In the evening, the afterglow of the setting sun shines on the clear river surface of the Grand Canal. Citizens invariably come to the river for a walk and rest after a meal. Tourists in the distance visit cultural attractions, and patrolmen stop to take photos and record every other way on bicycles … Nowadays, this ordinary and warm scene has become a common sight in Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal. Although affected by the epidemic situation in COVID-19, the rivers in the urban section of Hangzhou Grand Canal with good landscape and heritage sections with strong appreciation, such as Gongchenqiao West Historical and Cultural Block, Xixing Old Street and Fuyicang, still attract countless citizens and tourists. Through time and space, into the times, Hangzhou Grand Canal is blooming new vitality.
The Grand Canal in China consists of three parts: the Sui and Tang Dynasties Canal, the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal and the East Zhejiang Canal, which maintain the political center and economic center of the country. Hangzhou, the hub city at the southern end of the Grand Canal, is the only canal city with all three types of river sections, which is the epitome of the temporal and spatial evolution of the Grand Canal in China, the influence of the relationship between the city and the river and the interpretation of its value. “The Grand Canal once had a history of decline. Due to the gradual decline of shipping functions, some towns on both sides of the strait went into decline and the environmental pollution along the river was serious. If the former Hangzhou Grand Canal was a dusty pearl, then with the improvement of people’s concept of historical and cultural protection, the current Hangzhou Grand Canal has been gradually wiped away and is spreading its bright light. ” Hua Fang, director of the Institute of Urban Development and Historical Protection of Hangzhou Planning and Design Institute, said.
In 2014, the Grand Canal was listed in the World Heritage List. There are rich historical and cultural resources along the Grand Canal in Hangzhou, covering 2 heritage areas, 8 heritage elements and 9 national key cultural relics protection units. The ancient bridges, water gates, wharves, traditional houses, temples, celebrities’ former residences, management facilities and institutions, the ancient town blocks of the Canal, and the industrial remains of the Canal along the route are like notes, which together compose a moving movement of the Hangzhou Grand Canal.
Plan a long-term layout as a whole
He who does not seek the overall situation does not seek a domain.
Hangzhou attaches great importance to the heritage protection planning of the Grand Canal. From the promulgation of the Regulations on the Protection of the World Cultural Heritage of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou (hereinafter referred to as the Protection Regulations) to the compilation of the Protection Plan of the World Cultural Heritage of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou (2017-2030) (hereinafter referred to as the Protection Plan) and the Implementation Measures for the Impact Assessment of the World Cultural Heritage of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou, a series of powerful laws and policies have been implemented one after another, with fruitful results.
On May 1, 2017, Hangzhou took the lead in promulgating the Protection Regulations among 27 heritage cities along the route, and established the Hangzhou Grand Canal Cultural Protection Heritage and Utilization and the Grand Canal National Cultural Park Leading Group. “The Protection Regulations adhere to the principles of unified planning, unified management, graded responsibility, overall coordination, effective protection and rational utilization, and provide a basis for more effective protection of the Grand Canal heritage.” Hangzhou Garden Cultural Relics Bureau is responsible for it..People said.
Only by making overall plans and taking the initiative can we better realize long-term development. In order to effectively implement the Grand Canal Heritage Protection Regulations, the Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government officially approved the compilation of the Protection Plan in January 2019, innovatively proposed a protection framework of “classification, grading and segmentation”, put forward different land use requirements and related construction requirements, and made clear the land suitable for construction, restricted construction and prohibited construction in the heritage area and buffer zone, as well as the spatial pattern, building height and outline, building form and style, and building color. “Hangzhou has also incorporated the main measures in the Protection Plan into the overall planning of Hangzhou’s land and space, and incorporated the protection zoning information into the special planning database platform of the Planning Bureau, so that heritage protection and utilization can be better integrated into the multi-regulation construction approval management.” The relevant person in charge of Hangzhou Garden Cultural Relics Bureau said.
