Xi Story: Balancing ancient town preservation with modern development

KUNMING - After a spring snowfall, the Old Town of Lijiang in Southwest China's Yunnan province was bustling with tourists. On Wednesday afternoon, the 800-year-old town welcomed a special guest -- President Xi Jinping.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, engaged with residents and visitors, inquiring about businesses and tourist experiences.

After learning about the town's history, distinctive dwellings and efforts in preserving and utilizing cultural heritage, Xi stressed the need to balance protection and development to make the beautiful old town shine with new vigor and vitality.

First built in the late Song (960-1279) and early Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties, the Old Town of Lijiang is China's only ancient town without walls. In 1997, it was officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While China is advancing its modernization, Xi has repeatedly emphasized the importance of coordinating the protection and utilization of cultural heritage with economic and social development, calling for promoting development through protection and furthering protection through development.

In March 2021, Xi visited Sanfangqixiang, which means, literally, "three lanes and seven alleys." It is an ancient block in downtown Fuzhou, the capital of East China's Fujian province, where Xi used to work. Known for its green tiles, distinctive saddle-shaped white walls and intricate carvings, the complex is hailed as a "museum of the architecture of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties."

Over three decades ago, when urban development posed a threat to a historic residence in the area, Xi, then Party chief of Fuzhou, intervened to halt its demolition.

"We must protect, repair and make good use of the city's cultural relics in our hands. Not only should we prevent them from being damaged, but also help them flourish and pass them on to future generations," he said at a meeting -- which led to the decision to preserve instead of demolishing the residence.

Thanks to 30 years of preservation, the block now harmoniously blends historical preservation with cultural tourism, demonstrating a vibrant fusion of tradition and modernity.

Meanwhile, as a top tourist destination in Shanxi province, North China, the ancient city of Pingyao showcases 2,800 years of history and well preserved architecture.

During his visit there in early 2022, Xi again underscored coordinating the protection of cultural heritage with development to take good care of the precious legacy left by the ancestors.

The president once said: "We believe preserving ancient towns is consistent with advancing modernization. The protection, construction and utilization of ancient towns should be harmoniously integrated."