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An Introduction to Guizhou Province
Abbreviation :
Gui or Qian
Capital :
Guiyang
Area :
More than 170,000 square kilometers
Population :
37.48 million
Location :
In southwest China
Guizhou Today (2009)
Green Province
Known as Qian or
Gui for short, Guizhou Province lies at a longitude of
103o36’~109o35’ East and latitude
24o37’~29o13’ North, and borders
Hunan, Chongqing and Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangxi in the
east, north, west and south respectively. The province
covers an area of 176,100 square kilometers and consists
of four prefecture-level cities – Guiyang, Liupanshui,
Zunyi and Anshun, three ethnic minority autonomous
prefectures – Southeast Guizhou Miao and Dong Autonomous
Prefecture, South Guizhou Miao and Bouyei Autonomous
Prefecture and Southwest Guizhou Bouyei and Miao
Autonomous Prefecture, and two prefectures – Bijie and
Tongren. Under the prefecture level, there are
eighty-eight counties (county-level cities, districts or
special districts). The province had a permanent
population of 37,930,000 at the end of 2008.
Venerable
History. Eighty-odd
pre-historical cultural sites found in the province
prove that human activities were engaged here as early
as 240,000 years ago. Officially named after Guanyindong
Cave, the Guanyindong culture is valuable to the study
of origin and evaluation of the old-stone age in China.
Guizhou derived its name from historical documentation
in the Song dynasty in 974 AD and became a province in
1413, the 11th year during the reign of
Yongle Emperor in the Ming dynasty.
Numerous
Minorities. There are 56
ethnic groups, 11 of which have inhabited in the
province for generations. Each of the Han, Miao, Bouyei,
Dong, Tujia, Yi, Gelao, Shui, Bai and Hui has a
population more than 100,000. Ethnic minorities account
for 39 percent of the total population. 253 ethnic
minority towns, eleven autonomous counties and three
autonomous prefectures enjoy minority autonomy,
accounting for 55.5 percent of the province area. A big
family in harmony is composed of numerous ethnic
minorities to jointly create rich and colorful cultures.
Characteristic Landforms.
Situated on the eastern slope of the Yunnan-Guizhou
plateau, topography of the province tilts from west to
east. The altitude in the west is 1,500-2,800 meters
above sea level, while the center is around 1,000
meters. The elevation of areas along the northern,
eastern and southern borders is usually below 500
meters. The Miaoling Mountains lying in the central
province stands between the Yangtze and Pearl valleys.
Guizhou is a typical inland mountainous province, for
92.5 percent of the total area are mountains and hills,
with an exposed karst area of 109,000 square kilometers
accounting for 61.9 percent of the total
provincial area. Characteristic geographical environment
makes mountains green, rivers crystal-clear and forests
lush and adds mystery to this beautiful piece of land.
Abounded Resources
Guizhou is
endowed by generous nature with abundant resources,
energy, minerals, biology, climate and tourism in
particular.
Energy.
Energy resource has an advantage of combined coal-fired
and water-driven electricity generation. The theoretical
hydropower reserve is 18.75 million kilowatts and the
exploitable capacity is 16.8 million kilowatts,
accounting for 4.4 percent in China. The Wujiang River
is noted for its hydropower potential and rivers of
Nanpanjiang, Beipanjiang
and Qingshuijiang also have plentiful hydropower
resource. Being best known for its coal deposit in
Southwest China and as China’s fifth largest coal
reserve, the potential coal reserve in Guizhou is more
than 240 billion tons and its proved deposit is 58.4
billion tons, exceeding the total in twelve provinces
south of the Yangtze River. Huge coal reserve provides a
favorable condition to develop thermal power that can be
transmitted to east coastal areas and coal-related
chemical industry. With a depth of less than 2,000
meters, the province has an estimated coal-bed gas
reserve of 3.15 trillion cubic meters, the 2nd
largest in China. Electrical power industry of Guizhou
has made great progress since the implementation of west
development. The total installed capacity reached 22.7
million kilowatts and the electricity generation was 119
billion kilowatts hours at the end of 2008, making the
province an important energy base in South China.
Minerals.
Guizhou has an extensive distribution and large deposits
of mineral resources. 127 minerals have been found,
reserves of 76 are ascertained and 41 are on top 10 in
the country. Aluminum, phosphorus, antimony, gold,
manganese, barite, limestone, dolomite and malmstone
become competitive. Phosphorus reserve reaches 2.8
billion tons, accounting for 15.9 percent of national
total or the second largest in China. Making up 47.9
percent of the national reserve or the largest supplier,
heavy rare earth has 1.5 million tons. Bauxite deposit
is 474 million tons, accounting for 16.3 percent or
ranking 4th in China. The other mineral
reserves ranking 4th in the country are
manganese and antimony, 79.8 million tons accounting for
10 percent and 0.2 million tons accounting for 8 percent
respectively. As one of the significant producers and
exporters of barite and the most important production
base of barium, Guizhou has barite reserve of 119
million tons, accounting for 30.7 percent of the
national total and becoming top one in China. Money
gained from mineral sector accounts for 48.8 percent of
the provincial industrial value added. Minerals turn out
to be a major income source for the economic development
of the province.
