Distinctive Cultural Resources

There are not only rich cultural resources but also time-honored unique splendid cultural connotations in Bazhong.

I. Red Army Culture

Situated in the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area taking Bazhong as the center and being the then second-largest Soviet Area in China the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary base established by the Fourth Front Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army from December 1932 to March 1935 was highly valued by Mao Zedong because of its great contribution to the Chinese revolution. During the initiation consolidation and development of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary base by the Red Army the authorities of the Party government army mass and Youth League were respectively set in Bazhou Town Tongjiang County where the Fourth Congress of Party Representatives three Representative Assemblies of Works Peasants and Soldiers as well as some important military and political conferences were held. Bazhong with abundant Red Army cultures therefore had a prominent position in the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area. According to the statistics the whole city contains 397 sites and 511 spots of immovable protected revolutionary cultural relics among which national key protected revolutionary cultural relic units of 3 sites and 81 spots provincial protected revolutionary cultural relic units of 34 sites and 70 spots municipal protected revolutionary cultural relic units of 17 sites county-level protected revolutionary cultural relic units of 137 sites and 206 spots. They are mainly distributed in Bazhou District and Tongjiang County. There are over 30000 movable revolutionary cultural relics in the whole city with grade I grade II and grade III of them of 19 153 and 2903 respectively. The movable revolutionary relics are mainly distributed in the Museum of Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary base Memorial Museum of General Monuments Memorial Museum of Fourth Front Red Army's Headquarters Site Memorial Museum of Bashan Guerrilla and Memorial Museum of Liu Bojian.

The revolutionary cultural relics of the city have a significant influence on the whole country mainly including:

1. The Fourth Front Red Army's Headquarters Site: It is the national key cultural relic protection unit and the national patriotism education base. The site is located in Tongjiang County covering a construction area of more than 5000 square meters. The Red Army's significant campaigns and battles against the enemy's "Three-way Siege" and "Six-way Siege" and of "Three Offensive Campaigns" were successively commanded here. Xu Xiangqian Chen Changhao and Wang Shusheng lived and worked here for a long time. Jiang Zemin and Hu Yaobang personally inscribed the name of the museum and the name of the exhibition successively.

2. Martyrs Cemetery in the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary base: It is the national key cultural relic protection unit and the provincial patriotism education base. It is located in Wangping of Tongjiang County covering an area of 16mu. It is the largest Red Army cemetery for martyrs nationwide with the remains of over 7800 martyrs buried here and a well-preserved martyrs monument designed by Zhang Qinqiu himself sitting here.

3. The Red Army Stone Inscription Slogans: There is a total of 609 immovable Red Army Stone Inscription Slogans in the whole city among which 215 other than 394 slogans at 168 sites have been collected in the museum with the scale and the quantity ranking first nationwide. Tongjiang County has 18 slogans at 10 sites announced as the national key protected cultural relic units in 2006. In October 2011 the original Municipal Bureau of Culture also recommended 159 Red Army stone inscription slogans at 53 sites to the National Cultural Heritage Administration as the seventh batch of national key protected cultural relic units. The largest two Red Army stone inscription slogans are "Made Sichuan Red" and "Divide Land Equally" in Shaxi Town and Zhicheng Town Tongjiang County respectively which are known as the "kings" of revolutionary slogans.

4. The Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Party School Site in Tongjiang County Red Four Doors Site in Nanjiang County Soviet Government Site in Changchi County Basahan Guerrilla Headquarters Site Bazhong Special Municipal Committee Site in Bazhou District Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Federation of Trade Unions Site Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Soviet Government Site Memorial to Liu Bojian Martyrs and Liu Bojian Former Residence in Pingchang County are all provincial protected culture relic units. Most of them are well preserved with clear historical facts and significant value of revolutionary cultural relics. The Taiping Red Army literature in Chinese Calligraphy in Tongjiang County Liening Park Bazhong Special City Security Bureau Site in Bazhou District No. 31 Red Army Hospital Site in Nanjiang County Beishan Temple Site of Cadres Conferences above army level in Pingchang County are municipal protected cultural relics units which are significant tangible objects for Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area History Study.

