Discover The Untapped in China

“China Untapped, Discover Treasured Towns” is a project co-launched  by International Channel Shanghai (SMG), the Tongji Urban Planning and Design Institute and Channel News Asia (Media Corp Singapore), assisted by Travel Times and Shanghai Daily. Over the past half year, reporters traveled to more than 15 provinces and regions across China for the shooting. After professional consideration, 18 treasured towns finally stand out from 50 candidate towns and cities for the Awards.

Among these 18 towns, some feature fairyland landscape, some are noticeable for the well-preserved architectures; some are praised for glamorous civilization. But all these treasured towns are the representatives of the majorities of China’s small and medium sized towns, which contribute greatly for China’s cultural diversity 

The Awarding ceremony for “China Untapped, Discover Treasured Towns” is just the beginning of the project’s climax. After the awarding ceremony, 11 episodes of feature programs produced by ICS will be aired at 8:00 pm, Monday to Friday for two weeks starting from Dec. 14th. Other relevant programs about will also be aired through Channel News Asia.

“Through these feature programs and constant media promotion, we hope to arouse the public awareness to discover, protect and develop China’s treasured towns.” Wang Lijun, Deputy Executive Director of ICS (SMG) reiterated the significance of the project at the Awarding ceremony.

Meanwhile, the first forum on the development of China’s Treasured Towns was also held on Dec. 8th in Wu Zhen, which highly reflected the social significance of the project. Some of the most respected personalities in Urban Planning and Design Industry participated in the forum, such as Prof. Ruan Yisan, deputy member of the national bureau for historical and cultural preservation, Zhou Jian, Deputy President of Tongji Urban Planning and Design Institute, Prof. Yan Guotai and Han Feng from Tong Ji University, Albert Chan, Executive Director for Planning and Development of Shui On Group, urban planning specialist Benjamin Wood, Chen Xianghong, creator of Wu Zhen and Grant Hosfield, partner of Naked Retreats Boutique Eco Hotel. Experts and specialists exchanged their minds on protection and development of the treasured towns. Heated discussions achieved constructive outcome.    

“It is never an end, but a new beginning. International Channel Shanghai under Shanghai Media Group will keep an eye on the sustainable development of small and medium sized towns.” Xu Hao, president assistant for SMG said. As the 2010 Expo draws near, ICS will take the opportunity to promote these treasured towns to more and more people world-wide.

List of treasured towns in China

云南省大理州巍山县Yunnan, WeiShan (Gold Award)

About sixty kilometers south of Dali lies an ancient city that isn’t so well-known. Its name, Weishan, comes from Weibao, which is a kind of treasure. It was the birthplace and the capital city of the Tang Dynasty’s early Nanzhao State. By the fourteenth century, Weishan was also an important hub along the ancient Tea Horse Road.

四川省李庄镇Sichuan, Lizhuang (Silver Award)

Located in China’s Sichuan province in Yibin County, Lizhuang is a renowned historic town. It was first established 1800 years ago, although the present town was built during the Ming Dynasty. Lizhuang contains numerous old streets and historic structures that are well preserved, including palaces and classical style temples, traditional courtyards, and narrow streets paved with blue stones.

浙江省石浦镇Zhejiang, Shipu Fishing Port (Bronze Award)

Renowned as one of the six outstanding ports in China, Shipu Fishing Port was an important historic coastal defense town. It is located in the south of Xiangshan peninsular, surrounded by the four islands of Dongmen, Duimianshan, Nantian and Gaotang, all in a crescent shape.

山西省右玉县Shanxi, Youyu (Bronze Award)

Shanxi Province’s Youyu town is strategically placed along the Great Wall. Historically, all of the towns along the wall were important because they controlled the comings and goings, and Youyu used to be the northwest fortification that protected the capital in Beijing. The Great Wall in Youyu is 350 kilometers, or about 218 miles, long. During peacetime, Youyu was the place of economic and cultural convergence between nomads and people living in the central plains of China. So Shahukou in Youyu town was a crossroads of great importance. This pass was one of the frontier trade markets built in the late 16th century. Reconstructed in 2004, the pass now reflects some of its former glamour.

云南省白雾村Yunnan, Baiwu Village (Charm in Idyl)

Baiwu village is located in the northeastern Yunnan. For many centuries this place was an important trading center that revolved around the copper industry. Although the town’s ancient streets are now quiet and peaceful, historically this place was once a noisy, bustling copper town.

浙江省走马塘村Zhejiang, Zoumatang (Charm in Idyl)

Located in Ningbo’s Yinzhou District, Jiangshan Town is where the ancient Zoumatang Village was crowned as “China’s Top-Ranking Scholar’s Village.” As a typical ancient village in southern China, Zoumatang has many well-preserved ancient relics like stone window carvings and “horse head” rooflines.

河北省于家石头村Hebei, Shijiazhuang, Yu Family Stone Village (Charm in Idyl)

The Yu Family Stone Village lies in the Yujia Township of Jingxing County, 50 kilometers southwest of Hebei Province’s capitol city of Shijiazhuang. In the Yu Family Stone Village, there are more than 4,000 stone houses, flagstone streets measuring more than 3,700 meters long, and more than l,000 stone wells and vaults. Stone attics and pavilions, stone tables and chairs, stone grinders and millstones, and stone bridges and railings can be seen everywhere. The original name of the Yu Family Stone Village was “Yujia Village.”  According to a legend, the villagers of Yujia Village are the descendants of Yu Qian, an important courtier of the Ming Dynasty. His second son, Yu Youdao, and his wife fled from calamity and came here. They were said to have built the village from nothing and started a large family here that multiplied. The buildings dating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties are still in good condition.

