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Inspiring layout planned for quake-hit county

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-12 22:16

When they started to design the new county seat last October, Li and his fellow designers were worried that the local culture might be lost in the course of forwarding a mountain-based ethnic group to plain belts on the hills.

To their contentment, Li's survey with local residents showed most people agreed with the plans.

Full Coverage:  Sichuan, One Year On... Related readings:  Hu attends ceremony marking quake anniversary in Sichuan  UN: China's quake rescue won int'l thumbs-up  China marks one year of Wenchuan quake  Quake babies reunite with nurse rescuers one year on  Yingxiu school to meet highest anti-quake standards

"Yes, we love mountains. But we cherish more to have us all live together. So long as we Qiang ethnic groups gather together, we will be able to pass on the core of our culture," said Lei Huiqin, a 24-year-old woman who previously ran a small clothing store.

"It will take a fairly long time to reconstruct communities and social structures in building the new county seat in the days to come. We hope our layout could supply a wonderful platform of sites and materials for Beichuan people to reconstruct their spiritual Eden," said Li.

In the eye of Meng Lei, the new county seat is ingeniously positioned. It is a link embedded in the chain stretching from the earthquake memorial park at the old county seat to the tourism zones in Qingpian and Piankoun towns, of Qiang ethnic group features, and to the virgin forest in the end.

"Business opportunities brought along by the tourism industry and the 1.4-square-kilometer industrial park aided by Shandong, the new county seat will serve as two wings to boost the local economy," said Meng.

Meng is puzzled with one thing: the construction team is running short of time. According to the schedule, Meng's team must complete the first-stage construction, preparing four square kilometers, for the new county seat in two to three years.

"We have given wing to all preparations. We must not lose a second now. I think the best way for us to lament our brethrens' passing away in the earthquake is to achieve great construction results with arduous work," said Meng.

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