5. The museum collection of revolutionary cultural relics is complete in categories such as weapons coins literature newspapers pictures as well as articles of production living and office regarded as rare treasures.

6. Each county or district has set up its display sites of revolutionary cultural relics. Among these sites the General Monuments of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area Museum of Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary base Memorial Museum of Fourth Front Red Army's Headquarters Site are the largest in scale most complete in facilities most abundant in exhibition contents which are all the national patriotism education bases. In particular the General Monuments of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area have the largest scale nationwide enjoying good fame far and near.

II. Grottoes Culture

From Sui Dynasty to the Republic of China bas-reliefs on precipices had been popular in Bazhong especially in Tang Dynasty. There are totally over 20000 bas-reliefs within over 1100 shrines at 222 sites in the whole city. Among them there are respectively over 10000 bas-reliefs on precipices within nearly 500 shrines at 66 sites in Bazhou District over 7000 bas-reliefs on precipices within nearly 400 shrines at 97 sites in Tongjiang County over 2000 bas-reliefs on precipices within over 100 shrines at 40 sites in Nanjiang County and over 1000 bas-reliefs on precipices within nearly 100 shrines at 19 sites in Pingchang County. Among these the South Shrine West Shrine North Shrine and the bas-reliefs on precipices at the Shuining Temple in Bazhou District the Thousand-Buddha Cliff Grottoes in Tongjiang County are the national key protected cultural relic units. The bas-reliefs on precipices at Shimen in Bazhou District the Bairuxi Grottoes in Tongjiang County are the national protected cultural relic units. South Shrine West Shrine North Shrine Shuining Temple Thousand-Buddha Cliff Grottoes Bairuxi Grottoes Shimen contain over 2100 bas-reliefs on precipices within 179 shrines 2121 bas-reliefs on precipices within 91 shrines over 300 bas-reliefs on precipices within 38 shrines over 500 bas-reliefs on precipices within 58 shrines 3000 bas-reliefs on precipices within 51 shrines 184 bas-reliefs on precipices within 20 shrines and nearly 200 bas-reliefs on precipices within 21 shrines respectively. Most of the bas-reliefs at the above 7 sites mainly are related to Buddhism. With large scale excellent craftsmanship intact preservation profound effect significant values they are the reliable basis to study the region division for the south and north grottoes bas-reliefs. They have been hailed as "colored sculptures of powerful Tang Dynasty in Shuining rank first nationwide" and "grottoes in Bazhou are the treasure of the country" by the experts. Bazhong Grottoes has always been an important study subject of the national and provincial cultural relics departments and the Bazhong Grottoes Catalog has been published as one of the results. Shanghai People's Fine Arts Press and Cultural Relics Publishing House have successively published the album of Bazhong Grottoes and the monograph of Bazhong Grottoes which are highly favored by the professionals for dedicated study and publicity.

