Fresh moves to develop Yangtze delta region's ancient towns
The Zhujiajiao Consensus on the Integrated High-quality Development of Ancient Towns of the Yangtze River Delta Region was signed by culture and tourism authorities of the region on Tuesday.
Efforts will be beefed up on the protection and inheritance of historic sites and intangible cultural heritage of ancient towns in the Yangtze River Delta region while promoting their joint application to be on the World Cultural Heritage list, according to a consensus reached on Tuesday.
During the 4th Yangtze River Delta Integration Ancient Town Development Conference, the Zhujiajiao Consensus on the Integrated High-quality Development of Ancient Towns of the Yangtze River Delta Region was signed by culture and tourism authorities of the region.
Ancient towns of Jiangnan (regions in the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) are a typical cultural symbol of the delta region.
They bear silent witness to history and have distinctive features. Eighty ancient towns from the region have been included in China's famous historic and cultural town list, accounting for over 25 percent of the total.
Based on the consensus, culture and tourism authorities in the region will jointly develop tourist routes of ancient towns and jointly host culture and art exchange activities in the towns.
Panlong Tiandi, a renewal and upgrade of the ancient Panlong Town in suburban Qingpu District, opened in April.
They will also support the development of digital products and services pertaining to ancient towns and provide immersive culture experiences for tourists.
During the conference, representatives of firms involved in ancient town redevelopment shared their insights.
Panlong Tiandi, a renewal and upgrade of the ancient Panlong Town in suburban Qingpu District that opened in April, has emerged as a popular destination among locals and tourists.
Panlong Tiandi reimagines an ancient Jiangnan watertown as a modern urban retreat. With a history dating back more than 1,000 years to the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618), Panlong Town is one of 32 historical protected zones in Shanghai.
"We demonstrate Chinese culture with an international perspective," said Carol Chen, commercial director of developer Shui On Xintiandi. "In fact, we advocate the concept that local is international."
"We introduce modern lifestyle into historic architecture, which strikes a perfect match," she added.
In Panlong Tiandi, different lifestyle activities such as Chinese-style canal cruise and paddling are on offer.
The 4th Yangtze River Delta Integration Ancient Town Development Conference was held on Tuesday.
