New road ruins historic pass, villagers lament
By Jane Chen |
April 20, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RESIDENTS in a southwest China village are unhappy that a 1,300-year-old pass is being bulldozed to make room for a new road.
Residents said the road can be detoured around the pass, but the builder said geological and technological conditions force them to cut the road through the pass site, the China Youth Daily reported yesterday.
The Longshou Pass in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province used to be the only entrance to north Dali, with five city walls and five city gates as well as military facilities. Its remains were listed under the prefecture-level protection in 1988, villagers told the newspaper.
In 2007, Dali government started a project to expand state road No. 214 and link it to Shangguan Village above the hill where the Longshuo Pass stands.
Though the cultural authority suggested a road route 50 meters away from the pass to protect the historic remains, the builder rerouted the road and had it pass through the remains by damaging part of the pass site, villagers said.
"It has completely damaged the history of Dali," said Shen Kangsheng, Shangguan Village's director.
Villagers have been complaining to the cultural authority and requested a stop of the road project but all in vain, said Hu Xueshu, Shangguan's geological monitor. Dali Transport Bureau's Party secretary Zhao Yongchao described the damage as "inevitable," citing the geological conditions. Calling the new road a backbone of Yunnan's road network, he said the project must progress.
Residents said the road can be detoured around the pass, but the builder said geological and technological conditions force them to cut the road through the pass site, the China Youth Daily reported yesterday.
The Longshou Pass in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province used to be the only entrance to north Dali, with five city walls and five city gates as well as military facilities. Its remains were listed under the prefecture-level protection in 1988, villagers told the newspaper.
In 2007, Dali government started a project to expand state road No. 214 and link it to Shangguan Village above the hill where the Longshuo Pass stands.
Though the cultural authority suggested a road route 50 meters away from the pass to protect the historic remains, the builder rerouted the road and had it pass through the remains by damaging part of the pass site, villagers said.
"It has completely damaged the history of Dali," said Shen Kangsheng, Shangguan Village's director.
Villagers have been complaining to the cultural authority and requested a stop of the road project but all in vain, said Hu Xueshu, Shangguan's geological monitor. Dali Transport Bureau's Party secretary Zhao Yongchao described the damage as "inevitable," citing the geological conditions. Calling the new road a backbone of Yunnan's road network, he said the project must progress.
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