Uncovering the vivid scene of the construction of Beautiful China in Yancheng – Xinhuanet

　　From September 25th to 27th, the 2023 Global Coastal Forum will be held in Yancheng, Jiangsu. A world natural heritage and an international wetland city, this Chinese city with two unique “international business cards” has once again gathered the attention of the world.

If you use a book as a metaphor for a city, when you open Yancheng, you will see “creatures”: elk, red-crowned crane, and spoon-billed snipe. Yancheng is its “warm station”; nearly one-third of the country’s bird species can be found here, and people and birds truly “breathe the same breath and share the same fate.”

“Born” is full of vitality. Tiaozini extends about 150 meters to the sea every year, and the annual land area is about 10,000 acres. In the Yangtze River Delta, where land is at a premium, the vastness of the development hinterland is amazing; in the 40th anniversary of the founding of the city, the city has transformed from a traditional agricultural production area to a modern coastal opening Cities, from a weak industrial base to strategic emerging industries, are “rising”. Last year’s economic growth rate ranked first in “Su Daqiang”, which shows that the future is promising.

“Spirit” comes from the land and the outstanding people. After the Wannan Incident, the New Fourth Army rebuilt its military headquarters in Yancheng and was reborn from the ashes. The “Iron Army Spirit” has transcended the storms of the times and become a precious spiritual coordinate; with faith as strong as rock and will as strong as iron, generations of people continue to struggle, pioneer and innovate, and create “something out of nothing” The miracles are represented by two national 4A-level scenic spots, the Yellow Sea National Forest Park and the Dutch Sea of ​​Flowers.

The natural impression of the sea, land, and rivers meeting and blending, the endless encounter and reproduction of time, space, nature, and creatures, and the green transformation of harmonious coexistence of humans, cities, and nature—Yancheng is not only a city related to salt, but also a city that observes where we are. A window to the planet.

Our reporters have been conducting research for more than a month, and today we launch a special report “Opening Yancheng”, hoping to provide experience in nature protection for densely populated and economically developed cities, and to provide a model for world natural heritage protection and sustainable development.

This is the most magical writing on the vast earth. Overlooking Yancheng from a satellite, Asia’s largest coastal wetland spreads out in a fan-shaped shape. This tidal flat created by the collision of tides and continents is still growing today, and both the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers once flowed to the sea here. The two rivers carry sediment from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau all the way eastward into the Yellow Sea, creating a majestic and magnificent sandbar. Walking along the Yancheng seaside, you may find sand drifting from the Tanggula Mountains on the ground beneath your feet. This is a natural impression of the meeting and blending of sea, land and rivers.

Here are the most beautiful immigrants on the wandering earth. In late summer and early autumn, migratory birds fly south. The Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetland is an important stop for the busiest of the world’s nine major migratory flyways, the “East Asia-Australasia”. Every year, millions of migratory birds moult and forage here before embarking on their arduous flight for survival. Nature’s river movement from west to east for millions of years has provided a resting place for migratory birds on their life journey from north to south. This is the endless encounter and reproduction of time, space, nature, and living beings.

Here, the most vivid variations between man and city, city and nature are performed. The thousand-year-old traditional culture of Yandu, the rich and profound red culture, and the wetland culture that nurtures all things, not only cultivate Yancheng’s tough and resolute urban character, but also open up the city’s open mind for smooth communication; it also cultivates Yancheng’s urban awareness of ecological priority and firmness. city ​​choice for green development. As a landmark city for new energy in China, Yancheng is striving to build a zero-carbon industry development cluster in the Yangtze River Delta. This is a green transformation in which humans, cities, and nature coexist harmoniously.

Opening Yancheng is actually opening up a vivid scene of the construction of a beautiful China. Here, all things are nourished according to the way of nature.

　　trace

The desolate landscape looks far away, where can the elk eat on the tidal flats? In the vast Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetland, the wild elk population has continued to expand in just a dozen years. People often encounter this auspicious beast unexpectedly inside and outside the seawall, on the roads and trails.

