Jiangxi's Red Tourist Dreams
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12 jiangxispecial TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2011 CHINA DAILY Huangyangjie historical site, a 1,343-meter-tall hill near Jinggang Mountain, in Jiangxi province. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JIANGXI TOURISM BUREAU Jiangxi’s red tourist dreams By HU MEIDONG To begin with, the provincial 22 percent rise from 2008, with AND CHEN XIN government set aside 10 mil- tourism revenues amounting lion yuan ($1.55million) annu- to about 32 billion yuan. is China still has many army ally for cleaning up the environ- accounted for more than 40 bases from the 28 years of revo- ment around scenic spots and percent of the province’s overall lutionary struggle, scattered improving service facilities. tourism turnover. across the country, mostly in Jiangxi has put more than 600 At the same time, the indus- Visitors at the Museum of the Revolution on mountainous areas, and the million yuan into infrastructure try has employed 180,000 Jinggang Mountain. government now wants to turn at 18 major red scenic spots and people and indirectly provided these quiet places into more exploring tourism resources in a jobs for 900,000 others. popular “red scenic spots”. more thorough way. So, red tourism has helped pull Tourism expo: The buzzword these days is It now has one 5A-level spot many local people out of poverty “Red tourism”, meaning visit- (the highest in China) at Jing- and given them better lives. ing places that are, in one way gang Mountain, and five 4A One example is 57-year-old revolutionary or another, related to China’s sites, including the Nanchang Wu Jianzhong, a farmer in Communist revolution. “8.1” Uprising Memorial, the the village of Changpugu near By visiting historical places, Shangrao Concentration Camp, Ji’an, several miles away from Policemen swearing an oath at the memorial of the New Fourth Army most of which have been and the Ruijin CPC Revolution- Jinggang Mountain spot. headquarters in Nanchang. spirit with fun maintained by the Communist ary Base Museum. Wu opened a restaurant in his Party of China (CPC), people yard, in 2006, which can serve By CHEN XIN get a chance to relax and get a Meaningful results around 200 people, and had this lesson by reliving China’s “red Jianxi’s venture into red tour- to say, “anks to red tourism, To support its red tourism drive and history”. ism has made it an important I can run my own business. My to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Jiangxi province, in the representative of what is called turnover can be nearly one mil- founding of the Communist Party of China, southeastern part of China, is the “red spirit”. lion yuan each year, and profits Jiangxi will hold its 2011 China Red Tour- the cradle of the Communist Some of what tourists around 300,000 yuan. I couldn’t ism Expo in July. revolution and birthplace of the are offered includes perfor- even dream of this before.” One important part of the expo is an People’s Liberation Army. is mances that re-enact historical Now there are about 200 hour-and-a-half-long red song concert on was the first place to be targeted moments, special food that the restaurants like Wu’s around July 1, with more than 3,000 singers, chorus for red development. army ate during that period, as Jinggang Mountain providing members, and actors, at Qiushui square in well as uniforms that visitors jobs for many locals. the city of Nanchang. Red Tourism can try on, to give them an It will also pull in performers from Jiangxi had already made the authentic, unforgettable expe- Major projects other red tourism sites, such as the city exploitation of these “red scenic rience of living in “red historic The National Tourism of Chongqing, and Hunan, Guizhou and spots” a part of its long-term time”. Administration put 10 of Shaanxi provinces. tourist strategy at the beginning One tourist, Zuo Banghua, Jiangxi’s scenic spots on its list Expo organizers have been calling on the of the 21st century and even from Jiujiang, Jiangxi, had this of classic red tourism spots public to search their memories and con- came up with a possible slogan, to say aer visiting Ruijin, “I put this year. The province has tribute more red songs. People can upload “Red cradle, green home”. on the military uniform and ate said it will continue improving their audio and video files to an official expo In 2004, it drew up a red the army food and this gave me the environment and service website to share their memories with others. tourism development outline, a taste of the bitterness of those facilities of these spots and turn Another part of the expo is a tourism arts planning on making it a pillar years and I can understand the more of them into suitable tour- and cras design competition that is solicit- industry and part of the overall hard times our ancestors went ist destinations. ing works with a theme relating to the 90th economic development plan. through in fighting for today’s Jiangxi will hold a concert anniversary of the Communist Party, or “red The provincial government happier life. that features popular red songs, history”, or traditional culture. held dozens of meetings to “It’s really worth visiting and on July 1, in the capital city, In addition to the expo, Jiangxi has been discuss the development and, is quite meaningful.” Nanchang, to celebrate the cooperating with neighboring provinces in 2009, proposed building it The “red scenic spots” in 90th anniversary of the found- such as Hunan, Fujian, Hubei and Guang- into the country’s most ideal Jiangxi alone saw more than ing of the Communist Party of dong to develop cross-border red tourism red tourism destination. 43 million visitors in 2010, a China. Autumn scenery in Shangrao, one of China’s loveliest cities. routes. Communist Party history with a green, environmental message By CHEN XIN the land around Poyang buildings to the town of same period of last year. Lake and the Ganjiang River Xiaping, 30 kilometers away, Jin Yu from Beijing, who Jiangxi is placing great is known for its beauty. to make more room for envi- visited Jinggang Mountain importance and hopes in In fact, Jiangxi has been ronmental protection. in April, said that combining developing red tourism and quite successful in combin- The city also improved the “red scenic spots” with antique tourism resources, ing red and other tourism infrastructure such as the air- green tourism made the visit but at the same time it is with the green theme and port, railways and highways much more interesting. thinking of greening them has seen to it that tourists to make it more convenient Wu Xinxiong, for- up, hence the slogan “Red experience “red history” for tourists. mer governor of Jiangxi, cradle, green home”. firsthand, while enjoying As a result, in the first remarked at a meeting on After all, the province nature’s beauty and the four months of this year, red tourism last November, has some lovely landscapes charm of local culture. Jinggang Mountain had that the province would and mountains and plenty In some counties in the some 1.6 million tourists continue to combine red of clear waters. Major spots southern part of the prov- from China and abroad, a tourism with green tourism include Lushan, Jinggang, ince, local governments have 41 percent increase over the in a sensible way. Longhu, and Sanqing moun- been exploring other avenues tains, Poyang Lake, and the to red tourism while promot- cultural city of Jingdezhen. ing their alpine-style meadow e United Nations Educa- and Kejia folk customs. tional, Scientific and Cultural Jinggang Mountain offi- Organization (UNESCO) cials have opened a route has added Mount Lushan to that reaches the revolution- its World Heritage list and, ary base and ecological areas along with Jinggang and as well, such as the Longtan Sanqing mountains, it offers Waterfalls and Bijia Moun- tourists beautiful peaks and tain. tranquil valleys. In 2005, the city of Jing- The old temples on Lon- gangshan, on the mountain ghu Mountain are famous of the same name, relocated Ruqin Lake and surrounding landscape at the Lushan Goddess Peak on Sanqing Mountain. for their architectures and the original government Mountain scenic spot are regarded as a world cultural site..