.contact us |.about us
News > Lifestyle News ...
Plans to rescue 1,700-year-old town from Three Gorges flooding
( 2003-06-12 15:37)


 

Li Jitang, curator of the Cultural Heritage Center of the ancient Dachang town, has been keeping a close eye on the flow of the river traversing his hometown since the mammoth Three Gorges Dam began flooding on June 1.

The town with an air of antiquity, boasting a history of more than 1,700 years and the largest group of exquisite structures in the Three Gorges area, will be inundated when the water level finally reaches 175 meters above sea level.

The town has dismantled some of its ancient buildings and only a few stacks of stone fragments remain, losing its traditional tranquillity.

Straightforward yet nostalgic townspeople are now asking whether their town will disappear forever.

Wen Guanglin, 60, a native resident, was so fond of the century- old, spacious residence he had inherited from his ancestors centuries ago that he spend quite a number of sleepless nights after he heard a few years ago that it would be submerged.

The lovely, blue-brick house is the best in the 10-hectare town, with a total area of 800 square meters. Wen felt snug and contented in his house, with its black roof tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, which are all appeasing to his eyes.

Listening to rain drops falling in the quiet and peaceful yard, smoking cigarettes, humming ballads and teaching children about the old, traditional ways, Wen cannot bear the thought of leaving his ancestral home.

"For me, to lose a single inch of precious land from the old house is the worst disrespect to my forefathers," he said.

The 1,700-year-old Dachang was the most integrated ancient town in the Three Gorges area, with slabstone roads, traversed by the Daning River, a Yangtze River tributary.

Its ancient structures were designed in the architecture styles of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

To rescue and keep intact the lovely town, a very bold and prudential project has begun to move the entire town, involving 38 classical residences and the integrated ancient walls. It will take a total investment of over 30 million yuan (US$3.61 million).

In line with a plan finalized by engineers and specialists mainly from the eminent China Research Institute of Cultural Relics and the China Construction Prospecting and Design Institute, ancient residential houses have been removed.

Every brick, tile and beam was meticulously marked, torn down and shipped to the new location five km from the former town seat, strictly in compliance with the original styles.

The existing construction materials of these houses that remain useful have been treated against white ant infestation and rust. And substitutes have been purchased and used for some parts that were too decayed to be moved away.

After hearing of the project, Wen Guanglin made a field inspection of the new location.

He is now confident to hand over his old house.

According to Liu Yuchuan, a noted cultural relics specialist from southwest China's Chongqing municipality, some residents are willing to conserve their folklore even after the town is moved away.

"Perhaps I will return to my old house to live after it is moved to the new location," said Wen Guanglin.

Scheduled for completion in the year 2009, the Three Gorges Water Conservancy Project will submerge over 1,100 towns, big and small, and about one million inhabitants in the dam area will be relocated.

China has worked out a series of feasible plans to conserve a total of 224 most valuable ancient structures in the area.

Gazing tenderly at the water of the Yangtze River flowing into Dachang Town, Li Jitang said the brand-new town would become an enticing tourist attraction on the new itinerary for the Three Gorges. "Dachang will never disappear."

Go to another section

E-Mail This Article
Printer-Friendly Format


Today's Top News Top Lifestyle News
Indian prime minister starts landmark visit to China
( 2003-06-23)
Hong Kong may get off SARS list
( 2003-06-23)
Experts: Prepare for the worst floods
( 2003-06-23)
Four Palestinians killed in Gaza
( 2003-06-23)
Lawyers call for amendment of compensation law
( 2003-06-23)
WHO experts visit SARS-hit family in Shanxi
( 2003-06-22)
2,000-year-old liquor discovered in West China
( 2003-06-22)
Mike Tyson arrested in New York brawl
( 2003-06-22)
Five nature reserves set up around Beijing
( 2003-06-22)
Prince William celebrates 21 years
( 2003-06-22)







主站蜘蛛池模板: 青草午夜精品视频在线观看| 一边摸下面一别吃奶| 正在播放国产夫妻| 动漫人物桶动漫人物免费观看| 黄页网站在线观看视频| 欧美freesex10一13| 国产aⅴ无码专区亚洲av麻豆| 日本人强jizzjizz老| 国产高清精品入口91| eeuss影院在线观看| 成人永久福利在线观看不卡| 久久国产精品亚洲一区二区| 校花主动掀开内裤给我玩| 亚洲欧美国产中文| 爱我久久国产精品| 免费国产真实迷j在线观看| 美女一级毛片免费看看| 国产精品视频网| 9久热精品免费观看视频| 干妞网免费视频| 亚洲JIZZJIZZ中国少妇中文| 欧美精品九九99久久在免费线| 人妻无码一区二区视频| 精品久久久噜噜噜久久久| 四虎影视免费永久在线观看| 贵妇的变态yin乱| 国产国产精品人在线观看| 久久综合九色综合97伊人麻豆| 国产精品无码无片在线观看3D| 91秦先生在线| 国产香蕉一区二区三区在线视频 | 男生和女生在一起差差的很痛| 另类ts人妖一区二区三区| h片在线免费观看| 好男人手机在线| 三级毛片在线免费观看| 成年大片免费视频| 中文字幕在线免费| 欧美一区二区在线观看免费网站| 亚洲欧美中文字幕专区| 欧美精品亚洲精品日韩专区|