The elk has a head and face like a horse, antlers like a deer, hooves like an ox, and a tail like a donkey. It once lived in China for millions of years, but was once extinct. In 1986, the elk that had wandered overseas returned to their homeland and started their “rebirth” in Dafeng from 39 to 7,840. Yancheng now has the world’s largest elk gene bank.

Blue is the background color of life and the most original color of Yancheng, outlining the natural scenery where all things thrive together.

This is a land blessed by nature. Looking back at the long history, the ancient Yangtze River and the ancient Yellow River both flowed into the sea from here. Over the long years, the sea, land, and rivers have shifted, creating this tidal flat wetland that is still growing beside the Yellow Sea.

With nearly 600 kilometers of coastline, there are no stormy waves, no clear water and white sand, but it has the world’s largest intertidal wetland and the largest radiant sand ridge group, nurturing strong life momentum.

During the rise and fall of the sea tide, countless waterways formed by the reciprocating tides emerge from the sea, like countless towering trees growing on the vast beach, forming a majestic “tidal forest”. In the changing light and shadow, these waterways known as “tidal gullies” in geography are wild and unbridled, with ever-changing curves. They constitute the blood vessels of this wetland and shoulder the important task of exchanging materials, nutrients and energy between sea and land.

There are nine migratory bird migration corridors in the world, and the “East Asia-Australasia” is the busiest. Yancheng is a life refueling station on this corridor. Millions of migratory birds, including endangered species such as Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Lesser Greenshank, and Oriental White Stork, rest here and replenish their strength. About 100,000 of them will stay here to overwinter and breed.

The ever-growing wetlands are the most distinctive urban identity of Yancheng. In July 2019, China’s Yellow (Bohai) Sea Migratory Bird Sanctuary (Phase I) was included in the World Heritage List, becoming China’s first coastal wetland world natural heritage; in 2022, Yancheng was selected as an “International Wetland City”. The city’s protected wetland area reaches 416,000 hectares. Nicola Crockford, a global expert on migratory bird protection, said: “Yancheng is well-deserved. China’s coastal wetland protection efforts have led the world since 2016.”

Wetland protection is a window for Yancheng to pursue blue and green. The erosion of rivers has created the geographical features of Yancheng as the “City of Hundreds of Rivers”. The Chuanchang River, excavated during the Tang and Song Dynasties, passes through two-thirds of Yancheng’s urban area. The ancient salt canal, which once connected the north and south salt fields, is witnessing the city’s new green coat and full of vitality.

As we drove to the Jiulongkou exit hub of Yanluo Expressway, we saw herons flying around like welcome guests. In the past 17 years, it has grown from nothing to something, and from a few to many, all because Yancheng has left “blank space” for the living space of birds and animals. Thousands of herons now live in Shenyang Park in Jianhu County, a few meters away from the ramp.

Dafeng Yeludang, as a former estuary to the sea, can observe the starry sky for an average of 238 days a year. It is the third dark sky starry sky protection area in China after Ali and Nagqu in Tibet. When the night falls, everything is quiet, and the vast Milky Way hangs in the sky, the sky, the earth, and people can only look at each other in silence.

After looking up at the stars, look around Yancheng: the forest coverage rate is 25.17%, the urban green coverage rate exceeds 40%, and nearly 1/3 of the country’s bird species can be seen in Yancheng. The latest birdwatching data shows that there are 1,560 Lesser Greenshanks in Yancheng, which is the highest recorded population of this species in the world so far. Man and bird have achieved “the same breath and the same destiny” on this green land.

Man and nature coexist harmoniously, and the fireworks in the city soothe people’s hearts, creating a peaceful and peaceful land of peace and beauty.

Yancheng, which was born and named after salt, has historically been the center of the “Two Huaihe River” salt areas with the greatest impact on sea salt production in my country. Entering a new era, Yancheng has deeply thought about the relationship between people and the city, and between people and history, focusing on urban development with one hand and finding the destination of the soul with the other. The grand scene of “fireworks for three hundred miles and stars fried in the stove” has now turned into a real “fireworks in the market”.

