靖远,历史悠久,文化灿烂。她犹如华夏文明摇篮中的一枝奇葩
靖远,区位优越,物产丰富。她处在黄河上游古代中国游牧文明
靖远,钟灵毓秀,人才济济。历史上这里曾为边塞要地,人习武
乾坤震荡,沧海桑田。经历悠悠岁月的风雨洗礼,走过人类社会漫长
Jingyuan—The Historic County With A Profound Culture In The West Of China Introduction
Jingyuan, which is an ancient and civilized county in the west of China, is a piece of land overflowing with vigor on upper reaches of the Yellow River. Jingyuan is located in the center of Gansu Province, lying on the northwestern border of the Loess Plateau, surrounded by mountains and water and being vast in territory. Besides, it has a long history with a profound culture, pregnant with beauty and productive of talent and assembled by humanities. Since ancient time, it has been the only way connecting Central Plains with Western Regions, being one of the key counties on the northern line of the Silk Road. So it is usually called as “the hinge of Qinlong” and “the key of the Golden City” and also as “the famous county of Long” and “the bright pearl of the Yellow River”.
Jingyuan has a long history and splendid culture. It seems like a unique flower in the cradle of the Hua Xia civilization. Because of its profound history and culture, and unique landscapes of geography and humanity, it shows imposing manner out of ordinary, and it is magnificent and varied, simple and unsophisticated, and elegant. Following the activity traces of ancient people, mankind had lived on the piece of ancient land since the mid and latter period of the New Stone Age 5000 years ago. The archaeologists have found many life sites of mankind, such as Buzi Hill, Hongzuizi, Miaowa Hill and so on. And many cultural or historical potteries and stonewares have been excavated. During the period between the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States, it was occupied by the Rong and Qiang people who belonged to the minority in the north of ancient China. And the Rock Paintings of Wujiachuan, which is a typical cultural relic of nomadic tribes, were preserved. In the latter period of the Warring States, it belonged to the state of Qin. After the first Emperor of Qin unified China, it belonged to Beidi Prefecture. In 114 BC (the third year for Yuanding) of the Western Han Dynasty. The Zuli and Chunyin counties began to be set up, it initiated the over 2100 years’ of history of administrative establishment of Jingyuan County. In the 112BC,the Emperor of Wu Di of the Han Dynasty rambled in the west and reached the Zuli County, then went back when approaching the Yellow River. During the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasty, Yuwen Tai, the prime minister of the Western Wei Dynasty, led his troops to go out to battles and joined forces in the Zuli County. So, he was very pleased to set it up to be a prefecture. During the period of the Sui, Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, it was in a warring condition within its border for a long time. In the latter period of the Tang Dynasty, it was occupied by the Tibetan regime in ancient China, then occupied successively by the states of Western Xia and Jin in the Song Dynasty. So its prefecture was moved here and there many times and its name was changed frequently. Because of the requirements of the frontier defence in the Ming Dynasty, Jingluwei was set up in 1437 (the second year for Zhengtong ). Then it became a clash zone of military affairs between the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Yuan Dynasty of Mongolia. In 1644, it was renamed Jingyuanwei, and in 1730, its name was changed to Jingyuan County. Hereafter, the administrative relationship was changed frequently, but its name lasted till now without being changed.