Biology.
Thanks to various physical features, Guizhou is rich in
biological resources. The vascular plant varieties are
as many as 6,000 including over 500 that can be used as
food, some 600 used as raw materials for different
industries and 240 used for landscaping and pollution
control. 15 rare plants are on the class-I national
protection list, such as silver China fir, dove tree,
tree fern and Guizhou cycas. As for wild animals, there
are 999 vertebrate species including 168 mammals, 437
birds, 107 reptiles, 66 amphibians and 221 fishes. 15
varieties are on the class-I national protection list
like Guizhou golden-haired monkey, black-leaf monkey,
south-China tiger and black-necked crane. Being a
habitat of 3,924 herbal plant varieties and 289 animal
species of medicinal value, Guizhou has long been one of
the major TCM suppliers in China. Gastrodia eleta, bark
of eucommia, coptics chinesis, evodia rutaecarpa and
dendrobe are five reputed TCM herbs of Guizhou.
Climate.
The province has a subtropical monsoon climate. The
average annual temperature is around 15℃
in most places. The mean temperature in lowest January
is 4-6℃
and that in highest July is 22-25℃.
The annual frost-free season
is 250-300 days. The yearly rainfall is about
1,300 millimeters, 450-600 millimeters from June to
August. Because of favorable climate conditions, weather
is normally mild, neither frigid in winter nor scorching
in summer. Thanks to its nice ecosystem and fresh air,
Guizhou is called “an oxygen bar in nature”. The
province not only makes a good habitat for a large
variety of animals and plants, but also becomes a
tourist resort for leisure and summer vacations.
Tourism.
Guizhou’s tourism resources are represented by red
culture of Zunyi meeting site, peculiar karst
landscapes, beautiful natural scenery and aboriginal
ethnic customs. Regarded as a “natural garden”, the
province has more than 1,000 scenic spots with
commercial value scattering across its territory
including 13 national-level scenic areas of Libo
of world natural heritage site, Huangguoshu Waterfalls,
Dragon Palace, Zhijin Cave, Hongfeng Lake, Wuyanghe
waterscapes, Malinghe Gorge, Chishui landscapes, Dong
villages in Liping county, Doupengshan-Jianjiang river
in Duyun, Jiulongdong Cave in Tongren, Jiudongtian in
Bijie and Getu river in Ziyun county; 59 provincial
scenic areas such as Huaxi and Baihuahu of Guiyang; 7
national nature reserves of Mt. Fanjing in Tongren
prefecture, Maolan karst in Libo county, Mt. Leigong in
Leishan county, tree fern in Chishui city, central Asian
sub-tropical evergreen broadleaf forest in Xishui
county, Caohai Lake in Weining county and Mayanghe river
in Yanhe county; 6 national geo-parks, namely, Guizhou
dragon in Xingyi city, fossil
biome in Guanling county, karst cave in Zhijin
county, Shuanghe cave in Shuiyang county, Mt. Wumeng,
Pingtang, as well as Wanshan national mine-park; 4
international eco-museums; 21 national forest parks; 39
national key cultural relics; 2 national historical and
cultural cities; and 62 national-level intangible
cultural heritages. Abundant and unique tourism
resources make Guizhou one of important tourist
destinations in China, and in the world as well.
Accomplishments in Thirty Years
Based on actual
situations in the province, all ethnic groups in Guizhou
have insisted on emancipating minds, seeking truth,
keeping pace with times, deepening reform and opening
further for new development since the reform and
opening-up for thirty years. National economy grows
rapidly and constantly, overall strength enhances
greatly, thus achieving outstanding progress in economy,
politics, culture and society. Compared with 1978,
provincial GDP in 2008 rose to 333.3 billion yuan from
4.7 billion yuan, 185.8 billion yuan of fixed assets
from 1.1 billion yuan, 67.5 billion yuan of financial
revenue from 1.4 billion yuan, 223.7 billion yuan of
bank deposit from 150 million yuan, 11,759 yuan of urban
per-capita disposable income from 261 yuan and 2,797
yuan of rural net-income from 109 yuan. These
figures illustrate that reform and opening-up is an
inevitable way to make people rich and province vital.
Social and Economic Development in
2008
2008 was an
unusual year, because the province witnessed challenges
of a 100-year occurred disaster of sleet, worse flood in
some places, and impact of global financial crisis.
