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Fixing eyesores
May 14, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
EVERY year Hangzhou approves as many as 900 new construction sites, and the resulting building scenes are usually noisy and dusty eyesores that damage the appeal of the scenic city.
Recently the city government launched a beautification campaign to decorate the mandated, usually brick construction site enclosures with paintings and murals, and invited citizens to submit ideas.
The campaign aims to bring culture and knowledge to residents and is titled "Beautify Enclosing Walls with Paintings."
Painting the walls of around 900 construction sites is expected to generate 16 million yuan (US$2.34 million) in profits, according to the city.
Hangzhou also plans to penalize contractors who fail to decorate their enclosing walls.
"This year we will focus on newly released construction sites and continue to improve Hangzhou's environment," said Dai Baorong, Party secretary of Hangzhou Construction Quality Control Center.
From October prizes will be awarded to the most creative enclosures and fees will be charged for ugly bare enclosures, he said.
These days more and more murals are being used in interior decoration, reflecting China's history and culture. It's not uncommon to see them in cafes, restaurants, spas and tea houses.
The price for interior murals is around 1,000 yuan per square meter. Exterior walls cost about one-10th of that.
Smoking ban
Smoking is now banned in all buildings administered by the Hangzhou Health Bureau. It has already been banned in hospitals.
The ban went into effect on Monday.
Employees must now go outdoors to designated smoking areas.
No-smoking signs are posted throughout offices, and a month ago designated outdoor smoking areas were established all over the city.
"We have banned smoking in the health bureau following a directive on March 1 and all hospitals already ban smoking," said Hangzhou Health Bureau spokesman Yi Chunyu.
According to World Health Organization's "Non-Smoking Convention," starting from 2011, all public areas, including transport, should be smoke free. China still has a long way to go.
High-speed rail
A high-speed railway, the Huhang (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Railway, will begin operations before National Day on October 1 and reduce the journey from Hangzhou to Shanghai from 70 minutes to 38 minutes.
The Shanghai-Hangzhou private line is 160 kilometers long, allowing maximum speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. The shortest frequency is only three minutes.
In the next three yars, three more lines are expected: the Nanhang (Nanjing-Hangzhou) Railway, Hangchang (Changsha-Hangzhou) Railway and the Hangyong (Ningbo-Hangzhou) Railway.
Free TCM
The traditional Chinese medicine outpatient clinic, Hangzhou Tong Jun Tang, will offer free consultations from tomorrow through May 21.
Fifty professional practitioners and professors will offer free examinations and write prescriptions.
The aim is to give back to society.
Tong Jun Tang was founded in 1385 and is one of the most respected medical establishments in Hangzhou. It is an authorized medical provider for insurance purposes.
In 2006 Tong Jun Tang was honored as a distinguished nonprofit agency by the city government.
Living longer
The average life expectancy in Hangzhou reached 80.26 years in 2009, an increase of 0.48 over 2008. Hangzhou citizens now enjoy the same life expectancy of those in developed countries.
City statistics show the life expectancy for males is 77.98 and 82.76 for females. These represent increases over 2008 by 0.37 for males and 0.6 for females, according to statistics.
Doctors recommend annual physical examinations after the age of 35.
Recently the city government launched a beautification campaign to decorate the mandated, usually brick construction site enclosures with paintings and murals, and invited citizens to submit ideas.
The campaign aims to bring culture and knowledge to residents and is titled "Beautify Enclosing Walls with Paintings."
Painting the walls of around 900 construction sites is expected to generate 16 million yuan (US$2.34 million) in profits, according to the city.
Hangzhou also plans to penalize contractors who fail to decorate their enclosing walls.
"This year we will focus on newly released construction sites and continue to improve Hangzhou's environment," said Dai Baorong, Party secretary of Hangzhou Construction Quality Control Center.
From October prizes will be awarded to the most creative enclosures and fees will be charged for ugly bare enclosures, he said.
These days more and more murals are being used in interior decoration, reflecting China's history and culture. It's not uncommon to see them in cafes, restaurants, spas and tea houses.
The price for interior murals is around 1,000 yuan per square meter. Exterior walls cost about one-10th of that.
Smoking ban
Smoking is now banned in all buildings administered by the Hangzhou Health Bureau. It has already been banned in hospitals.
The ban went into effect on Monday.
Employees must now go outdoors to designated smoking areas.
No-smoking signs are posted throughout offices, and a month ago designated outdoor smoking areas were established all over the city.
"We have banned smoking in the health bureau following a directive on March 1 and all hospitals already ban smoking," said Hangzhou Health Bureau spokesman Yi Chunyu.
According to World Health Organization's "Non-Smoking Convention," starting from 2011, all public areas, including transport, should be smoke free. China still has a long way to go.
High-speed rail
A high-speed railway, the Huhang (Shanghai-Hangzhou) Railway, will begin operations before National Day on October 1 and reduce the journey from Hangzhou to Shanghai from 70 minutes to 38 minutes.
The Shanghai-Hangzhou private line is 160 kilometers long, allowing maximum speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. The shortest frequency is only three minutes.
In the next three yars, three more lines are expected: the Nanhang (Nanjing-Hangzhou) Railway, Hangchang (Changsha-Hangzhou) Railway and the Hangyong (Ningbo-Hangzhou) Railway.
Free TCM
The traditional Chinese medicine outpatient clinic, Hangzhou Tong Jun Tang, will offer free consultations from tomorrow through May 21.
Fifty professional practitioners and professors will offer free examinations and write prescriptions.
The aim is to give back to society.
Tong Jun Tang was founded in 1385 and is one of the most respected medical establishments in Hangzhou. It is an authorized medical provider for insurance purposes.
In 2006 Tong Jun Tang was honored as a distinguished nonprofit agency by the city government.
Living longer
The average life expectancy in Hangzhou reached 80.26 years in 2009, an increase of 0.48 over 2008. Hangzhou citizens now enjoy the same life expectancy of those in developed countries.
City statistics show the life expectancy for males is 77.98 and 82.76 for females. These represent increases over 2008 by 0.37 for males and 0.6 for females, according to statistics.
Doctors recommend annual physical examinations after the age of 35.
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