登陆注册
9115000000005

第5章 The Origins of Yingxiu

1

Yingxiu has many nicknames, such as“The Gateway to the Beauty of the West,”“The South Gate to Aba[13]”and“The First Town of North-western Sichuan,”and all of these elegant words reveal a certain geographical importance. This is indeed a transport hub which has the irreplaceable value of connecting the region.Located between Chengdu and the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture(also known as Aba),only 70 kilometres north of Chengdu, Yingxiu is the nearest town to Chengdu in Aba, while it is also 45 kilometres east of the famous Wolong Natural Reserve and visitors of the Heavenly Land[14]who are going to Jiuzhaigou, Mount Siguniang or other attractions in the area have to pass through here.

When describing Yingxiu, people usually start with the hills and the river. The hills are the Min Mountains[15]which embrace the town, scattered high and low, forward and backward, firmly standing in silence all around with their lush and verdant trees and flowers:a splendid expression of kind-heartedness.The river is widely known as the Minjiang River and brings water straight from the tall, snow-capped mountains as wind whistles and waves roar, singing excitedly a long, happy song;the water passes downstream through mountains and rivers and forms the famous Dujiangyan.Yet, it was not only the scenery which had a special meaning and one needed to look upstream to trace the origins of the town.The rivers which ran through Yingxiu had great benefits for it:first, the Minjiang River had a high and powerful drop which reached twenty six meters at a point where the river was being 1,200 meters wide;and second, the quantity of flowing water was huge as bird songs and floral fragrance rolled down all the way from the Wolong Natural Reserve through the calm Fishing Village River into the Minjiang River.These were ideal conditions for the generation of hydroelectric power and hydropower stations of different sizes had emerged.The little town was called the“village of hydroelectric power.”

Although rivers have been flowing here since antiquity, the practical use of water only started developing in recent times. The first hydroelectric power station in Yingxiu was established in 1964.Only after it was built, a village formed around it.Hydropower caused rapid development for the region's economy and in 1984 the village was officially established.

And thus, Yingxiu is in fact a new town which was founded less than thirty years ago.

The two characters[16]in the name of Yingxiu have a longer history and could be traced back to the times of Emperor Xianfeng[17]. Historical annals state that“Yingxiu belonged to the Dongjieli Village of Wenchuan County under the Ming Dynasty and to Xiashuili Village under the Qing Dynasty.During the rule of Emperor Xiangfeng, a township was established and it governed seven villages.”Yingxiu was always governed as a part of a group of seven formerly nameless villages but at present they are grouped into a town.All of them have now been given a proper names:Fort Beach, Fishing Village, Maple Scent Tree Village, Zhangjiaping, Huangjia, Huangjiayuan and Old Streets Village.The Old Streets Village must be the oldest one because the town of Yingxiu is named after it.The village was originally called Yingxiu Bay and that was where the earliest government office was set up.It was certainly the most prosperous place in the area at the time.Although the town is now made up of four villages:Fort Beach, Fishing Village, Maple Scent Tree Village and Zhangjiaping, and has a lively community and town scene, there were only 15 farmhouses around Miaoziping of Fort Beach at the time when the People's Republic of China[18]was established.Apart from them, there used to be only arable land, grass fields and deserted beaches along both sides of the river.Only one look at the area could tell you how still and silent it was.Back then, none of the areas had any lovely names and the 15 households in the area would call it Water Paddy Dam.During the period of the Republic of China(1912-1949),the area here was also known as Slope Bottom.

The first township government was established in 1953 and it was the construction of the Cheng-A Highway[19]that led to that, as it is classified as a national highway. A distinctive feature of Yingxiu is that apart from the two rivers that pass through that small rural area, two well-known main roads, namely also form an intersection here.The National Highway 213 and the provincial highway 303(new line of the Cheng-A highway).These two roads and the high-speed road between Dujingyan and Wenchuan make transport very convenient.

The township government used to be in the current area of the Maple Scent Tree Village. Back then, there were still people living there but they would have been only about ten families.The winding dirt roads in front of people's homes were the first town streets.The area was not called Maple Scent Tree Village at that time;that name was given to it in 1958.Later, the village became an industrial area and most businesses in town settled there.Aba Pharmaceutical factory, occupying 20.7 hectares, was the largest among them.There were also factories for Mao Perry[20],cement, tea[21]and cardboard boxes.