Standardize and develop comprehensive protection
Standardize in development and develop in standardization. According to the Protection Regulations and Protection Planning, Hangzhou has compiled the Implementation Measures for the Impact Assessment of the World Cultural Heritage of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou (hereinafter referred to as the Implementation Measures), which was implemented in February 2020. The relevant person in charge of Hangzhou Garden Cultural Relics Bureau introduced: “The Implementation Measures aims to strengthen the control of the world cultural heritage ontology and cross-strait construction projects of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou, and standardize the impact assessment behavior involving the Grand Canal heritage construction projects.”
The construction of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park is a key task during the Tenth Five-Year Plan period, and the promulgation of the Implementation Measures has effectively improved the efficiency of examination and approval of construction projects. Up to now, projects such as Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum, Grand Canal Waterfront Public Space, Dacheng North Central Landscape Avenue, Grand Canal Hanggang Industrial Site Comprehensive Protection Project and Canal Bay International Tourism and Leisure Complex have been started intensively, and Xiaohe Park is expected to open before the Asian Games in 2022. By the end of 2023, citizens can feel the charm of Hangzhou Grand Canal National Cultural Park.
“In recent years, Hangzhou has continuously promoted the national landmark project of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park and strived to create the’ most beautiful section’ and’ classic garden'”. The relevant staff of Hangzhou Gardens and Cultural Relics Bureau said that the drafting of “Hangzhou Grand Canal Cultural Protection and Heritage and National Cultural Park Construction Plan” and “Hangzhou Grand Canal Cultural Protection and Heritage and National Cultural Park Construction Three-year Action Plan” painted a clearer blueprint for the future of Hangzhou Grand Canal. In compiling these plans, Hangzhou adheres to the principle of giving priority to the protection of “controlled protected areas”, with a view to maintaining the historical authenticity, integrity and continuity of the Grand Canal to the greatest extent. In addition, the scientific protection and rational utilization of industrial remains along the route is the Grand Canal..As an important part of the protection work, Hangzhou will focus on the former industrial site of Hangzhou Steel, Xinhua Silk Factory, Huafeng Paper Mill and Xiaoshan West Railway Station, and accelerate the construction of industrial heritage areas.
It is reported that Xiaoshan West Railway Station will be built into a TOD complex. Between TOD complex and Dongyue Temple, a small train tour line will be set up in combination with abandoned railway tracks, so that historical culture and modern style can have a time-space dialogue through the railway tracks. The Grand Canal itself, Dongyue Temple, Xiaoshan Coking Factory Water Tower and other buildings will become tourist attractions in combination with the construction of the Grand Canal Cultural Park. “I especially look forward to the rebirth of the old railway station and abandoned old railway tracks in the block, because there is another place for children to enjoy history and culture while playing.” Mr. Zhao, a citizen living near the Grand Canal, said.
Innovative way to combine punches
One point for deployment and nine points for implementation. In order to continuously consolidate the development momentum of the protection of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou, Hangzhou strives to lay a good “combination boxing”.
In order to promote the research on the Grand Canal Cultural Belt and the transformation of its achievements, Hangzhou has increased cooperation with professional research institutions, borrowed wisdom from others, strengthened cooperation with scientific research institutions inside and outside the province, absorbed wisdom and absorbed achievements, built a “five-in-one” Grand Canal cultural research system with literature integration, general history, dictionaries, series and research reports, and carried out research on a large-scale living linear heritage protection model.
During the epidemic prevention and control period, we innovated the publicity methods, carried out a series of publicity activities on the Grand Canal, and launched the online general platform with the theme of “Wandering the Canal” and the mode of “internet plus”. In June, 2021, Hangzhou successfully held the “First Zhejiang Grand Canal World Cultural Heritage Publicity Week” and the launching ceremony of Hangzhou’s home city activities. Through the form of theme celebration, it concentrated on displaying the heritage value and red resources highlights of the urban canals along the Grand Canal in Zhejiang Province, presenting the moving charm of the Zhejiang section of the Grand Canal world cultural heritage, and offering gifts for the centenary birthday of the founding of the Party.