The Bamboo Forest Hotel, built in the early 1950s, was once the city’s “number one” restaurant and has become the nostalgia of many old Yancheng residents. At the end of October 2021, the Bamboo Forest Hotel, which was once neglected and facing abandonment, returned in “disguise”. Middle-aged and elderly people relive the “old times” here, and young people and children open the legendary “blind box” hometown. Citizen Sun Chengdong specially brought his old mother to eat a bowl of “shrimp bran wontons”, which was an emotional memory for the mother and son.

It carries the memory of the city’s time and records the traces of urban changes. The Yancheng Cinema on the east side of the Bamboo Forest Hotel has been transformed into the “1956 Star Theater”, becoming a composite urban cultural living room with a humanities bookstore, cultural and creative aesthetics, and art exhibitions; the old tractor factory covering an area of ​​130 acres has been transformed to cover 24 sports events The indoor stadium can accommodate more than 600,000 people per year; the former meat factory has been transformed into an ice and snow paradise, revitalizing industrial heritage…

The trees on the high platform are dark and gloomy, and it seems that I have seen the return of the swallows. In the late 1980s, the song “Yan Wu, Yan Wu, a song brings love” resounded across the country. Many people even “don’t know Yancheng, but they know Yan Wu”. The cassette recorder has long since withdrawn from the stage of history, but Yanwu, which has developed multiple businesses, is still the label of Yancheng’s pursuit of a better life. Healthy canteens, happy auditoriums, calligraphy and painting bars, health management stations… The multiple street comprehensive elderly care service centers built by Yanwu are not only a paradise for the elderly residents, but also become another “home” for the elderly in surrounding communities.

Yancheng is also known as “Laocheng”, which means “a ladle floats on the water and will not be submerged”, which also demonstrates the city’s tenacious character.

In Yancheng, there are two embankments that everyone knows about. Fangong Dyke and Songgong Dyke, built more than 900 years apart, are both testaments to Yancheng people’s ability to withstand the tide. Fan Zhongyan, a famous official in the Song Dynasty, cared about his country and his country, and the original mission of the Communists represented by Song Naide, the first county magistrate of Funing County, to seek happiness for the people are all firmly engraved in the genes of Yancheng people.

Landmarks mark the historical roots of a place’s water and soil, and connect the spiritual map of a city. Yancheng has the New Fourth Army Memorial Hall, the “Big Bronze Horse” commemorative sculpture of the New Fourth Army’s rebuilt military headquarters and the memorial site “Taishan Temple”, as well as 248 red ruins and 128 villages and towns named after martyrs… Red is not only the most distinctive background color of Yancheng, but also the most distinctive color in Yancheng. It is an inheritance in the blood of Yancheng people.

Yuncai Village has fully launched the construction of a new rural community. Will the tomb of martyr Zhu Yuncai, located next to the village, be moved to the martyr cemetery? After deliberation, the cadres and the masses jointly decided not to move! We must let the martyrs watch us start businesses and create a better life, and let future generations remember them.

Yancheng is a city without mountains. The highest point in the city is only 8 meters above sea level. However, Yancheng, which has been established for 40 years and has just been established, is pregnant with unlimited possibilities to “go higher”, just like the beach tidal flats that have been growing for thousands of years and are still full of imagination.

　　variation

“Born toward the sea” is a development vision for many cities, but it actually happens day after day in Yancheng: Tiaozini extends about 150 meters toward the sea every year, and the annual land area is about 10,000 acres.

The changes are not limited to the area of ​​​​tidal flats. Yancheng has accumulated a lot of accumulation, and the urban atmosphere has taken on a completely new look.

Any point in the urban area can be reached in 15 minutes from the “two highs and one air” (high-speed rail hub, expressway, airport) – Yancheng people cannot hide their pride when talking about this. The expressway network project with an investment of up to 22 billion yuan has made the city’s skeleton tall and smooth.