Facing aggravating difficulties, people of Guizhou
strengthened their confidence to turn crisis to
opportunity and overcame various unfavorable factors to
ensure well-being of people, sustain economic growth and
maintain stability. While fighting against disaster and
rebuilding after disaster, they seized opportunity to
booster domestic demand under the new situation, strived
to get support from the central government, and made
historical breakthroughs in the respects of planning and
constructing two systems of high-speed railway network
and expressway network and construction of large-sized
water conservancy projects, thus laying a good
foundation for further sustained economic and social
development.
1.
Break-through development of infrastructure focusing on
transportation and water conservancy
The province has
accelerated its comprehensive construction of
transportation system to match its economic and social
development for a historical leap. Key projects focusing
on transportation and water conservancy have been
improved for historical progress.
--New
progress in freeway network.
Guiyang-Zunyi (Zhazuo-Nanbai section)
has been open to traffic after upgrading.
Zhenning-Shengjingguan (except Balinghe bridge) is also
in operation. Main trunk roads along national highways
in Guizhou section have been completed. A 4-hour
economic circle has shaped from provincial capital
Guiyang to other eight prefecture-level cities. Road
projects are under smooth way, for instance,
Shuikou-Duyun section of Xiamen-Chengdu expressway,
Zunyi-Bijie section of Hangzhou-Ruili expressway,
Duyun-Xinzhai section of Guiyang-Xinzhai highway,
Guiyang south ring expressway, Zunyi-Maotai expressway,
southwest section of Guiyang ring expressway, Guizhou
section of Shantou-Kunming expressway and
Shuicheng-Panxian expressway. Meanwhile, building of 2nd-grade
roads, asphalt-paved town roads and rural roads has
accelerated. In 2008, 125,365-km road was open to
traffic including 924-km expressway, 3,774-km roads
above 2nd-grade and 64,044-km other graded
roads. Compilation of plan for freeway network begins a
new page in Guizhou road construction.
--Break-through in railway network.
Capacity expansion of Guizhou
section in Guiyang-Liuzhou line has been basically
completed. Projects have been sped up for marshalling
yard of Guiyang south railway station, Liupanshui-Zhanyi
double-track in Guizhou section and Huangtong-Zhijin
line. Railway network in the province is 2,014
kilometers involving 1,369-km electrified railway.
Building of Guiyang-Guangzhou high-speed railway has
greatly improved the existing railway network in regions
of Southwest China and Northwest China. Five high-speed
railways (Guiyang-Kunming, Guiyang-Chengdu,
Guiyang-Chongqing, Guiyang-Changsha and Guiyang-Nanning)
have been listed in the national long- and medium-term
plan for rail system. When the high-speed railway
network finishes, a 2-4 hour economic circle from
Guiyang to neighboring provincial capitals and a 7-hour
economic circle from Guiyang to Beijing or Shanghai will
be formed.
--New headway
in water transport. 2008
saw the channel improvement
of 4th-grade waterway of
Nanpanjiang-Beipanjiang-Hongshuihe, the first high-grade
navigating course in Guizhou. Infrastructure for
Hongjiadu reservoir is under successful construction.
Infrastructure facilities for Tianshengqiao reservoir
and Wujiang freight terminal are in operation. 230 rural
ferries have been transformed. Work on Guizhou section
of river navigation routes connecting Southwest China
has completed and become a major navigable waterway. The
water transport system is 3,500 kilometers, thus
improving shipment of cargo to rivers of Yangtze in the
north and Pearl in the south.
--Accelerated
development of civil aviation.
An air transport network in the
province has been set up by Guiyang Longdongbao airport
and regional airports in Daxing of Tongren, Xingyi of
Southwest Guizhou, Huangguoshu of Anshun, Liping of
Southeast Guizhou and Libo of South Guizhou.
Construction of feeder
airports in Liupanshui, Bijie and Zunyi and expansion of
Longdongbao airport has been sped up.
--New
achievements in water conservancy projects.
Project of water conservancy hub in
central Guizhou has been approved and phase-I
sub-projects have been kicked off. 2.24 million rural
residents have solved their problem of safe drinking
water supply. Effective irrigation facilities have been
set up for additional 14,000 hectares. Irrigation has
been restored or improved for 38,300 hectares. 62,000
hectares of tobacco-founded water project have been
carried out. The goal of 0.03 hectare of per-capita
irrigation in the countryside has been realized one year
ahead of schedule. 150 dangerous reservoirs have been
consolidated. 100,300 projects for building small-sized
ponds and cellars have been implemented. 768 square
kilometers of soil erosion have been brought under
control. New progress has been made for inadequate
irrigation facilities.
--Improved
facilities for telecommunications.
By the end of 2008, the overall
capacity of telephone switchboards in the province
totaled 78.2 million lines, rising by 20.7 percent over
the previous year. Mobile phone users totaled 11.9
million, growing up 42.2 percent. There were 42.7
telephone users per 100 residents, increasing 80.7
percent. The number of Internet broadband users was
845,700, up 24 percent.
