Southeastern Guizhou. II
cctv.com 08-14-2003 09:43
Guizhou is a land in southwestern China filled with mystery and wonder. Jiuzhou is an old gray town with a faded glorious history in Guizhou Province. Jiuzhou sits in Huangping county, two hours鈥 drive north of Kaili, the capital of Southeastern Guizhou.
As a water and land transport hub, Jiuzhou used to be a thriving business town. Much of its old architecture reflects the style of buildings from the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, thousands of miles away. These buildings are the legacies of successful business people who traveled from the far reaches of this vast country.
Business tradition continues today. Every four days, the local people gather here for the market. It鈥檚 one of the eight largest local markets in the whole province.
The Chinese Han and the Miao people live together in this area. Coming to this kind of market is a chance to see some of what their everyday lives are like. Here you can see people shop for their daily needs. You can also see the Miao people in their traditional dress. This regular event breathes life into the ancient town.
The town is genuinely old. Its origins can be traced back more than 2,000 years. Today, most of its town walls are gone but a number of old buildings still stand, testifying to its former prestige.
In Wenchanggong, a temple dedicated to literary achievement, some old people gather to practice Taiji. The peacefulness of the old people reflects the mood of the ancient town. The old town blends Han and Miao culture with western influences.
Take the chance to visit the remains of the town鈥檚 Catholic church. It鈥檚 all dilapidated, but people still remember a French priest used to live here. It鈥檚 said that when the Communist Red Army trekked through the region, General Xiaoke found a map in French in this church, which played a key role in directing army鈥檚 next move.
In another old building, the Tianhougong, a former temple dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea, a group of old Miao women perform a traditional dance called the 鈥渟mall stool dance鈥 It seems an unusual prop to use but there must be some story behind it, just like the temple itself.
Eight hundred meters north of the Jiuzhou town center is a very special plain. It鈥檚 supposed to be the largest area of flat land in Guizhou, a place where inundating landscapes rule. Guess what people did with this rare break in the landscape? They built a military airfield. It was financed by the Americans during the Second World War and the US air force was stationed here for five months until the Japanese surrendered. Some people still remember seeing the field in full swing.
The airfield extends nearly 10 kilometers and you can easily identify the main and supporting runways. The locals are thinking of turning it back into an airfield again so it can continue to play a role in modern Chinese history.
Editor:Han Ling Source:CCTV.com