III. Micang Ancient Path Culture

According to the notes in the Chronicle there was a precipitous trunk road from the south to Xingyuan (today's Hanzhong City Shaanxi Province) via Jizhou and Bazhou to Baxi (today's Langzhong Sichuan Province). According to the records in the Scenic Spots of Shu (Sichuan Area) there was a trunk road beginning from the south to Xingyuan extending to Sichuan through the city wall rock reaching the hillside of the Guyun Mountain Range (the location where prime minister Xiao He retained marshal Han Xin in Han Dynasty) via the Hechang of Zhongbaping and Xinglong Village then passing across Hanxi Jizhou (today's county seat of Nanjiang) and Bazhou arriving its destination Baxi (today's Langzhong City Sichuan Province). In ancient times the trunk road was called Micang Avenue where was a political economic cultural military and commercial route. It stretched inside the pass and reached Central Plains from north of Hanzhong City; it also directly reached Chengdu City Sichuan Province from the south while it reached west of Gansu Province from the northwest via Tianshui. According to the records in the Sichuan General Annals along Micang Avenue there used to be three castles six passes and twenty-one posts. Since the Ming Dynasty because of the development of transportation the rise of water transportation the development of Yuzhou (today's Chongqing) this ancient passage had gradually completed its historical mission with its declining witnessing the history as a passage from Central Plains to Bashu. Nowadays in Hanzhong and Nanzheng of Shaanxi Province as well as Nanjiang Bazhong and Langzhong of Sichuan Province there are still some relics of the then Micang Ancient Path that can be seen. There are some sites of Micang Ancient Path in Nanjiang and Bazhong sections. For example Hanxi River where the prime minister Xiao He retained marshal Han Xin in Han Dynasty; Mouyang Ancient City site where was built by Liu Bei when Cao Cao attacked Zhang Lu in The Three Kingdoms; sites of Pingliang City Xiaoning City Dehan City captured by Mongke during Song and Yuan dynasties; site of Routing Inspection Department set in Daba in Ming Dynasty; Guancangping (pass) site; ancient stone inscriptions at Liuli Pass and Erdong Bridge; thousand-year royals cypress forest grotto bas-reliefs religious temples etc.

IV. Famous Cities and Famous Towns Culture

Bazhong now has three national traditional villages; two provincial famous historical and cultural cities namely Bazhou District and Tongjiang County; two Chinese historical and cultural towns namely Enyang Town and Baiyi Ancient Town; one provincial famous historical and cultural town (township) namely Maoyu Ancient Town.

Bazhou District: In 1992 it was announced as a historical and cultural city by the People's Government of Sichuan Province. The jurisdiction of Bazhou District belonged to Liangzhou in ancient times. As early as Shang and Zhou Dynasties it was the territory of the Bazi Kingdom and in Qin and Western Han Dynasties it was dominated by the Bajun Kingdom. During the Yongyuan Reign of Emperor He of the Eastern Han Dynasty (89-105 AD) Hanchang County was established. In the sixth year of Jian'an Reign in the Eastern Han Dynasty (201 AD) its jurisdiction was changed to Baxi Prefecture then to Dangqu Prefecture Guihua Prefecture and Dagu Prefecture successively. In the third year of the Yanchang Reign of Emperor Xuanwu in the Northern Wei Dynasty of the Northern Dynasties (514 AD) it was set as the Ba Prefecture for the first time. In the second year of the Republic of China the Bazhong Prefecture was changed to Bazhong County. Bazhou District has undergone administrative organization system changes from the prefecture to the county in its history. The establishment of Bazhou District has a history of more than 1900 years. Bazhou District has a glorious revolutionary history. It was the center of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary base the then second-largest Soviet Area nationwide during the Second Revolutionary War. The provincial Party committee provincial Soviet government and the headquarters of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army were set up in Bazhou City. During the Third Revolutionary Civil War the North Sichuan Underground Party established a Central County Committee in Bazhong to lead the people of Tongjiang Nanjiang Bazhong and Pingchang to carry out the vigorous revolutionary struggles. Li Xiannian Xu Xiangqian Liao Chengzhi Xu Shiyou and other older generation of proletarian revolutionaries fought worked and lived here for as many as two years. In those years more than 40000 people of Bazhou joined the Red Army they made great contributions to the founding of new China. Its time-honored history gave birth to many outstanding people and splendid culture. Gou Fu who was the Left General and Marquis of Dangqu of Shu-Han Kingdom Chen Neng who was the Deputy Minister of War Ministry and Chen Wenhan who was the Minister of Revenue Ministry in Tang Dynasty Zhang Sixun who was the famous astronomer in Song Dynasty Dong Xiuwu who was the pioneer of the 1911 Revolution Premier and Financial Director of the General Political Office of Sichuan Military Government in the Republic of China Dr. Yan Yangchu who was one of the "World's Top Ten Revolutionary Descendants and the world-renowned civilian educator all born in Bazhong. Zhang Fei Li Bai Du Fu Yue Fei and other famous historical figures all gathered in Bazhong leaving behind cultural treasures. Bazhou District is rich in revolutionary cultural relics and historical relics with more than 60 revolutionary cultural relics under protection and 4 nationally renowned famous bas-reliefs on precipices.