2. Steady and
fast economic growth
In 2008 the
provincial GDP was 333.3 billion yuan, an increase of
10.27 percent.
Per-capita GDP exceeded 1,000 US dollars. Government
revenue and regular budget income reached 67.5 billion
yuan and 34.9 billion yuan, going up by 21.1 percent and
22.6 percent respectively. Fixed assets investment
amounted to 185.8 billion yuan, up 24.8 percent. Retails
of consumer goods totaled 101.5 billion yuan, up 23.5
percent. Per-capita disposable income for urban
residents was 11,759 yuan and per-capita net income of
rural resident was 2,797 yuan, a year on year increase
of 2.9 percent and 8.9 percent respectively.
--Steady
development for agriculture and rural economy.
Guizhou province earnestly
carried out policies to enrich and benefit farmers, took
efforts to increase funding in 2008. As a result,
victories were scored against sever natural disaster and
various difficulties were overcome so that agriculture
and rural economy continued to go in a right direction.
Agricultural value added was 54.8 billion yuan, rising
6.5 percent over the previous year. Grain production had
a bumper harvest with a gross yield of 11.6 million
tons, up by 5.2 percent.
Agriculture and
rural economy structure have improved. While grain had a
steady production, planting industry with local features
spaced up. Areas were expanded for economic crops of
tobacco, green rape, tea, vegetables, potato, TCM herbs,
fruits and flowers, so did their yields. Tobacco was 0.2
million tons, going up 27.1 percent over the previous
year. Tobacco farmers got an income of 5.1 billion yuan.
Animal husbandry kept on good growth, especially
grassland ecological livestock. Meat production was 1.61
million tons, an increase of 7.2 percent; egg and milk
rose by 4.9 percent and 5.9 percent respectively.
Industrialized business in agriculture sector became
active. Annual value added gained by rural enterprises
reached 79.6 billion yuan, up 21 percent over the
previous year，in
which industrial value added was 45.1 billion yuan, up
26 percent.
Work on poverty
reduction has intensified. Poverty alleviation through
development at village level continued in 2,039
villages. Training for labor force in poverty-stricken
areas was strengthened, with 100,000 labor forces
trained and 80,000 transferred. A special fund of 205
million yuan for poverty relief was allocated from the
provincial government to carry out projects of raising
commercialized ecological livestock on grassland for
19,000 households in 33 counties. Meanwhile, some key
poverty towns were supported to facilitate poor farmers
to increase their incomes by means of their own
advantages. A rural poverty population of 500,000 was
eliminated. A project of rebuilding dangerous and
collapsed house was started, which raised 447 billion
yuan and transformed or built 10,844 houses.
--Fast growth
of industrial economy. At
the beginning and end of 2008, though the province
suffered from frozen snow and global financial crisis,
its industrial sector could still maintain a fast growth
rate. Industrial value added in 2008 was 124.3 billion
yuan, an increase of 9.7 percent over the previous year,
of which 105.1 billion yuan was produced by enterprises
above the designated size, up 10.1 percent year on year.
The profit totaled 16.4 billion yuan. Industrial
production continued its up-ward movement and kept
profitable in general.
Light industry
and equipment manufacturing industry had a growing
trend. Large and medium enterprises in light industry
made value added 30.2 billion yuan, up 14 percent, of
which liquor and food increased 22.2 percent and 17.4
respectively. Liquor producers above the designated size
generated 10.7 billion yuan of profit and tax, up 48.5
percent. Heavy industry reached value added 74.9 billion
yuan, a year on year increase of 8.4 percent, of which
coal production was 118 million tons, an increase of 7
percent and 7.2 billion yuan of value added was made by
equipment manufacturing industry, up 14.1 percent over
the previous year. Electricity generated totaled 119.2
kilowatt hours, an increase of 1.9 percent.
Comprehensive
industrial competitive capacity was sharpened. Nine
large enterprises or groups, two more than last year,
produced annual sales income exceeding 10 billion yuan.
Investment of 31.9 billion yuan was used for technical
upgrading, up 26.4 percent. Enterprises have improved
their innovation capacity. There are 11 enterprise
technology centers at national level, and 98 at
provincial level. Additional investment of 754 billion
yuan has spent in enterprise technology innovation.
Effective results have obtained for energy conservation,
energy consumption reduction and backward production
facility elimination. 5.24 million tons of backward
production facilities have been got rid of. Total energy
consumption per unit of provincial GDP has fallen by 4.1
percent. Target of dropping 5.21 percent of energy
consumption per unit of industrial value added for
enterprises above the designated size has basically been
attained.
3. Overall
development for service sector with tourism in lead
--Continuous
growth for tourism. Themed
by building ecological civilization and developing
harmonious tour, tourism industry has attached
importance to market restoration and tourism development
so that tourism economy has a nice operation in general.
Income received from tourism was 65.3 billion yuan, a
net increase of 14 billion yuan, up 27.5 percent.
