technology Development" project received 1 million yuan from the Ministry of Science and Technology's Agricultural Science and Technology Achievement Commercialization Fund. After the project is completed, it will play a positive role in further strengthening and expanding the brand of Xiangxi's characteristic fruits and vegetables. Around the implementation of agricultural science and technology projects, in cooperation with relevant departments and using various forms, 1,158 sessions of science and technology training were carried out in 218 townships and 1,180 villages across the prefecture, training 180,000 person-times, effectively improving the scientific and technological quality of the entire population. At the same time, in conjunction with returning farmland to forest and grassland, research was carried out on agroforestry composite models and key technologies for returning farmland to forest, demonstration and promotion of grass planting and livestock raising technology, and strengthening the construction of ecological agriculture science and technology demonstration parks. The construction of agricultural science and technology demonstration bases, mainly including 1,000 mu of high-quality fruit centered on kiwifruit, 1,000 mu of high-quality forage grass planting, and 1,000 mu of forest-medicine intercropping, drove breeding and planting households to achieve increased production and income. Relying on institutions of higher learning and scientific research institutes, the whole prefecture launched research and demonstration on artificial cultivation and effective component extraction technology of advantageous Chinese medicinal materials such as lily, Xuanshen, Gastrodia elata, and Cherokee rose, greatly promoting the adjustment of the agricultural industrial structure and the pace of ecological prefecture construction.
The social science research work in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture has become increasingly active. Educational societies, economic societies, and others have been established one after another, and research work on the history and ethnic culture of the Tujia and Miao peoples has achieved certain results.
II. Science Popularization Activities
In accordance with the overall deployment of the Prefecture Party Committee and Prefecture Government on building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the science and technology association system of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture carried out science popularization publicity and science and technology training activities in diverse forms and with rich content centered on solving the "three rural issues," achieving remarkable results. Investment in science popularization increased significantly, a atmosphere of society-wide participation in science popularization basically took shape, the image of the science and technology association as the "main force of science popularization" became increasingly distinct, and the overall environment for the work of science and technology associations was gradually improving.
Using activities such as "National Science Popularization Day," "Science and Technology Activity Week," and "Science and Technology to the Countryside" as carriers, the science and technology association system throughout the prefecture overcame various pressures and difficulties such as insufficient personnel and tight funding, innovated working mechanisms, and adopted the working methods of "borrowing people to do things, borrowing money to do things, and borrowing momentum to do things," carrying out a series of major science popularization activities and achieving relatively good social and economic benefits. At the 2005 National Rural Science Popularization Work Conference, the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture Science and Technology Association was rated as an advanced collective in national rural science popularization work; during the National Science Popularization Day activities, it was rated by the China Association for Science and Technology as an advanced unit in "National Science Popularization Day" activities.
In 2005, 164 township science and technology associations were established throughout the prefecture, and 1,620 villages were equipped with village science popularization officers, accounting for 100% and 82% of the total respectively. The prefecture had 714 rural science and technology demonstration households at or above the prefecture level, including 95 at the provincial level. There were 288 rural professional technical associations and economic cooperative organizations. There were 17 prefecture-directly affiliated societies with more than 6,000 members. Luxi County strengthened the construction of the science popularization network and regularly held the standing committee meetings of the science and technology association congress, effectively enhancing the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the county science and technology association. Baojing County increased efforts in cultivating and managing rural professional technical associations and science and technology demonstration households. The ranks of science and technology demonstration households continued to grow, and rural professional technical associations played a relatively good role in rural economic development.
Science popularization work teams, science popularization expert service groups, and science popularization volunteer teams were formed. First, by tapping and utilizing technical talent from departments such as agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, and tobacco, as well as rural local capable people, science popularization volunteer teams were organized, with more than 500 science popularization volunteers in 2005; second, a multidisciplinary and multifunctional rural science popularization expert group was formed by recruiting a number of well-known experts and professors from universities inside the province in a targeted manner and a number of academic leaders from affiliated societies, forming a 20-person science popularization expert group that went deep into rural areas year-round to carry out science and technology training, technical consulting, and technical guidance services. Science popularization work teams and science popularization volunteers carried out rural practical technical training through "entering villages and households," and the science popularization expert group carried out linked training according to the model of "experts + science popularization instructors and science popularization liaison officers + bases (associations) + science and technology demonstration households + farmers." The rural science popularization network and training system basically took shape.
Technical training and consulting services were provided to the masses. First, the "Practical Technical Training Activity in Villages for Consolidation and Poverty Alleviation" was carried out. In 2005, more than 45,000 person-times were trained in 408 villages, and 120,000 copies of technical materials were distributed, bringing the training coverage in villages for consolidation and poverty alleviation throughout the prefecture to 100% and the training coverage of the main labor force to 53%. Second, training for demonstration households was vigorously pursued. In 2005, the prefecture and county/city levels together trained more than 2,000 person-times of demonstration households. Third, experts were organized to go deep into 10 demonstration bases and more than 50 demonstration households to carry out science and technology consulting services.
Fully develop and utilize science popularization resources, implement broad alliances, and carry out broad science popularization. First, grasp brand science popularization activities and establish the image of the main force of science popularization. The "National Science Popularization Day" activity was treated as a brand activity, and more than ten distinctive themed activities were carried out each year during the "National Science Popularization Day," such as "Miao Village Science Popularization Wind," "Tujia Science Popularization Express," "Community Science Popularization Square," "Science Popularization Art," "Voice of Science Popularization," and "Science Popularization Achievement Exhibition." The activities achieved remarkable results and aroused strong repercussions in society. Second, seize the opportunity of western development and apply for and implement 6 projects of the China Association for Science and Technology's "Westward Science Popularization Project." In 2002, the "Xiangxi Prefecture Rural Science Popularization Work Team" was formed, organizing scientific and technical personnel to carry out the "Hundred Townships, Thousand Villages, Ten Thousand Households" science and technology training activity, compiling 22 kinds of practical technical materials suitable for rural economic development in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, and printing and distributing 80,000 copies. In 2004, implementation began of the China Association for Science and Technology's "Western Science Popularization—Media Science Popularization Project," and by 2005, 24 episodes of the "Xiangxi Science Popularization" television program had been filmed and edited, with 14,000 discs produced, covering content including "Citrus Pest and Disease Control Technology," "Common Pig Diseases and Control Technology," and "Red Globe Grape Cultivation Technology" in 12 episodes, 2 character publicity films, and 10 science popularization knowledge films. Through the "Xiangxi Science Popularization" television column, practical technologies related to the development of rural pillar industries throughout the prefecture were emphasized, and science popularization knowledge closely related to public production and life was widely publicized.
The scientific and technological workforce grew increasingly strong. In 1954, the prefecture had 414 professional and technical personnel, of whom 21 were ethnic minorities, accounting for 5%. In 1978, the prefecture had a total of 1,834 ethnic minority scientific and technical personnel, accounting for 28% of the total number of scientific and technical personnel in units under ownership by the whole people. In 1995, the prefecture had 6,822 ethnic minority scientific and technical personnel, accounting for 21.8% of the total, among whom 1,247 ethnic minority scientific and technical personnel obtained intermediate or higher technical titles. With the development of ethnic education, the ethnic minority scientific and technological workforce grew steadily and became increasingly strong. By 2005, the prefecture had 51,255 scientific and technical personnel at all levels and of all types, among whom 24,660 were ethnic minority scientific and technical personnel, accounting for 48.11% of the total; there were 9,563 ethnic minority female scientific and technical personnel.