Rail transit is also ushering in leap-forward development. The Yanqing, Yanxu and Yantong railways were successively completed and opened to traffic, ushering in the “high-speed rail era” in an all-round way, from “zero mileage in the region” to “full county coverage”. As the intersection point of the coastal areas and the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail channel, Yancheng is getting closer and closer to cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Qingdao.

Transportation is the “first march” in economic development and urban construction. As the modern comprehensive transportation system is increasingly improved, Yancheng has also entered the “fast lane” of development – GDP will reach 707.98 billion yuan in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%. The growth rate ranks first in Jiangsu, which is full of strong players, and the industry is above the designated size. The growth rate of added value and output value of high-tech industries ranks first in the province.

The optimization of Yancheng’s industrial structure is also eye-catching. For a long time, Dongfeng Yueda Kia was “one car dominant”, and now its industrial layout has achieved “multi-wheel drive”. Just as the urban elevated “one ring and five radiators” pattern is clear, Yancheng has sorted out and focused on 23 key industrial chains: “strong chains” of hundreds of billions of industrial chains such as crystalline silicon photovoltaics and stainless steel, new energy vehicles and core components, power and energy storage The 50-billion-yuan industrial chain such as batteries “extends the chain”, and the tens-billion-yuan industrial chain such as smart equipment and high-performance fiber materials “complements the chain”.

“Yancheng’s advantages in new energy endowments, industrial base, land, etc. can be perfectly combined with the advantages of southern Jiangsu’s talent and scientific research.” Qu Xiaohua, chairman of Canadian Solar Group, said that he often travels between the Suzhou headquarters and Yancheng Dafeng base. The drive that used to take three or four hours was shortened to two hours, which further strengthened his determination to invest more in Yancheng.

Not content with the traditional positioning of “Northern Jiangsu”, Yancheng people put pressure on themselves, and the city’s charm is vigorous and high-spirited.

“Northern Jiangsu” is originally a geographical concept, but it has long been compared with cities in southern Jiangsu and seems to have become synonymous with relative backwardness. Multiple data show that Yancheng’s economic strength is “underestimated” – ranking 39th among 337 cities at prefecture level and above in the country; as one of the cities in the central area of ​​the Yangtze River Delta, it has the first provincial-level cooperative park in Shanghai and Jiangsu; It is the first 10 million kilowatt new energy power generation city in the Yangtze River Delta region, and the scale of offshore wind power is close to one-fifth of the country’s.

Yancheng resolutely shouldered the mission of being a “big country”, polished the “three business cards” of green energy, modern agriculture, and beautiful ecology, and proposed to create a more open and competitive advanced manufacturing gathering place and build a “green manufacturing hub.” City, green energy city, green ecological city, green and livable city.”

The saline-alkali wasteland has turned into a forest oasis, and the total amount of afforestation ranks first in the province; PM2.5 concentration, the ratio of days with excellent quality, and the proportion of sections with excellent grade III in the national and provincial examinations are “three of the best in the province”… Yancheng is a place that opens people’s hearts. In places like this, “looking up to see the blue and looking around at the green” has become a commonplace in life.

Protect the green city and resolutely “say no” to high energy consumption and high pollution. Newly attracted enterprises in Yancheng must undergo joint research and judgment by multiple departments before landing. After the successful application for World Heritage, the standards for the introduction of local industries have been significantly improved. They not only focus on output value, but also on investment intensity, energy consumption and carbon emissions. Dafeng District alone has rejected project investments exceeding 30 billion yuan in the past three years.

Push yourself and be determined to transform. Yancheng, which once relied heavily on traditional industries such as textiles, machinery and equipment, has allowed more than 200,000 hectares of coastal wetlands to coexist with the developed urban economy. The ecological “high value” has become the economic “high value”, which can be called the protection of economically developed and densely populated areas. An innovative example of natural ecology. The 2023 Global Coastal Forum will be held soon, and “the value trade-off between economic development and ecological protection” will be an important topic of this forum.