To be precise, Fort Beach is in fact the oldest part;a garrison of soldiers was allocated here as early as the times of the Tang Dynasty and hence, it was given the name Beach Fort. That name was derived from the location of an actual beach:the Minjiang River and the Fishing Village rivers merge here, forming a beach which became the flattest terrain in the whole mountain valley.This must be the reason why it later became the town centre.

Fishing Village, Miaoziping and other villages were connected in 1965 when the Cheng-A Highway first passed through there. Power plants were gradually built on both sides of the main highway at Yingxiu Bay and houses eventually covered the area.The main street of the town, which was about two kilometres long and between fourteen and eighteen meters wide, with Miaoziping as the centre, surrounder Ertaishan and extended.That was the village of Fort Beach.The main office of the power plant, various businesses and public institutions were concentrated here.The farmers markets were also organised around the streets of the village, sellers spread their goods out between streets and alleys, where people walked around and traveling merchants went;this was an image of abundance and prosperity.Besides, small bridges were built over the Fishing Village River connected the stone streets and the wood fences of the village, showing the charm of Southern China.

All of this was before the earthquake.

2

The sombre times started on May 12,2008 at 2:28pm with the earthquake;that foul word brought shear malice together which clashed with the idyllic beauty of Yingxiu.

Before the tragedy, over sixteen thousand people lived in Yingxiu but after it, only one third of them remained. Being the epicentre of the colossal Wenchuan earthquake, the damage in Yingxiu was the most unbearable, the situation couldn't be any worse.

The grief caused by the earthquake was destined to turn into words of sorrow:

Water and electricity networks, roads, communication and other infrastructure was completely ruined.

All houses in the town had collapsed.

The value of all damages exceeded 4. 5 billion renminbi.

The most terrible was caused by its specific terrain. The Hundred Flowers Bridge was broken in half, heavy downpour fell after the earthquake and Yingxiu was left cut off from the rest of the world.No information could circulate around and rescue teams could not enter the village which was dying out.

I am guessing whoever first invented the phrase“splendid Yingxiu”must have drawn inspiration from sayings such as“clear mountains and crystal water reflect the dazzling beauty of each other.”The area itself was not large;it was encompassed by a ring of mountains and walking through the town takes less than an hour. The town covers an area of almost two square kilometres.This inch of land has large and small rivers, rich grass fields and splendid forests.It even has a plateau under clear skies and white clouds where the air is fresh, while refreshing breeze blows all-year round.

Yet, behind such exquisite beauty, the graceful Yingxiu has big geological flaws.

The scientific definition of it in historical records is as follows:

Wenchuan is located at the Cathaysan tectonic zone of the Jiuding Mountain and has three fracture:the Qingchuan-Maowen Fracture Zone, the Beichuan-Fort Beach(Yingxiu)Fracture Zone and the Jiangyou-Guanxian Fracture Zone[23]. There is a risk of seismic activity in these areas and their adjacent zones due to their complex tectonic structure.

Moreover, the three flawed areas on the borders of Wenchuan County and their fold and thrust belts[24]cause many earthquake swarms that cause damage in the South-East, including Yingxiu's Xuankou, Water Mills, White Stone, Three Rivers and other regions.

Xuankou is located south of Yingxiu but there is no clear border between the two and they almost bond together;even the middle school in Yingxiu is called Xuankou Middle School. Of course, that was before the earthquake.The long history of this piece of land shows that earthquake statistics are more than simple numbers;from 1952 to 1984,there were 46 earthquakes with a magnitude above 2.5 and 132 of a lesser magnitude.Those of a magnitude of less than 1 are not even included in statistics.

The biggest historically recorded earthquake have happened during the times of Emperor Shunzhi[25](on April 21,1657)in the area of Weizhou(58 kilometres upstream of the current government office of Wenchuan County that belongs to Yingxiu).

The prelude to that earthquake was very distinct:“The sound of the earthquake connected day and night;on the eighth day of the Lunar Year the earth cracked up and mountains tumbled.”That means that there was only an endless rumble at the start, which went on day and night. It lasted at least for twenty-four hours.And then, the earthquake broke out on the eighth day of the Lunar Year, as the earth cracked up and mountains tumbled.