Tongjiang County: In 1990 it was announced as the famous historical and cultural city of Sichuan Province. The Leigu Village site in Tongjiang suggests that human beings lived here as early as 5000 years ago. In the fourth year of the Tianjian Reign in the Lian Dynasty of South Dynasties (505 AD) it was incorporated into the territory of Northern Wei and Fuyang County was set here for the first time. During the Datong Reign in the Western Wei Dynasty (535 - 551 AD) Nuoshui County was set here. In the eighth year of Wude Reign in the Tang Dynasty Bizhou Prefecture was set here. In the first year of the Tianbao Reign in the Tang Dynasty (742 AD) Nuoshui County was renamed Tongjiang County with a history of more than 1200 years. During the period of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area Tongjiang first became the capital. Although Tongjiang's population was less than 230000 more than 48000 people joined the Red Army making significant contributions to the establishment of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area and to the Chinese revolutionary cause. Tongjiang is rich in historical relics and revolutionary relics including the Red Army stone inscription slogans with the largest scale and the largest number nationwide the Red Army martyrs cemetery with the largest scale nationwide well-preserved revolutionary sites such as General Headquarters of the Red Fourth Army General Political Department Party School of Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Committee. It is called an "open-air revolutionary museum" by its revolutionary relics around the whole county. There are many ancient cultural relics represented by Thousand-Buddha Cliff Grottoes and ancient civilization sites can be seen everywhere.

Enyang Ancient Town: In 2008 it was announced as a famous historical and cultural town of China by the country. It is located 17 kilometers to the southwest of Bazhong City with a total area of 3.5 square kilometers. In the sixth year of the Putong Reign of Emperor Liangwu in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (525 AD) both Yiyang Prefecture and Yiyang County were set here. They were named after the nearby "Yiyang Mountain". In the eighteenth year of Kaihuang Reign in the Sui Dynasty (598 AD) Yiyang County was changed to Enyang County. The Soviet Government of Yilang County was established here in 1933 during the Soviet Area period. It was later changed to the Soviet Government of Enyang County. After the founding of new China township and town have been set here. The history and culture of the Red Army in the ancient town have been well preserved. You can have a panoramic view of the ancient buildings of Ming and Qing Dynasties in traditional styles crisscrossed Laochang Street Huilong Street and other ancient streets and lanes many revolutionary sites the Red Army stone inscription slogans Guan Village - the ancient battlefield in Ming and Qing Dynasties the resplendent and magnificent bas-reliefs on precipices of Sui and Tang Dynasty. Traces of logistics quays and shops can be found everywhere while guild halls built by the traveling merchants from Hubei-Hunan Guangdong-Guangxi Jiangxi remained Northeast Sichuan's dwelling houses charactered by stilted building column and tie structure grey-green tile roof form a beautiful scenery line of the ancient town. Moreover ancient bridges stone ladder roads also vividly jump into your eyes. Buddhism temples and pagodas Taoist temples Catholic churches and Christian churches are distributed inside and outside the ancient town. You will indulge in the poems odes couplets created by scholars and poets of all times as if you could smell out the fragrance of Chinese ink. The prestigious dragon boat race weddings and funerals lantern fair temple fair lion dance dragon dance foot-stepping teahouse and Sichuan opera singing present boisterous scenes. Intangible cultural heritages of magical and beautiful legends are known far and wide including "Red Plum and Calyx in Love" "White Branches Embrace Phoenix" "Five Sons Passing the Imperial Examination" "Thousand-Buddha Argumentacja" "Rhino Gazes at the Moon" "Sunglow on Saddle" "Fairy Dressing" "Broken String of Lute" and "Wenzhi Village Guards City".