From the successful application for World Heritage in 2019 to the upgrade of the Global Coastal Forum, Yancheng has made all kinds of impossible possible. With a sense of mission that “cannot afford to wait”, a sense of crisis that “cannot sit still”, and a sense of urgency that “cannot afford to be slow”, Yancheng always implements the spirit of “Four Dares” to solve development problems, improve development quality and efficiency, and open up new developments. .

To create a dual-optimal environment of “ecology + business”, Yancheng has implemented convenient measures such as joint review of multiple plans, integration of multiple plans into one, and joint submission of water and electricity applications, allowing large projects to “start construction as soon as they receive the land”, giving enterprises the opportunity to seize the market. “Whether it’s the speed of building a factory or helping to transport equipment by air from South Korea, the local assistance is meticulous.” Liu Dong, deputy general manager of marketing of SK New Energy (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., said that it usually takes two or three years for a large project to be put into production. The company’s power battery project, with a total investment of US$2.01 billion, was put into production within one year of settlement.

I am 40 years old and have a bright future ahead. Yancheng and the sea are getting closer and closer, and the city is open to all rivers.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of a city. Yancheng won the first place in the comprehensive assessment of high-quality development of districted cities in Jiangsu. To take off again from a high level, we need more lasting and strong kinetic energy, and the ocean is undoubtedly the first choice.

Restricted by the silty coast, Yancheng once “lived with its back to the sea” for a long time. Now it has a sudden awakening that “turning back is the sea.” Data show that Yancheng’s marine economic GDP has increased from 91.4 billion yuan in 2015 to more than 140 billion yuan in 2022, accounting for about 20% of GDP. However, compared with other cities on the eastern coast, there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Under the blue sky, two rows of giant white storage tanks stand in Yancheng Binhai Port. They are so spectacular that netizens nicknamed them “Qi Dundun” because of their shape and painting. This is the largest liquefied natural gas reserve base built by CNOOC in China. The liquefied natural gas that has traveled across the ocean is stored here to ensure the energy supply in East China. The annual processing capacity reaches 6 million tons, which can be used for people’s livelihood in Jiangsu Province. About 28 months.

Infinite scenery creates a green economy, and the vast ocean contains surging kinetic energy. Recently, another batch of Huanghai New Area industrial projects have started construction in Binhai and Xiangshui areas. As an important growth pole for the future development of Yancheng, Huanghai New Area will “draw a blueprint to the end” to help Yancheng accelerate the development process, expand the opening up pattern, innovate systems and mechanisms, and bravely serve as a high-quality development benchmark for opening up to the outside world and reform and innovation.

The sky is blue and the earth is green, and genes are red. Where there is land, there are opportunities for people. Talent is another “ocean” that continues to empower Yancheng. The “Pearl of the Yellow Sea Talent Plan” has built a platform to attract talents. In recent years, it has introduced a total of 78 academicians of the “Two Academies” and 187 candidates for major national talent projects. Every year, it signs contracts to introduce more than 35,000 college graduates.

The white tide, one wave after another, converges into a wall of water, moving rapidly from the eastern horizon. This is the wonder of Tiaozini, “a line of tide”. Vitality bursts out and rushes forward, just like Yancheng today.

　vitality

During the white dew season, autumn is getting stronger, and migratory birds migrating south are gradually arriving at the Yellow Sea Wetland in Yancheng. They fly in flocks when the tide rises, forage for food at low tide, and the “waves of birds” that cover the sky and the sun are surging with the magnificence of life.

The vigorous vitality of this land comes from the gifts of the earth for millions of years. The Huangtai Beach Wetland, which has been carved by the sea, land, rivers and rivers for a long time, has nourished countless benthic organisms and has become a granary for fish and crabs and a paradise for birds, creating a unique ecosystem.

Use the natural way to nourish the life of all things. The sea and the land jointly cultivate the temperament of respecting life and advocating nature, which flows into the blood of the city. Coastal wetland ecosystems are facing the threat of degradation and disappearance around the world. For the people of Yancheng, the wetland ecology is a proud business card that must be cherished and carefully cared for.