Isn't there any omen of the Wenchuan Earthquake?

Nearly all witnesses say in their descriptions that the calamity came suddenly, out of the blue, without a warning, causing a state of shock and fear.

The Wenchuan Earthquake followed the panic as the depths of the Earth started to rumble. People compared the aftershock that they felt to hearing the sound of a train coming at a high speed from afar.But that feeling came so often, it must have felt like stampede of trains coming towards Yingxiu from under the ground.In one month, over ten thousand times of aftershock hit here.

Being the centre of that deadly natural disaster, Yingxiu captured hearts all around the world. The people of China, as well as those of other countries cast their attention here.There were sympathy, anxiety, pain, prayers and blessings……

Let's rescue Yingxiu!Let's rescue our compatriots, our flesh-and-blood brothers, our dear ones!

Oh heavens, give me a pair of wings so I can fly through the clouds, cross mountains and canyons and reach Yingxiu.

The rescuers really had wings:they came for the survivors who were hungry and cold, struggling through pouring rain and mud in desperate moments when hope was almost lost, in a helicopter like an auspicious bird that swirled down from dark skies;that was inspired by the merciful shadow of heavens.

These were the brave soldiers of the People's Liberation Army.

And then, more soldiers came along with the police, the fire brigade……teams of strong men rushed fiercely to cross the mountains through heavy winds.

The President, the Premier and other political leaders were deeply concerned and neglected safety regulations to facing the dangers of a journey to come here.

Teachers, skilled and unskilled workers, businessmen, farmers, students:people of different backgrounds came as volunteers working anxiously day and night.

Helicopters and land vehicles came in a rushed, yet orderly manner from near and far, carrying tents, medicines, food and other relief supplies.

Large excavators, life detectors and x-ray equipment were brought over……

The rescue operation in this battered land had a unique and wide emotional appeal, as the world saw the tragic, devastating earthquake unfold.

Yingxiu, your river water is my blood, your soil is my skin, your mountains are my bones, your lakes are my eyes.

Your wounds are my wounds, your pain is my pain, your hardships are my hardships!

Yingxiu, come back!

Come back to life, bring back your beauty and your love.

That was the sound of China's firm and mighty voice which came straight through.

It was resilient, like the iron will of a nation.

When the arduous, inspiring, yet tragic rescue operation finally ended, reconstruction sounded like a slow symphony orchestrated from above.

The heavens chose Dongguan to undertake Yingxiu's reconstruction.

It was said that the natural disaster brought the two of them together:a village deep in the northwest mountains of Sichuan which was unscrupulously robbed of its fortune and a constantly developing large city in southeast Guangdong, more than one thousand kilometres away. That was how many would interpret the matter:a simple reason of common sense is that Dongguan has the reputation of a rich, developed area, its GDP is ranked in China's top thirteen cities, average salaries are also amongst the highest ones in the country, and such regional economic miracle meant it had capacity to make progress and offer support to others.

It was at Humen in Guangdong where Lin Zexu[26]stood up against the English crooks who used to loiter around the beach reselling opium;tributes were paid in the former residence of Yuan Chonghuan[27]in Shuinan village in the town of Shijie[28]. Listen carefully to the clouds and you will hear the eternal eulogy of silence of white clouds and a mighty sea, a memory of human glory.It lives and breeds, as if it were distilled spiritual gold passed on through generations.

I could not help but think such practice must be crucial for the recovery of Yingxiu.

The people of Dongguan stretched their arms out to help Yingxiu after the disaster almost instinctively. By the time the State Council launched the“Wenchuan Earthquake Restoration and Targeted Aid Reconstruction Program,”and issued relevant documents, every inch of land in Yingxiu was already soaked with the sweat of people from Dongguan.

When the members of the municipal committee of Dongguan were asked on the matter, they replied almost with one voice that because Yingxiu was the epicentre, it suffered the most severe aftermath and that was because they knew how hard it was to provide assistance to Yingxiu.

Indeed, it was the epicentre, it suffered most severely and reconstruction was the hardest of all regions. It turned into the most special part of Wenchuan that had suffered from the earthquake and eyes from all around the world were fixed upon it.