Maoyu Township: In 2009 it was announced as a famous historical and cultural township of Sichuan Province. Located 12 kilometers to the north of Tongjiang County Maoyu Township is shaped like a peninsula facing waters on three sides and backed by a mountain on one side. Since ancient times it has been an important hub for land and water transportation praised as "Little Chongqing" by its gathering of merchants and extremely prosperous. In November 1934 the party and government work conferences of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army was held in Maoyu Township leading to the release of the famous Red Army's precepts of "being brave and determined overcoming difficulties to make innovation and uniting in relentless pursuit of victory" illustrating the great Red Army spirit. The streets lying in Maoyu Township are all the traditional dwellings in northern Sichuan style with column and tier structure grey-green tile roof. The original appearance is well preserved with ancient flavor. They are rare old-style residential buildings. The revolutionary sites the Red Army stone inscription slogans here are intact with a profound revolutionary history atmosphere.

Baiyi Town: In 2013 it was announced as a famous historical and cultural town in China. Baiyi Town is located about 20 kilometers to the south of Pingchang County. Baiyi Town was called "Liuzhou City" in the Jin Dynasty and "Wanyun Prefecture" in the Song Dynasty. In the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Shenzong in the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD) the "Yongmu Prefecture" was set up here which was later changed to "Yongkang Town". During the reign of Emperor Chong Zhen in the Ming Dynasty a white-dressed Avalokitesvara statue was set up at the memorial gate in the old street where has been called "White Clothing Nunnery" since then. Baiyi Town is now divided into Baiyi New Street and Baiyi Old Street of which the Old Street is the ancient town of Baiyi. The ancient town is sitting upon the river. So it is a vital water traffic line since ancient times giving rise to prosperous business through the ages. There are two well-preserved primitive streets in Baiyi ancient town. It is important to note that many firewall buildings here have exquisite workmanship and unique features. There are Chinese Portrait bricks memorial gates ancient temples Wu's official residence and other cultural relics here. These did constitute the distinctive ancient town government site.

V. Intangible Cultural Heritage

The wise Bazhong people have created excellent intangible cultures during the long history. According to a thorough investigation there are 1014 cultural heritages in the whole city. Through efforts in recent years intangible cultural heritages here have been well protected and inherited. All the 1014 intangible cultural heritage items in the whole city have been announced by the counties (districts) in batches among which 25 items have been announced in three batches at the municipal level 10 items have been announced in two batches at the provincial level and 2 items have been announced in two batches at the national level. The intangible cultural heritages of our city have distinct local characteristics. Items such as Bashan Beier Song Mountain Climbing Hinge Long Narrative Poem of Shiliping Folk Song of "Moon Goes Down West" Bazhong Shadow Puppets Mao Folk Song of Bashan Mountain Climbing Festival (on the 16th day of the first month) Tongjiang Stone Inscriptions the traditional brewing technique of Jiangkou mellow wine and the talking-singing arts of "talk spring" have extremely high art values and great influence throughout the country. The Mountain Climbing Hinge has been performed in the country many times it won the Stars Award at the 8th China Art Festival. A video of it was made by the "Golden Land" program of CCTV for commemorating the 30th anniversary of the reform and opening up. In the Great Hall of the People a report back performance of it was given to the party and state leadership. The Bashan Beier Songs won the Excellent Award at the Western Original Sound Folk Song Contest.

VI. The Three Kingdoms Culture

Cultural sites and relics of the Three Kingdoms are scanty. No cultural relics that can be proved have been found as far. There are only a few records in Bazhong County Annals and some cultural sites have different plots. These sites are introduced as follows by large:

1. Yan Yan Tomb: It is located in the medium of Caoba Street Bazhong City. Yan Yan was born in Zhongzhou (today's Zhong County Chongqing Municipality) he was a general of Liu Zhang at the end of the Han Dynasty whose duty was guarding Bajun Prefecture. At the time of The Three Kingdoms Liu Bei still appointed Yan Yan as the chief of Bajun Prefecture working for the Kingdom of Shu-Han together with Zhang Fei. During this period he made unusual contributions repeatedly and was respected by Bazhou's people who built a memorial temple for him to commemorate his merits. According to the Annals "the tomb of General Yan Yan of Han Dynasty is located outside the west city gate and there was a temple behind the tomb in the early time. In the 9th year of the reign of Emperor Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty the governor of the prefecture Liu Chengben rebuild a temple in front of the tomb and had a large stone statue carved for worship. The tombstone was set and inscribed by the governor of the prefecture Liang Shang and Ye Kexu in the 19th year of the reign of Emperor Chong Zhen in the Ming Dynasty. Some people in the past suspected that the tomb should not be here". Also according to the Annals "The Yan Yan's tomb is located 20 li to the southwest of Zhongzhou while there is another tomb in the southeast of Yilong County. There are three tombs in Bazhong. According to the words written by "Song Zongzhong-Jian Gongze": the Biography of Marquis Yinghui does not tell that there was a tomb. But the god is grand for it took blood for long. According to the textual research of the sacrificial offering to Marquis Huan in Langzhong it should be true that the general is in our county". In the 1950s the enclosure of the tomb still existed. According to the Bazhou Annals "In the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Xuanhe in the North Song Dynasty the temple beside the tomb damaged because the pillars inclined. After the temple was supported by other wood pillars it still leaked rainwater on the top and was wet on the ground. Song Zongze led the people in the prefecture to restore the broken temple. And a tombstone was set up in the Ming Dynasty. In 2000 the old city of Bazhong was going to be reconstructed. The Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archeology Research Institute appointed archaeological experts to dig holes to explore the site. The explore result showed that there were no sites and relics except an unearthed Yan Yan iron statue and several porcelains of Ming and Qing Dynasties in the front of the Middle Street to be constructed. These articles are now collected by Bazhou District Cultural Relics Bureau.

2. Flag Placement Mountain: According to Bazhong County Annals the Flag Placement Mountain is 5li to the east of the county. There is a prominent peak. Its top is sharp with a small platform. Its origins and circumstances have been unable to research scholars believe that this is about the Marquis of Huan (Zhang Fei) relics the temple of Marquis Huan is built on it. In the 5th year of the Republic of China (1917 AD) the people of Sichuan rebuilt the temple. Also according to Bazhou Annals "The Flag Placement Mountain is 5li to the east of the county. It stands on the bank of the river it is small but complete and solid. According to legend the Marquis Huan of Han and his army marched through Bazhou and placed a flag here from which the mountain got its name. Behind the mountain is the Jianshan Village which rises into the sky and is owned by the feudal lords who rule the city. According to Li Hanjing's Reconstruction of the Preface of Marquis of Huan Temple Monument on Flag Placement Mountain in the Qing Dynasty "Who placed the flag? Why did the Marquis Huan of Han - Zhang Fei place the flag? According to legend the Marquis of Huan attacked Sichuan via a bypath and reached Bazhou at night. He ordered to place the flag on the top of the mountain then the mountain has been named after it". According to the textual research Bazhou belonged to the Dangqu in the Later Han Dynasty it was called Hanchang County rather than Bazhou. It was only recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms that Liu Bei attacked Luo from Fu in the eighteenth year of the reign of Jian'an. The Marquis Huan followed Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun and advanced upstream to Jiangzhou. There were also no records about passing via Dangqu. In the nineteenth year of the reign of Jian'an the Liu Bei won the title of Yizhou Chief and the Marquis Huan was appointed as the Baxi Prefecture Governor. Later Cao Cao sent Zhang He to camp his army in Hanzhong and then marched to the Dangqu. The Marquis Huan led an elite army and defeated Zhang He's army. Zhang He returned to South Zheng and Bazhou was at peace ever since. The Marquis Huan placed flags along the ridge of the mountain one hundred and sixty li away. Zhang He then did not dare to attack eastwards.

3. Battletrap Slop: According to the Bazhong County Annals "Battletrap Slop is in Fengya. According to the old County Annals the location is one hundred and thirty li (Chinese unit) to the east of the county where General Yan fought against Marquis Huan (Zhang Fei)". In fact the Battletrap Slop site is currently in Douzhen Village Qingyun Township Pingchang County.