The “salt” of Yancheng is obtained from nature. Clarify the development concept, follow nature, promote the harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and build a solid foundation for the city.

From excessive demands to all-out efforts to reduce burdens, we protect the paradise of millions of living beings. To make way for the “Life Channel”, Dongtai’s Zhugensha offshore wind power transmission channel needs to pass through Tiaozini Wetland Park. Considering that it may interfere with the migration of migratory birds, the local government decisively abandoned the commonly used overhead lines and chose a cable tunnel solution that cost several times the cost.

Abandoning the reclamation of millions of acres of tidal flats and establishing ecological parks; taking the lead in revising the ecological civilization construction plan and innovatively proposing “nature-based solutions” to restore the ecology; promulgating the Yellow Sea Wetland Protection Regulations… Yancheng is building a new model for sustainable development of wetland protection and operation model to explore ways for global ecological governance.

Shift from productive engineering thinking to ecological organic thinking and cultivate new productive forces. The natural scenery is endless, and the “scenery” industry is booming. The CRRC Times Phase III 150-meter wind turbine blade intelligent manufacturing project, which is about to be completed, is expected to be the world’s largest in terms of production capacity. The first phase of the factory has strengthened full life cycle carbon emission management and has achieved 100% green power supply.

Reconstructing economic geography, reorganizing the innovation landscape, rebuilding the energy structure, and reshaping lifestyles—Sheyang Port Economic Development Zone is building a low (zero) carbon industrial park. Dual Carbon Industry Research Institute, Zero Carbon and New Energy Industry Research Institute…a large number of scientific and technological innovation carriers have settled here, working in both directions with green industries. The living supporting service area builds a “zero-carbon community” with green buildings and direct supply of green electricity, striving to achieve a “zero-carbon life”.

Unlock ecological production capacity and release ecological value. In Yancheng, more production and life forms that represent the future direction are coming into reality, making high-quality development and high-quality life complement each other.

The “city” of Yancheng is built to benefit the people. Putting the people at the center, we create a vibrant and livable home and consolidate the foundation of the city.

Beautiful ecology is the most universal benefit to people’s livelihood and welfare, and it also expands new industrial space. Walking into the nearly 4,500-hectare Yellow Sea National Forest Park, the dynamic environmental monitoring screen showed that the average negative oxygen ions exceeded 5,000 per cubic centimeter. Relying on scenic spots such as Tiaozini Wetland, Dutch Flower Sea, and Jiulongkou, Yancheng is building a “Yangtze River Delta high-end health care group”, and the appeal of ecological health care is constantly increasing.

Ecological products produce spillover effects and build new guarantees for supply security. “For every four bowls of rice in Shanghai, one bowl is from Sheyang.” Shi Jianxia, ​​director of the Yancheng Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, said that Yancheng is the only one among the 27 central cities in the Yangtze River Delta with a total agricultural output value exceeding 100 billion yuan. Geographical indication agricultural products represented by “Yang Rice” and “Dongtai Watermelon” are popular in Shanghai and Hong Kong. This place is becoming an important guarantor of “Yangtze River Delta integration on the dining table”.

Careful care of the ecology is also reflected in the details of protecting people’s livelihood. Walking into the service hall of Yancheng Medical Insurance City, you can see the self-service insurance service terminal with complete functions and 12 manual windows for all services. There is also a convenience pharmacy here that supplies uncommon medical insurance medications; the rest area also provides medical kits, umbrellas, reading glasses and other thoughtful items.

It also ensures the grassroots services of the “15-minute medical insurance service circle” in the street where it is located, and carries out one-on-one door-to-door services, rescue and assistance for needy groups, etc., which visually demonstrates the locally created “Yancheng Medical Insurance, Protecting Beauty” brand.