Four distinct characteristics of Yingxiu made its reconstruction specific;the first one was its high goals:a modern earthquake museum, a earthquake disaster mitigation exhibition area, a model of its reconstruction process and a warm 5A-class[29]tourist town. The second one was that the design and planning processes took a long period of eight months.The third one was that all architects from China and abroad who took part in the process were successful, high-end architects, including the design teams of Paul Andreu and Ieoh Ming Pei[30].The fourth one was that the design and planning of all projects had to be firstly submitted to the State Council for approval and then implemented.

All of these factors determined the difficulty of the reconstruction.

They posed a high-level challenge to the reconstruction workers.

The restoration work there began one year later than that in other areas but both finished roughly at the same time. This was an expression of the extraordinary ability of the Dongguan people who created a miracle away from their homeland.

The reputations of the modern Yingxiu increased, which were the original high goals of the reconstruction:the Museum of Contemporary Earthquake-resistant Construction, the Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Exhibition Area……

The last one of these brand new reputations became most popular:that was the 5A-class hospitable tourist town.

Nearly all visitors of Yingxiu would immediately blurt out words of praise:it is even more charming than Europe's most splendid places!

同类推荐
  • 黄金之声

    黄金之声

    进入新疆的第一站,就是哈密。王洛宾和哈密,亦结下了不解之缘。一九四九年,王洛宾随着王震部队进入新疆,在哈密的一个小巷子中,一个女人推开门朝路上泼水,溅在了他的毡靴上。女人羞得没有道歉,慌慌张张关上了门。这一场景激发了王洛宾的创作冲动。
  • 上村松园图文集

    上村松园图文集

    本部作品集收录了日本画大家上村松园的12篇艺术评论和记叙文,内容涉及其艺术观、创作轶事、心路历程以及游记等。上村画笔下的人物惟妙惟肖、出神入化,而她的随笔也可以说是独具匠心。对传统的风俗充满怀恋,对喜爱的事物锲而不舍,对艺术的领悟触类旁通。透过上村之笔,我们定会对日本画以及她所追求的美的艺术世界有更深的理解。
  • 文学与电影改编研究

    文学与电影改编研究

    在视觉文化与后现代文化相互裹挟的今天,文学与电影呈现出了与以往不同的复杂关系。当前关于电影研究最令人兴奋的前景并不在于出现了某种对所有电影或小说进行理解的新方式和新方法,而是在跨文化的视野之下,所有文本都可作为“互文”加以观察,所有的观看都是重读,所有的改编都是重写,甚至可以试图将改编视为一种文学批评的方式,从而为重新审视改编电影与文学的关系提供了另一种可能性。
  • 青春1968

    青春1968

    到目前为止,这是我接触的知青题材作品中史料容量、思想深度、作者评述最具历史价值的作品。翻开这部书,犹如推开一道沉重的历史之门,扑面而来的,却是豪情满怀的鲜活人生:纯真的理想,没有墓碑的爱情和生命,以及柔韧亮丽的人性之花……北大荒知青们可歌可泣的真实故事,读来无不为之动容。我们可以看看来自国内外的一些评论——美国的《世界日报》在报道中说:“上个世纪60年代开始,中国有2000万城市青年奔赴农村边疆,这是中国历史上空前绝后的一幕,在作家出版社出版的贾宏图最新长篇纪实文学《我们的故事》中,完全呈现。”
  • 感受德意志

    感受德意志

    我国著名翻译家、中国翻译界诺贝尔奖——“歌德金质奖章”得主杨武能教授,自1982年始赴德国进修、研究、讲学,亲历了德国的发展,对德国的文学、历史和自然景致熟稔并有自己独到的理解。杨武能教授用人文的笔触描绘了德国神秘的古堡、茂密的森林、流淌的河流、高耸的教堂和油画般的建筑,和德国的节庆、城市的建设、对环保的关注、对教育和历史的重视以及德国民众的生活画像,目睹并亲历了柏林墙的倒塌和两德统一前后的对比与变化,对联邦德国、民主德国因政治格局造成的隔膜、柏林墙倒塌前的种种状况及两德统一后人们的心态大量真实的细节描写,读来犹如一部活的德国史。
热门推荐
  • 未若柳絮因风起:古诗词中的传奇女子