Jingyuan is advantageous in geography and rich in production. It is in the transitional zone changing from nomadic to farming civilization of ancient China on upper reaches of the Yellow River. Long long ago, there were many forests with plenty of water and lush grass within its border. So it had been an ideal nomadic site for ancient people. Since the Yellow River flew through its border, it had plenty of rainfall and sunshine, and the soil in the flowed and accumulated zone of both sides of the river is fertile, and the natural conditions were good for the formation and development of farming industry in the earlier times. During the period of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jingyuan was located in the frontier and garrison soldiers defended its border. So it carried out a policy of “having garrison troops open up wasteland and grow good grain”, then within its border it had many ports of land and the paths crisscrossed in the fields. So it became an area which was the earliest opened up for ancient farming. During the period of 627 to 650 (the years for Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty), because it was rich in cereal and granaries were full, its name was turned into Suzhou. After the Ming Dynasty had set up protection, it began to open up wasteland with a big increase, and dug irrigation ditches in order to channel water into the fields. So the agricultural irrigation began since then and ushered in a new example in water conservancy works of the Yellow River. In the 1970s and 1980s, three high-lift projects which irrigated by lifting water to a higher level with electricity, were established in Xingbuzichuan, Liuchuan and Sanchangyuan. A batch of small-sized water conservancy works were set up one after another. As a result, dry land turned into fertile farmland and desert turned into oasis, then Jingyuan became the important irrigation farming zone on upper reaches of the Yellow River. Since the implementation of reforming and opening up policy, with the application of modern agricultural technology and the adjustment of agriculture industrial structure, two specialized industries, that is, vegetables and maintaining sheep, have been strengthened step by step, and the exploit of the traditional agriculture, such as fruits, cereals produced in Summer, rice and so on, are highlighted. It realized the key change from traditional to modern agriculture. The big agricultural county has set up ten big commercial bases, such as fruits, vegetables, rice and so on, and it has formed more than 20 departments of local agricultural specialties worthy of its name. Jingyuan is not only called “lush southern type of fields of the Great Wall” since it is the biggest production area of superior rice in Gansu, but also named “vegetable county of Longyuan” because its anti-season production of vegetables has enjoyed the advantage of scale production due to the application of the high efficiency facilities for agriculture. It is also an important production site of lamb and a center of collecting and distributing. The famous dish of “Lamb of Jingyuan” is very delicious and becomes a well-known Brand in the northwest. Jingyuan is rich in mineral resources. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron, manganese etc, and nonmetals such as coal, limestone, heavy spar, kaolin, gypsum, quartzite, boiling stone etc, have been discovered. In the recent years large-scale palygorskite mine has been newly discovered, its average grade and reserves are situated in the top place of the world. Local industry takes the exploitage of coal as the first, and cement, china, chemical industry and side production of agriculture etc, have formed regular scale and have had exclusive advantages in territory. The third industry, such as trade and commodity circulation and so on, has developed rapidly. The scene of “dry dock” in the old days reappears and Jingyuan has become one of the top ten counties in Gansu that has strong private economy.
Jingyuan is pregnant with beauty and productive of talent, and has an abundance of capable people. In the history, it was regarded as the key frontier at that times, people exercised skills in martial arts and were not in fear of attacking. From the latter period of the Eastern Han Dynasty to the early Period of the Qing Dynasty, many men with military talents appeared like winds rising and clouds scudding. There were more than 20 people, such as Zhang Ji, Zhang Xiu, Guo Bin, Zhao Shuaijiao, Wu Ying, Wang Jinbao, Pan Yulong, Song Kejin etc in a succession. They served their country with unreserved loyalty and were crowned with eternal glory. Since modern times, people began to worship culture and value education, and the academic atmosphere became common practice. Many famous people like Fan Zhengxu, Chen Guojun, Zhu Mingxin, Su Zhengjia, Zhang Yunjin, Wang Dingyuan and so on, emerged in an endless stream and brought honour to Longyuan. In contemporary age, Jingyuan is an area with honourable revolutionary tradition. In 1930, the Shanxi provincial Party committee of the Communist Party of China, delegated Xie Zichang and Jiao Weizhi to plan and lead the uprising of Jingyuan, which is an important historical affair with far-reaching influence in the Party history of Gansu. In 1933, the “northwest resistance army of volunteers against Japan” was built under the leadership of Wang Rulin and Li Muyu, which is one of the earliest revolution armed forces in Gansu. In September and October of 1936, the field army in the west led by Peng Dehuai (the First Red Army) entered and stationed in Jingyuan to support the northward movement of the Second and Fourth Red Army. Xu Xiangqian, Chen Changhao, Li Xiannian commanded the Red Army to cross the Yellow River forcefully at Hubaokou in Jingyuan and kindled the flames of revolution. Then, a batch of young students who came from Jingyuan hurried to Yan’an, threw themselves into revolution and became the core strength to lead the local revolution. They either sacrificed their lives for their country or had meritorious services. The martyrs’ spirit of devoting themselves to the revolution inspired the generations in Jingyuan to go all out to make County strong and strive continuously to make new progress..
Clouds over the world, mist shrouds the cosmos. From seas into mulberry fields and from mulberry fields into seas—time brings great changes to the world. Went through the long lasting wind and rain and the endless development of human society. Old and simple and unadorned Jingyuan moves towards glory from the dignified history. It seems like a dazzling star embellishing in the sky of the Hua Xia civilization and twinkling with bright light.