Visitors numbered 81.9 million, an increase of 30.8
percent. Guided by brand-name Colorful Guizhou and
supported by resource advantages, concentrated efforts
have been made for tourism industry to acquire its own
brand with ethnic culture and regional characteristics.
A number of folk art and traditional handicraft have
appeared on the list of national intangible cultural
heritage. The distilling technique of Guizhou Moutai and
the polyphonic chorus by the Dong people were officially
included by the Chinese government for application to
the world intangible cultural heritage. Eleven scenic
areas such Zhangjiang in Libo county and needle karst in
Xingyi city have been selected as 4-A scenic areas.
New-type tourism emerges like hot-spring tour, village
tour and summer resort tour. Promoted by 2008 China
Olympic Tourism Year, eco-tourism, red tourism, rural
tourism, ethnic tourism, sport tourism, festival
tourism, as well as tourist products, have been
reorganized and popularized by a series of special
large-scale events – Olympic tourism and colorful
Guizhou, Guiyang summer resort festival, Huangguoshu
festival, Southeast ethnic culture festival, Photo China
Original, flower tourism in Guizhou, Tongren
international dragon boat racing contest, Zhijin
international karst cave festival, colorful Guizhou
singing contest and national mountain sports meeting.
--Considerable growth of service industries.
Service industries have substantially
improved their services for the well-being of people,
actively broadened new type business and positively
enhanced their contributions to economic growth. For
instance, transport, storage, post and telecommunication
made value added 18 billion yuan, up 3.3 percent;
wholesales and retails 20.9 billion yuan, up 11.8
percent; real estate 12.3 billion yuan, up 4.2 percent;
and sales of consumer goods 101.5 billion yuan, up 23.5
percent. Pilot has become successful to establish
township banks, a new type rural financial institution.
By the end of 2008, savings deposit in Renminbi in
different financial institutions totaled 473.7 billion
yuan, a year on year increase of 23.8 percent; loans
totaled 356.9 billion yuan, up 18 percent.
4. All-round
progress made in social programs with better coordinated
economic growth
--Education.
A hundred percent for school-age pupils receiving 9-year
compulsory education has been consolidated. Per-capita
public expenditure on rural compulsory education has
increased. Projects of rural boarding school, upgrading
schools weak in rural compulsory education and
transforming school houses in rural junior high schools
have been carried out. Literacy rate for rural youth and
adults has gone up to 97.4 percent. Miscellaneous fees
have been exempted from urban pupils for their
compulsory education. The gross enrollment rate for
students in senior high schools is 47.9 percent. After
resource reorganization and system reform, scale for
higher education has constantly enlarged. Vocational
education and adult education have also developed.
--Public
health. Investment in
pubic health service system has increased. 4,360 village
clinics, 13 county hospitals, 142 township clinics and 3
county TCM hospitals have been set up or expanded. By
means of training rural medical staff and sending staff
from hospitals above class-II standard to clinics in
towns, medical services in rural areas has improved.
Community-based public health has developed by
introducing general practitioner and training nurse.
--Science and
technology. Innovation of
science and technology has been stimulated centering on
change of economic growth pattern. 6 national projects
concerning material industry, advanced manufacturing
industry and agriculture, 24 major projects and a number
of hi-tech projects have been initiated. A group of
enterprise technology centers, productivity promotion
centers, key laboratories and research centers for
engineering and technology at national or provincial
levels have been established. A few products with
high-level key technology and competitive market edge
have been developed. 2,943 patents have been applied and
1,728 of them have been authorized. A variety of new
products, new technology, new technique, and new devices
have been provided. Some criteria have been formulated
at national industrial or enterprise levels to press
ahead development of related hi-tech industries.
Implementation of the Torch Program has continued, with
additional value of 6.47 million yuan, additional tax
income of 54 million yuan and additional profit of over
54 million yuan. Poverty relief through science and
turning of scientific achievements have been stepped up.
117,000 hectares have been used for demonstration of
improved stains. 161 enterprises have been settled in
five provincial agricultural science parks. Transform
and maturity have been realized for new varieties of
green rape, corn, rice and potato and processing
technology of beef food. Scientific research has
combined with personnel cultivation, for 112 projects
were conducted by doctors, 173 people with mater degree
and 40 persons with doctorate were introduced or
self-developed.
--Culture.
Supported by rich cultural resources, culture and
cultural industry have developed. Share of cultural
information resources, film show in the countryside and
establishment of multipurpose cultural centers in towns
have been encouraged. Construction of rural digital
cinema has been strengthened. 140,000 films have been
shown for farmers. 94 wireless relay stations for radio
and television have been upgraded. New progress has been
made for the project to cover radio and TV programs to
all villages. Coverage rates for radio broadcasting and
television broadcasting reached 86.1 percent and 91.8
percent respectively. Promoted strongly by the brand of
Colorful Guizhou, cultural industry got further
developed. The Zunyi Acrobat Troupe went to perform in
countries of the USA, Japan and Kazakhstan. Song and
dance ensembles from Southeast Guizhou and South Guizhou
had successful performances in Taiwan.
