初遇常州
2012-1
外文出版社
阿丽娜·托马斯
196
Come along as Alainna discovers Changzhou - the Dragon City!
This quaint city， located on the Yangtze River， is one of China's
economic powerhouses. And it is also one of China's "Greenest
Cities"， with dozens of parks found throughout it， including
Hongmei Park， modeled after New York's Central Park.
Changzhou was founded in 547 BC， by Jizha， a prince of the State
of Wu. Known for his intellect， Jizha was even admired by one of
China's greatest philosophers，
Confucius. You can find out more about him and his contributions
to Changzhou inside these pages.
Alainna takes you along as she visits Changzhou's famous sites -
from Qingguo
Alley and the Yan City Ruins to the contemporary and fun -
Dinosaur Park， Changzhou's dinosaur-themed amusement park.
Along the way， she meets up with people who live， work and play
in Changzhou - an American businessman， a master artisan， retired
villagers - to name a few. Each of them provides a unique view of
Changzhou's past， present and future.
Changzhou is also known for its arts. Random stitch embroidery，
Liuqing bamboo carving and imperial combs are just some of
Changzhou's famous handicrafts.
Alainna meets with the masters who are keeping these handicrafts
alive. Look inside these pages and see for yourself!
Alainna Thomas is a doctoral candidate studying urban planning
at the University of California， Berkeley. She first came to China
in 1994 to study Chinese at Peking University and she has been
fascinated by China ever since. She has worked， lived and traveled
all over China， from Qinghai Province in the west to Beijing in the
east. She intends to continue working on China-related issues and
projects after she receives her doctoral degree.
The Dragon City at First Glance
Historical and Cultural Changzhou
Changzhou's Famous Handicrafts
Amusement Parks and Scenic Areas
The Garden City
The Changzhou Community
Changzhou's Future
Shopping, Transportation and Other Tips
Final Thoughts
版权页： 插图： Changzhou, located in Jiangsu Province, on the Yangtze River Delta, is a place to see. With over 2,500 years of history, it has much to offer. My intent in writing this book is to introduce you to Changzhou and to get the word out about how great this city is. I am completely biased as I have a background in urban planning and love cities. This book sets out to show you a snapshot of life in the city of Changzhou, located in Jiangsu Province. Through my experiences and encounters traveling in Changzhou, I was able to meet with and talk to a whole range of residents-from the youngest to the oldest, both Chinese and foreign. In seeking out the most diverse group of people, this book offers a more well-rounded picture of Changzhou. In addition to these conversations and meetings, this book also tries to provide you just a bit of history here and here. As with every city in China, there's always an interesting story behind it. Changzhou is no different, as it has been nicknamed the "Dragon City" and its history dates back to the prehistoric era. Changzhou has a lot to offer. Mixed in with the history and the cultural venues, I was also able to check out some of the newest areas in Changzhou, such as the Creative Industries Park, the Changzhou Science and Education Town, as well as a new village tourist site, Yangqiao Village-to illustrate where Changzhou is headed in the future. It has one eye on traditional industry-tourism, and the other eye on a more service- oriented economy. Even though Changzhou is located on the Yangtze River Delta, it is not one of the foreign tourist hot spots. Unlike Nanjing or Shanghai, few people outside China have heard of this city, though it is only 45 minutes from each. This is an advantage if you just want to check out a Chinese city filled with beautiful parks. Changzhou's other nickname is the "City Within a Forest", as the government has been working hard to increase the amount of green space with a goal of 47% by 2020. I often hear from tourists and travelers alike the desire to visit an ordinary Chinese city. Changzhou is just that, an ordinary Chinese city with a pretty extraordinary history. Changzhou is a "small" city with a population of about six million that includes residents in the urban core and the outer districts. Of course, "small" is a relative term in China, relative to other cities. China is famous for having megacities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Chongqing with populations well over 15 million.
Alainna's book on Changzhou is something you must read if you are looking to visit， invest or live in Changzhou. Although I have lived here for quite some time， I found many things in her book that I was unaware of regarding the history， cultural significance and destinations we have in Changzhou. Her style of writing is down-to-earth， entertairing， and interestling. Although her stay in Changzhou was short， she captured much of the feel of the city. Changzhou is vibrant， safe and successful， full of ertergy and life. The mix of old and new here gives people a wide range of interests to enjoy that are suited to any preference. ——Bob N-eves， Chairman CTO of Microtek Laboratories Changzhou is one of the foremost cities in the Yangtze Delta. A sizeable number of German companies have called Changzhou their home for many years. When one evtcounters their owners and managers， one hears stories of a friendly and efficient administration which attentively caters to the needs of the foreign businessman. Tianing Temple is proof of the importance of Changzhou over the past 1，300 years; the remains of the ancient. city of Yan can even be dated back abnost 3，000 years. I feel duty-bound to remember a fellow-diplomat， Jizha， who 2，500 years ago kept a promise to give his valuable sword to the king of Xu although the king had passed away. This dutiful behavior is a model for Changzhou people up to this very day. ——Wolfgang Rohr， Consul General of Germany in Shanghai I can tell you from my personal experience that the city of Changzhou works very hard to provide a positive business climate for international investors. I have seen the rapid growth of Changzhou as an economic and cultural leader. I have seen firsthand the success of their industrial growth. I have also seen their efforts to support mutual exchange and understanding through events like their International Symposium on Higher Education which I attended during my visit last year. This conferertce brought together higher education institutions from each of Changzhou's many Sister Cities from throughout the world. ——Lawrence J. Morrissey， Mayor of Rocldord， Illinois， US
《初遇常州(英)》由外文出版社出版。
作为常州人还是值得一看的，换个角度审视下自己的家乡，有外国友人来访的时候可以得心应手的介绍