Digital work has been carried out around Hangzhou, an important heritage site of the Grand Canal, to promote the development of heritage monitoring and improve the protection level of the Grand Canal. “Taking Gongchen Bridge as an example, we have taken three-dimensional information on the surface of Gongchen Bridge through various technologies such as three-dimensional laser scanning and drone tilt photography, and measured and recorded the environmental information in the construction control zone of Gongchen Bridge; Completed the literature collation and investigation of Gongchen Bridge, the comparative study and historical study of similar arch bridges in the south of the Yangtze River, and the research on materials and practices. Establish a three-dimensional building structure model and a 360-degree panoramic display platform, effectively supplement the Gongchen Bridge ontology and its related historical materials from the perspective of digital data, make animation demonstration videos and explanations for building three-dimensional models, and apply them to public education and display platforms, and show the digital protection work and digital achievements of the Hangzhou Grand Canal in Zhejiang News, Hangzhou Voice and other provincial and municipal media. ” The relevant person in charge of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal (Hangzhou Section) Comprehensive Protection Center introduced… The core of canal protection. In recent years, Hangzhou has taken a series of measures to promote the river system management of the Grand Canal: completing the establishment of 16 systems for towns and streets with “zero direct discharge of sewage” along the canal, implementing the joint meeting system of canal river chiefs, and the municipal river chiefs regularly patrol the river every year and hold a working meeting of river chiefs; Promote the special rectification of the water quality improvement of the Huansha Canal, thoroughly investigate the drainage outlet of the Huansha Canal, trace the source, find out the source of upstream pollution and establish a supervision mechanism of “daily inspection and three-day measurement” …
With the implementation of a series of projects such as heritage monitoring, dredging and environmental improvement, the environmental landscape along the Grand Canal has been improved, and the surrounding exhibition facilities have also been improved, which has enhanced the ecological environment and tourism comfort of the Grand Canal. These changes are inseparable from the silent protection of the inspectors of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou.
Inspector Shan Yunfeng said with emotion: “In every inspection process, each of our inspectors must have a picture in mind, a table in hand and a legacy in his eyes.” The scope of inspection includes the heritage area and the buffer area. We need to define our inspection scope accurately on the spot, judge whether there are any incidents that threaten the preservation of the heritage, make true and detailed records, shoot relevant video materials, sort out the materials according to regulations and report them to the relevant personnel of the heritage monitoring department. During these years of inspections, we can really feel that the style of our Grand Canal is getting better and better. “
Grasp the key to protection for a long time, and seize the trend of development to take advantage of the situation.
“In order to protect, inherit and make good use of the Grand Canal, Hangzhou will plan the bright future of the Grand Canal in four aspects, help Zhejiang’s high-quality development, and build a model of cultural and ecological practice in the common prosperity demonstration zone: First, the world-class active protection and inheritance. Plan ten core exhibition parks, take Tangqi-Sanbao section as the demonstration section of the park, and build three demonstration key sections, such as Tangqi, Gongchen Bridge and Grand Canal Heritage Park, to create a demonstration area for the active protection, inheritance and utilization of the canal heritage. The second is the integration and development of cultural tourism shared by host and guest. The first aquatic cultural tourism corridor of the Grand Canal in Hangzhou was launched, and the theme tour lines of the Grand Canal four-article tour were formed, such as live transmission Tour of Canal Culture, People’s Tour of Jiangnan Canal, Elegant Tour of Southern Song Dynasty and Ecological Tour of Double World Heritage. The third is the highland of innovative and dynamic cultural industries. Around the historical blocks and industrial remains along the Grand Canal, a distinctive cultural industry gathering platform will be initially formed, and the scientific protection and rational utilization of industrial remains along the Grand Canal will be promoted as a whole to achieve scientific protection and gorgeous butterfly change. Fourth, the world-renowned model of city and river co-prosperity. We will launch the development model areas of famous canal cities, famous canal towns and famous canal villages, and establish a world model of common prosperity of cities and rivers. ” Zhuo Jun, deputy director of Hangzhou Garden Cultural Relics Bureau, said.
(You Min)