新疆阿瓦提县Xinjiang, Awati County (Charm in Culture)

Awati County, meaning prosperous county, is located in Xinjiang, along the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains and along the northern edge of the Taklimakan Desert. The region is primarily prosperous in agriculture, forestry, and livestock. It is also nationally known for cotton production and is sometimes called “China’s Cotton Town.”

青海省拉布乡Qinghai, Labu (Charm in Culture)

In China’s Qinghai province, Labu town features the sturdy, ingenious stone architecture of the Kham Tibetans who dominate the area south of Qinghai Lake. Over 700 years of history can be seen here. The oldest structures lie on the outskirts of the village in the form of extraordinarily well-preserved stone houses where people still live. Labu village itself was remodeled in the 1920s with Tibetan houses reflecting the style of Han urban planning, inspired by an adventurous monk who had traveled to Beijing.

西藏自治区江孜县Tibet, Gyantse (Charm in Culture)

Gyantse is a small town southwest of Lhasa in Tibet. It is one of the few places where very little has changed over time. Gyantse is famous for its Dzong Fortress, a very special building; the Kimbum; and a monastery, the Pelkor Chode.

福建省南靖县土楼Fujian, Nanjing, TuLou (Charm in Culture)

Tulou, or “earthen-building,” is the most extraordinary type of Chinese rural dwellings built by the Hakka and other people in the mountainous areas in southwestern Fujian, China. Nanjng County, located in the northwest of Zhangzhou City, is the hometown of the Hakka people who built the large Tulou structures. Nanjing is also known as the “Kingdom of Earthen Buildings.” There are more than 15,000 earthen buildings scattered throughout Nanjing County, including 1300 large-scale structures that could house hundreds of people. Nanjing has a collection of the highest, largest, smallest, oldest and the most magnificent Tulou's in southeastern China.

吉林省通化Jilin, Tonghua (Finalist)

Located in the southern part of Jilin Province, Tonghua town neighbors the cities of Baishan, Liaoyuan, and Jilin; as well as LiaoNing Province’s Tieling and Dandong. The Yalujiang River separates TongHua from North Korea along the southern border. Most of Tonghua's land is covered with mountains and hills that incline from low north to high south. Tonghua is one of the three largest natural herb regions in China. The Chinese medicine industry is well developed there. The ethnic minority group Gaojuli culture also adds to the city’s charm.

河南省淮阳Henan, Huaiyang (Finalist)

Huaiyang County is in the prefecture-level city of Zhoukou in China’s Henan province. During China’s historic time called the “Spring and Autumn Period,” the capital city of the State of Chen was located there.

江苏省沙家浜Jiangsu, Shajiabang (Finalist)

Shajiabang is a famous water town in Jiangsu Province’s Changshu. The Shajiabang scenic area is a place full of reed marshes, which offer a fantastic atmosphere for the water town. People can ride boats, pick lotus seeds, listen to fascinating stories, and enjoy a glimpse back in history in this magical town.

浙江省义乌佛堂镇Zhejiang, Yiwu, Fotang Town

Fotang Town is located in the southern part of Yiwu, about ten kilometers from the city center. The town is the largest township in Yiwu. It has a rich history in agriculture, and it’s also well known for its well-preserved ancient buildings.

黑龙江省昂昂溪区Heilongjiang, Angangxi

In China’s Heilongjiang Province, the Nenjiang River, a branch of China’s Black Dragon River, flows through a county called Ang’angxi, in a district located in the southwest of Qiqihar City. The river is at the heart of Ang’angxi culture, which is also known as the place of origin for China's northern Neolithic era of plain hunting and fishing, 7,500 years ago. But what is most interesting about this town is NOT its Neolithic history BUT an exotic little town here. Ang’angxi used to be the transit depot of the Eastern Railway, now called Binzhou Railway. This rail line was the western section of the Eastern Railway, which was built by Russians in 1900. And because of this Ang’angxi became a Russian settlement in Northeastern China before the establishment of the nation.

贵州市旧州Guizhou, Jiuzhou

Located in central Guizhou Province’s Anshun City, the town of Jiuzhou has a long history and rich cultural heritage. The town reflects the development of Guizhou’s early history, as it was a strategic town during the Ming Dynasty when commerce and crafts flourished.

广东省珠玑Guangdong, Nanxiong, Zhuji

Located nine kilometers to the north of Nanxiong City in Zhuji Town, Ancient Zhuji Lane is five kilometers long. The road surface was built with cobblestone. Historically, Ancient Zhuji Lane was located along the main traffic route between the Central Plains and Lingnan. This town was the place of origin for residents in the Zhujiang River Delta, as well as the ancestral home of a great amount of overseas Chinese. Therefore, Zhuji is praised as the “Cantonese hometown.” The solid stone tower built during the Yuan Dynasty is the only accurately dated stone tower in Guangdong, and the structure is listed as a historic relic under protection.