The harmony between man and nature, the beauty of harmony between man and man, are reflected in cities and countryside. In Wang Village, Teyong Town, a ginkgo tree brought by ancestors who moved from Changmen, Suzhou has taken root for more than 600 years and is still lush and green. Thousands of acres of mulberry trees in the village sway in the wind. In recent years, the “Sangle Pastoral” modern agricultural tourism area has been built, integrating the sericulture cultural park, fruit mulberry workshop, mulberry branch mushroom house, Cocoon Love B&B, starry sky camp, etc., attracting urban and rural tourists. Enjoy “slow time”.

Appreciate the beauty of the wetlands along the coastal embankment road; feel the old times at the Bamboo Forest Hotel; go to the Dutch Flower Sea to watch a modern immersive drama; go to the Huai Opera Town to experience the ancient intangible heritage. The short time these foreign tourists come here for is exactly the quality of life within reach for Yancheng people.

The scenery enters the play, and the play resembles the scenery. There are currently 8 high-quality immersive performances that are highly sought after in Yancheng: “The Fairy” is derived from the local folklore of Dong Yong and the Seven Fairies; “Only Love” takes love as the theme and explores the essence of life; “The Past of Salt” tells the story of the salt industry The rise and fall of the “Salt Second Generation” and the successful transformation of “Salt Generation”; “Happiness in a Small Town” uses the cultural IP of the modern Huai opera “Small Town” to directly point to the kind and simple people’s hearts… The plots are different, the light and shadow are bright, and they are full of the soil and water of life in this place. people’s yearning and pursuit of beauty.

The pulse of Yancheng lies in spirit. Continue excellent traditions, inspire the power of faith, and create the soul of the city.

In the Han Dynasty, homeless people were recruited to cook salt, in the Northern and Southern Dynasties to avoid chaos, in the early Ming Dynasty, “Hongwu drove them away”, and Zhang Jian abandoned the stoves to start farming… The historical origins of several immigrants and the unique latitude spanning the north and south have made the people of Yancheng open, tolerant and hard-working. Mental qualities of perseverance, strength and softness.

Countless baptisms of blood and fire in modern times have infiltrated the rich red gene. After the Wannan Incident, the New Fourth Army rebuilt its military headquarters in Yancheng and was reborn. The “Iron Army Spirit” forged with life and blood has taken root in the hot land of Yanfu and has transcended the storms of the times, becoming the city’s most precious spiritual coordinates.

Faith is like rock and will is like iron. The story of the “Eighteen Warriors” is widely spread in Yancheng. More than 50 years ago, the Yellow Sea National Forest Park was still a barren tidal flat as far as the eye could see. 18 “pioneers” in their 20s came here to divert water to reduce salt, cut grass for cultivation, and constantly searched for suitable tree species… Generations of people continued to work hard, and finally became the largest plain artificial forest in East China and a national 4A-level scenic spot.

The meeting of sea and land, the blending of south and north, and the tempering of blood and fire are the pulsating codes of Yancheng’s endless life. The once harsh living environment has turned into a beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between man and nature through tireless efforts; the long-standing desire for survival and development is turning into a unremitting struggle to find a way forward in the never-ending struggle. Zhou Bin, Secretary of the Yancheng City Party Committee, said, “The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams. Yancheng will take the courage and responsibility of ‘setting an example, setting a demonstration, and walking in the forefront’, building a green and low-carbon development demonstration zone with high quality, and bravely becoming a high-end coastal area.” Pioneer in quality development.”

On the bank of the ancient Yunyan River in the western suburbs of Dongtai, Yancheng, there is a 20-meter-high octagonal dense-eaves tower. After thousands of years of wind and rain, it remains as tall as ever.

In ancient times, the sea tide was surging eastward here. This seven-story Tang Pagoda named Haichunxuan served as a beacon for fishermen returning home from the sea. Today, the new beacon of Chinese-style modernization leads Yancheng people to navigate the waves on a new voyage and sail towards a broader blue. (Reporters Liu Kang, Zhang Zhanpeng, Chen Gang, and Wang Hengzhi)