VII. Personage Culture of Yan Yangchu

Mr. Yan is a world-renowned civilian educator in the modern history of China the founder of the world rural reconstruction movement and a patriotic intellectual. On December 26 1890 he was born in Bazhou District Bazhong City Sichuan Province. He received his education in Bazhong Langzhong Chengdu Hong Kong and the United States in his early time successively. In 1918 he arrived in France to serve the Chinese laborers by establishing the Chinese laborer literacy classes. From then on he made up his mind not to be an official not to make a fortune but to serve the poor people all his life. After his return back to China in 1920 he took "The people are the foundation of the country. When the foundation is consolidated the country will be secure" as his creed and illiteracy elimination in China as his own duty to carry out a vigorous nationwide campaign for civilian education. In 1923 the Chinese Civilian Education Promotion Association was founded and Yan Yangchu served as the Director General. In 1926 he was dedicated to promoting civilian education movement in rural areas. He carried out civilian education experiments in Dingxian County Hebei Province by creating the "Dingxian County Experiment" with the core of famous four-education of "culture livelihood health citizen" and three-method of "family school society" which facilitated the civilian education movement to shift from the pure cultural education to the new rural area construction stage of overall rural area comprehensive reform. Since the 1950s he had created the International Rural Reconstruction Promotion Association to popularize the Dingxian County experience from China's rural area to the wider international arena. His charity was warmly welcomed by third-world countries and people. In the birthday message of congratulation to Mr. Yan the United States President Ronald Reagan said "Your contribution to saving mankind from ignorance and poverty is the most valuable asset you have given to future generations". The international academic community called him "the father of civilian education" "the founder of rural reconstruction" and his experience was praised as "another contribution of the Chinese people to world culture". He has been respected by people all over the world due to his outstanding contributions. In 1943 he enjoyed equal popularity with Einstein as "Top ten great men of the most revolutionary contributor to the modern world". The governments of the Philippines and Guatemala awarded him the Gold Medal and the National Bird Medal respectively 9 foreign universities awarded him honorary degrees more than ten cities statue for him. Furthermore the President of the United States awarded him the "Lifetime Honorary Award of Hunger-free" in 1988. In July 1990 Mr. Yan died at the age of 100 in New York the United States. According to his last wishes half of his bone ashes were taken back to his hometown - Bazhong for burial. In order to express the miss of the hometown people for this outstanding person of Bazhong and further inspire the future generations with his brilliant achievements the former Party Committee and government of Bazhong County built an Exhibition Hall of Dr. Yan Historical Relics in Tazishan Village Bazhou Town in 1991. In front of the exhibition hall the tomb of Dr. Yan Yangchu was built with a white marble chest of Dr. Yan sitting in front of the tomb and Lei Jieqiong the former Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress wrote an epitaph for Dr. Yan. In order to further make full use of celebrity culture resources of Bazhong manifest Mr. Yan's civilian education thought the Party Committee and the government of Bazhou District used self-raised funds to rent the land of 64mu (Chinese area unit) in the park to extend the Exhibition Hall of Mr. Yan Historical Relics in September 2001. The display in the exhibition hall has been rearranged some cultural relics have been acquired for enriching the exhibition the park has been afforested infrastructures such as leisure path visiting square booths pavilions memorial gates have been built statues of Bazhou ancient figures have been set in the park Yan Yanchu Museum has been established. The museum is now listed as a national museum of free visit. Endless visiting stream of tourists indicates better social benefits.

VIII. Religious Culture

Most of the ancient religious temples abbeys nunneries in Bazhong were destroyed in the period of "the Cultural Revolution". Though several of them had been restored by the devout religious believers during the 1990s it still lacks scale and religious cultural atmosphere. Today religious culture is an indispensable part of tourism development. In order to fully tap the religious-cultural resources of Bazhong explore the ancient religious cultural-historical sites of Bazhong and serve the development of cultural tourism we select the following records from the Bazhou Annals:

1. Buddhism: There are four shrines around the city which are all Buddhism bas-reliefs. In the South Shrine Temple there is a wealth of ancient Buddha figures. Buddhism including related buildings temple names religious sects Buddhist masters has waxed and waned several times in different dynasties. Once there were four or five hundred monks and more than one hundred nuns which reflected a locally high degree of superstition in Buddhism.