    未若柳絮因风起:古诗词中的传奇女子

    在传奇里寻找普通人,在普通人里寻找传奇。让我们随着作者的思绪,穿越千年时光,从诗词入手,在珠玉之中去拾掇那些离尘绝俗的灵慧之气,从她们身上学习那些我们一直似懂非懂的生活真意。那些诗词中所咏叹的女子,她们或是在历史上真实存在过,或是来自于文人们的天才想象,她们都是诗词中缱绻着的一缕浪漫传奇,一抹悒郁清愁,一丝恬柔回忆。作者带着我们一起寻找那些传奇女子。
  • 送徐大夫赴南海

    送徐大夫赴南海

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 俄狄浦斯之泪

    俄狄浦斯之泪

    日影西斜。一台红色的奇瑞QQ开到了L大学的大门外。开车的是一个三十出头的男子,双目如电,神采昂然。他叫霍奇侠,是L市刑警支队的一名刑警。此时他刚把车停下,便有一个女生向他走来。那女生不到二十岁,大眼睛,尖鼻子,美貌绝伦,只是神色有些冰冷。只见女生走到车前,笑问:“霍警官,让我开吧?”“你有驾驶证?”霍奇侠问。女生嫣然一笑:“没有哦。”“那怎么可以?”
  • 穿越从恶魔城开始

    穿越从恶魔城开始

    太阳落下,夜幕降临。这会是一个很长很长的夜晚,准备好在这无尽黑夜里战栗了吗?
  • 大叔总裁的宠妻

    大叔总裁的宠妻

    谁会想到,父亲离世以后,她回到母亲身边,却与自己的舅舅暗生情愫。这剪不断理还乱的关系,让他们备受煎熬……
  • 阴翳礼赞

    阴翳礼赞

    日本文学界堪称唯美的大师只有两位,一是川端康成,一是谷崎润一郎。这是一本影响了安藤忠雄、原研哉的东瀛美学经典读本!《阴翳礼赞》由家装入手,论述了“阴翳”在人们日常生活中的重要作用。作者细腻的笔触以及对日本之美的深刻体悟,在带给读者以不同的美学感受的同时,也有令人深思的人生智慧。纵然阳光美好,使万物自由生长,阴翳却不可或缺。本书收录了《懒惰说》、《恋爱与情色》、《我眼中的大阪与大阪人》、《关于“白痴艺术”》、《故里》、《幼少时代的美食记忆》六篇随笔。均为谷崎润一郎散文的名作。
  • 花季少年

    花季少年

    1960年6月,一个星期六的晚上。县立一中的校园里冷冷清清黢黑一片,惟有礼堂的舞台上还隐隐闪烁着灯光。礼堂里,空空的舞台上透着一股寡气。乐队十来个人横三竖四地围成一堆,正在排练器乐合奏。丁卓手操二胡,眼睛却注视着墙上的闹钟。已经整整10点了,闹铃却还没响。这该死的闹钟!他在心里骂道。天蒙蒙亮,它就把你吵醒,使你不得不强睁睡眼,趔拉歪斜地系上裤子去出早操。眼下,肠胃已抗议多时,那红头秒针却依然不慌不忙,慢慢悠悠,极不情愿地一步一步朝前挪。
  • 我最亲爱的

    我最亲爱的

    简沫以为自己对男人不再有任何兴趣,直到沈宁澜假借心理医生身份出现在她生活中。原来所有的一切都是为了让我遇见最亲爱的你。
  • 天欲晚

    天欲晚

    他是这个世界上唯一真心爱我的人,却生活在一个人人都恨不得我去死的地方。那时他背对着我,在与他人说笑,我朝他伸出手,一开始伸向他的脖颈,想要掐死他,后来却转向他发间的白簪。……我还有一件事没有完成,你且再等等我……坚决不坑,更新随缘。
  • 心念君兮世相寻

    心念君兮世相寻

    情之所起,一往而深,当年的转眸遇见他,冰冷的心自此融化,然而却与之无缘。自此世世相寻,却终究错过。这一世,他们再次相遇,是否能续前缘,携手一生……