--Sports.
Zhou Shiming, an athlete from Guizhou, won a boxing gold
medal of 48-kg in the Beijing 29th Olympic
Games, making a breakthrough for the Chinese boxing and
competitive sports in Guizhou. The province successfully
held the first national mountain sports meeting and 33
teams took part from 31 provinces, PLA and China ethnic
minority sports association. The first provincial sports
meeting of farmers was
held successfully. Guizhou attaches importance to the
project of fitness for farmers and 400 farmer fitness
facilities have been set up. Construction of the Olympic
sports center in Guiyang
has laid a foundation for the 9th national
traditional sports meeting for ethnic minorities which
will be held in 2011.
--Livelihood.
Social assistance has been strengthened. Government
subsidy per rural recipient of living allowance was
raised to 580 yuan from 360 yuan in 2007. The base of
secured population has risen to 3.24 million from 2.57
million. Medical assistance systems have been
implemented all over the province and 1.94 million urban
and rural residents in difficulties have got in-time
assistance. 28.3 million farmers have been covered by
the new type cooperative medical care system, accounting
for 92.1 percent, 3 percentage points higher than the
average of 12 provinces in West China. Transform of
rural dangerous houses has been accelerated. Based on
the successful pilot for 10,800 houses, another 32,000
houses have been added to a new pilot. Reemployment has
got a steady improvement. 195,300 new urban jobs were
created, in which 26,800 who experienced difficult
finding work were arranged for employment. Urban
registered employment rate has been held under 3.98
percent. Urban residents in six prefectures have
participated in pilot of medical insurance, with a
figure of 1 million.
5. New
accomplishments in ecological development and
environmental protection
Guizhou attaches
great importance to ecosystem development and
environmental protection. Priority has been given to
energy conservation and emissions reduction. Pilot of
circular economy and construction of circular economy
base have been strengthened. Total energy consumption
per unit of GDP falls by 4.1 percent over the previous
year. Comprehensive utilization rate for industrial
solid waste goes up by 1.54 percentage points. Spending
on facilities for treating polluted water and garbage
has increased so that urban treatment rates for sewage
and household wastes have been improved. Pollution
control in major river valleys and critical areas has
been intensified and the acceptance rate for section
water quality of outbound rivers is 83.3 percent. Both
chemical oxygen demand and sulfur dioxide emissions
continue to fall. Comprehensive measures for
rock-desertification control have been taken and pilot
for stony desert control has been carried out in 55
counties. Post-disaster reconstruction of forestry
industry has been started, which restored 165,000
hectares of vegetation, planted 201,000 hectares of
trees, grew 41,000 hectares of grass and improved 14,000
hectares of grassland. The forest coverage rate in 2008
was 39.9 percent.
6. Wider
opening-up
While bettering
conditions for economic and social development, Guizhou
has created ideal soft environment for investment. The
province combines investment attraction with investment
selection to improve efficiency and quality for
investment attraction and business introduction. Scale
of investment introduction has continued to increase. 51
billion yuan has been introduced and utilized from other
provinces, rising 27.2 percent. Guizhou has implemented
the going-out strategy to participate in regional
economic cooperation of the Pan-Pearl River Delta, to
seek bilateral collaboration with four counterpart
cities of Qingdao, Ningbo, Shenzhen and Dalian, as well
as with other provinces, and to promote technical
cooperation and exchange with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea,
the USA, Russia, and EU. The province changes growth
pattern of foreign trade, optimizes commodity mix of
imports and exports, and intensifies development of
ports. World trade has grown rapidly. Imports and
exports totaled 3.4 billion US dollars, an increase of
48.3 percent over the previous year.
Guizhou Province boasts its rich tourist resources with its
appealing picturesque landscapes, primeval vegetation and
diverse ethnic cultures. The fantastic karst natural scenery is
characterized by amazing mountains, waters, and caves. Guizhou
is home to 49 out of 56 ethnic groups in China, of whom 17 are
indigenous, including Han, and other ethnic groups such as Miao,
Dong, Buyi, Ge, Hui, Yao, and Shui inhabiting on this piece of
land. Their customs and life styles are simple and elegant.
These make up the unique matural scenery and the sight of human
culture of the province as well.
Guizhou’s landscape can be grossly called the Guizhou Plateau
and has relatively a high altitude, with an average elevation of
more than 1,000 meters, and widely distributed with karst
formation landscape. Most of the province belongs to subtropical
and humid monsoon climate. Weather is mild neither cold in
winter nor hot in summer.