2. Taoism: In Later Han Dynasty Zhang Daoling came to the Minghe Mountain in Sichuan. He left 24 Taoist scriptures. His religion was popular in the central part of Sichuan. The Taoist scholars who preached in Sichuan all regarded Daoling as their master. Once upon a time there was a Taoist with the monastic name of Xue Suo who was proficient in Taoism poetry and prose and never spoke the secular language. At the end of the reign of Emperor Guangxu a Taoist monk of Manchu nationality practiced and accumulated virtues in Lutai Mountain and refined the gold elixir to protect the body. These two people are sincere so there is no laughing stock left. Today there are only a few dozen practitioners who are unable to explain Taoist theory.

3. Islam: In the middle of the Qing Dynasty several Hui people came to Sichuan. They did not eat pork and their religion was called "minority religion". They lived around the moat ditch at the west city gate and four alleys. Every house had flowers planted outdoors. According to the statistics there are over ten households with a population of more than 100 people.

4. Catholicism: A French Catholic priest came to Sichuan for the mission at the beginning of the reign of Emperor Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty. He built a church in Dadong Street. At the end of the reign of Emperor Guangxu another church was set on the main street. On worship days he gathered believers to listen to his explanation of the Bible. Then his religion has been promoted around Bazhou gradually.

5. Christianism: In the 23rd year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty the British priest named Du came to Bazhong. He built a church in Old South Street for the mission according to the agreement. Every week he gathered converses in the church with men and women stayed separately. They blessed God and he explained the Bible to them. Later another 2 churches had set inside and outside the city respectively priestesses lived in Gulou while priests lived in Ximenwai. In the 32nd year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu a priest surnamed Wei established a Chinese-English school at the west of the city and built a summer house in Lingying Mountain. Then his religion has been promoted around Bazhou gradually.

IX. Ecological Culture:

Among thousands of peaks of Daba Mountain through bleak years nature has created its amazing works that are Guangwushan in Nanjiang Nuoshuihe National Scenic Area in Tongjiang and the natural landscape represented by four national forest parks which left a vast and rich green ecological treasure-house for our descendants and attractive tourism resources for people around the world.

1. Guangwushan National Scenic Area is located in the geometric center of Chengdu Chongqing and Xi'an that is the southern foot of Micang Mountain at the Sichuan-Shaanxi junction covering an area of over 830 square kilometers. It consists of seven scenic areas of Taoyuan Mouyang City Eighteen Moon-like Ponds Shenmen Xiaowuxia Valley Putuo Mountain and Wanzige integrating beautiful peaks bizarre rocks steep cliffs deep valleys shallow brooks deep ponds farmlands and mountain forests as one. It has won the acclaim that "Enjoy waters in Jiuzhaigou enjoy mountains in Guangwushan. You cannot say that you have been to Sichuan until you have enjoyed both its waters and mountain".

Guangwushan is also rated as "the hometown of red leaves in China". Every October in the middle autumn red mountains and red trees will leap to your eyes". The annual "Red Leaves Festival at Guangwushan Sichuan Province China" held by the People's Government of Sichuan Province shows the brilliant red glow of Guangwushan and the passion and hospitality of Bazhong.

2. Nuoshuihe National Scenic Area is located at the southern foot of the eastern section of Micang Mountain at the Sichuan-Shaanxi junction covering an area of 238 square kilometers. There are 128 karst caves in the scenic area among which more than 40 of each has a tour area of above 20000 square meters in the cave. Every mountain contains nested and adjacent caves with different characteristics. So this scenic area is called the "Hometown of Karst Caves". Zhongfeng Cave known as the "Amazing Underground City" with a cave tunnel area of 240000 square meters is one of the largest karst caves nationwide. The stalactites in the cave are fully developed which are in various shapes pure and clear colorful and interesting making you feel like visiting a fairyland.