Guizhou Province has some of the best tourism resources in
China, or even in the world, earning it the name “Oriental
Switzerland.” More than 90 per cent of the province is covered
by mountains, of which two-thirds are karst landscape, featuring
waterfalls, caves, and canyons. The Huangguoshu Falls, located
140 kilometers southwest of Guiyang, has become a symbol of Guizhou. The scenic area consists of a dozen waterfalls, the
tallest is 74 meters, and a number of huge water caves and
ethnic villages of the Buyi and Miaos. Some virgin forests and
ancient plant species, including some from the Jurassic (of,
belonging to, or designating the time and deposits of the second
period of the Mesozoic era, characterized by the existence of
dinosaurs and the appearance of primitive mammals and birds)
Age, have survived in this underdeveloped corner of China. It
was also the place where the Red Army took a decisive turn from
defeat to victory during its 12,500-kilometer Long March from
1934 to 1935. The five out of the 12 months of voyages took
place in the province, where Mao Zedong (founder of the new
China in 1949) rose to the top position of the Communist Party
of China.
Industrial sectors include mining, metallurgy, electric power,
petrochemical, food, and cigarettes. There are 110 minerals
found in the province. The reserves of mercury，
phosphor，barite，aluminum，and
manganese top the other provinces in China. The mountainous
forestry is one of China’s important timber plantation zones.
Beside, other economic forest products are also available such
as raw lacquer, tung oil, gallnut and fungus. The western
province has long been called “sea of coal,” and its hydraulic
resources are abundant.
Maotai, which is brewed in the province, is the first of China’s
distilled wines. The brand won its reputation worldwide in 1915
at a Panama Exposition. And ever since, Maotai has been listed
together with Scotish Whiskey, French Cognac Brand and Russian
Vodka at a Panama Expo. The company achieved exports of US$14
million in 2002.
Of hundreds of thousands of mountains in Guizhou Province, Mount
Wuling，Mount
Wumeng，Mount
Daloushan，and
Mount Miaoling are the most famous. The amazing Huangguoshu
Waterhalls. Famous Zunyi City and other colourful folk customs
make tourists’ trip more rewarding and wonderful.
With a mild and humid climate, the province is home to 1,000
animals and 3,800 plants in the wild. It has ancient ferns that
were around during the time of the dinosaurs , and it houses the
last tribe of 650 Guizhou Golden Monkeys that are more precious
than the giant pandas. Agriculture, green food, pharmaceutical
production with natural plants as raw materials, tourism and
power generation will become pillar industries.
In Guizhou, state-level scenic spots have reached 18, accounting
for 6.7 per cent of China’s 177 state-level scenic spots.
Guizhou is speeding up its development for tourism. Traffic and
transportation have been greatly improved. Hotel facilities have
been increased and updated.
The March 3rd Festival
The March 3rd Festival to commemorate the harvest is celebrated
by the Buyi people. Originally, it is a ritual in which people
cast cooked com on the ground to worship the harvest god. Today,
it has developed into a grand gala of singing. On March 3
according to lunar calendar, the Buyi people in Guiyang and
neighbouring counties flock to Xinpu Township, Wudang District.
In the forests or by the streams, they sing songs to the
accompaniment of a simple instrument made of leaves.
On June 6, according to the lunar calendar, is another important
festival of the Buyi people. On that day, people gather on the
Huaxi River. They sing songs and hold boat races. Music is an
essential part of the daily life of the minority ethnic groups.
The most popular instrument of the Miao people is the lusheng (a
reed-pipe wind instrument, used by the Miao, Yao, and Dong
ethnic groups). The instrument varies in terms of sizes and
pipes. The largest is more than one meter and the smallest is
less than one foot in length. One variety may be made up of six
reed pipes, the others are constituted by 6 to 9 and even to 28
pipes. The lusheng is widely used as an accompanying instrument
in dances, singing, martial art and acrobatics. With the
increasing exchange among different ethnic groups, the lusheng
is something the Dong, Shui, Buyi, Yao and Zhuang people have in
common. The Miao people perform the dance, accompanied by the
lusheng in a quick rhythm and passionate style. The dance has
over 100 varieties with different steps and tunes. It is always
performed between man and woman. The man plays lusheng and the
woman dances, or vice versa. The lusheng dance has become a
necessary part for the Miao festivals in Guiyang.
Bullfighting is also popular in the countryside near Guiyang.
Unlike Spanish bullfighting, the activity features a fight
between bulls, not a bull against a matador. Controlled by
referees, the bulls fight fiercely. The referees separate the
bulls when it looks like they are going to hurt each other.
The April 8th Festival
Miao, Buyi, Tujia and other ethnic group people in Guizhou, West
Hanan and North Guanxi commonly celebrate this festival. Howerer,
the most spectacular event of the April 8 Festival is observed
by the Miao people in Guiyang. On April 8 according to lunar
calendar, the Miao people from Guiyang and neighbouring counties
hold a big gathering at the Fountain Square in the central part
of the city. Wearing festival finery, they sing folk songs and
dance to the tune of flute (also called the horizontal flute)
and lusheng, a reed-pine wind instrument popular in this area.
Legend has it that the festival is observed to worship the Miao
heroes buried near the square. The festival has now become a
carnival and is also celebrated by the Buyi, Dong, Zhuang, Shui,
Gelao and Han peoples. It is also an opportunity for youngsters
to court each other. Boys and girls fall in love as they sing
and dance to their favourite tunes.
Maotai Liquor
A long time ago, an ancient Chinese poet once said that 300
shots of drink would relieve him from thousands of years of
sorrow. However, if he had downed Maotai, Chinese liquor, he
would have discovered that only a few cups would do the job. In
deed, Maotai is so good that it has become king of the Chinese
spirits. Many people like to talk about it , but few know how
the liquor is made in the town of Maotai in the northwestern
part of Renhuai City, Guizhou Province. The town has a
population of over 7,000 people almost half of whom work in the
distillery, and many others have jobs in a small factories or
shops related to it. The City of Renhuai was formally named the
Capital of Wine in 2004.
The method of brewing Maotai has evolved from ancient times.
Some experts believed that the first distilleries started
production 2,100 years ago. Guojiang, a kind of liquor believed
to be forerunner of Maotai, earned its name in the western Han
Dynasty and was favoured by Emperor Wudi.
The brewing techniques of Maotai are very complicated. Local top
quality sorghum and wheat are the raw materials. Cultivating
yeast, fermenting and distilling are done at high temperatures
(Other liquors are usually fermented at low or medium
temperatures.) Whole and crushed kernels of grain in measured
proportions are mixed, then steamed or cooked. Twice during the
brewing, the grains are fed into fermenting pools; they also are
soaked in spirits, fermented eight times (once a month), and
distilled seven times. The liquor from each distillation is then
aged in cellars for at least three years before being blended
into Maotai, thus bringing out its characteristics delicious
savour with its nutritious food value. Its alcoholic content is
53 proof. Ranking first among China’s most famous beverages.
Maotai is said not to produce a hangover. At any rate, no
banquet in China is complete without toasts drunk in this fiery
liquor.
For years, mastering the Maotai favour has puzzled brewers from
other cities. Distilleries in other parts of China have invited
the best distillers from the town of Maotai to be their
advisers. The distillers did all they could, but each time the
product turned out a failure. People say that the secret is a
combination of right temperature a misty climate and the eater
and soil of the town. The distillation process is especially
adapted to the exceptional advantages of natural environment. It
can’t be made anywhere else.
In orde to untie the sophisticated knot of the Maotai flavour,
some institutes have been applied to Maotai study, and quality
and output have been raised greatly. In order to preserve
Maotai’s unique characteristics, the key processes have yet been
mechanized.
Maotai Liquor is one of the eight famous Chinese wines and
spirits. It has been well known to the world market for a long
time. At the Panama International Exhibition in 1915, it won
recognition as the second best among all the wines and spirits
of the world. It snatched two gold medals separately at a Paris
Interrmational Food Exposition in 1985 and 1986. It is now one
of the world’s three best-distilled liquor. The other two are
French cognac and the Scotch whisky.
Every year, the Maotai Liquor sells about 200 tons to more than
100 countries only and regions in the world. A popular Chinese
saying goes: “A fine liquor is born in fine surroundings。”
Legend relates it that there lived an industrious, honest old
man. One piercing winter day, a poorly dressed girl passed by
his door. Out of sympathy for her, he invited her into his home
and gave her a cup of spirit to warm her. At night, the old man
dreamt of seeing a fairy arriving at his home. She bore a
striking resemblance to the girl; she poured a cup of fairy
liquor under the willow tree in front of his house. The
following day, the old man tested her words and found a well
containing fresh and sweet liquor. The drink distilled from
that, had an unparalleled fragrance. Today , the liquor’s brand
mark still depicts the fairy maiden holding a cup. The two silk
ribbons tied around the bottle are derived from the streamers
around her waist.
To cater to the taste of overseas consumers and to open up
international markets, the Guizhou Maotai Distillery has now
produced two more kinds of Maotai liquor. One combines this
potent liquor with whisky, and the other is the low-alcohol
Maotai liquor, which the Guizhou Maotai Distillery began to
develop in 1978. This new product passed the state appraisal in
September of 1986. The 39 per cent alcohol product possesses all
the characteristics of the original Guizhou Maotai. It smells
fragrant with a long enjoyable after-taste.
Zhijin Caves
Located about 150 kilometers west of Guiyang, the capital of
Guizhou Province, the Zhijin Caves are also known as the Daji
Caves. With a total area of 700,000 square meters, the series of
underground caverns stretch nearly 13 kilometers through the
plateau rising about 1,300 meters above sea level. At present,
47 caves and halls have been divided into 12 scenic areas opened
to the public.
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