Editor's note: GoKunming is publishing photos from the collection of Auguste François (1857-1935), who served as French consul in south China between 1896 and 1904, during which he spent several years in Kunming. The photos have been provided by Kunming resident and private collector Yin Xiaojun (殷晓俊). GoKunming thanks Yin Xiaojun for providing us a glimpse of Yunnan at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Year: 1901
Subject: Jukui Lou (聚奎楼), aka Zhuangyuan Lou (状元楼)
Location: Present-day Tuodong Lu, adjacent to Kunming Museum

Background:

The above photo is of Jukui Lou, which at three stories high was one of the tallest man-built structures in Kunming at the beginning of the 20th Century. The building, which straddled the street today known as Tuodong Lu, was one of Kunming's better-known landmarks until its destruction in the 1950s.

In 1901, French General Consul Auguste François took the first photo of Jukui Lou, which featured one small tunnel that allowed traffic to pass through it. Years later as Kunming's traffic pressures grew, two more tunnels were added to the building's bottom floor. Eventually, as more motorized vehicles took to Kunming's streets, Jukui Lou and its tunnels were becoming a hindrance. In the 1950s, officials decided to destroy the building rather than try to preserve the landmark, which only two decades earlier had been featured on local currency.


While photographing Jukui Lou, François took the opportunity to climb to the top of the building for a shot of Kunming from above. The photo below captures what was then the southern part of Kunming.


Today the Jukui Lou is generally known by its nickname, Zhuangyuan Lou (状元楼), named after the famous Yunnan economist Yuan Jiagu (袁嘉谷). The Jukui Lou became known by Kunmingers as Zhuangyuan Lou after a placard with characters written by Yuan was hung upon the building. The characters (大魁天下), which could be loosely translated as "it's a player's world", summed up his high profile in Kunming and Yunnan at that time.

Yuan, who was born in Shiping, was the first Yunnan native to attain zhuangyuan or "top scholar" status, and is still a source of intense local pride. His former Kunming residence on Cuihu Bei Lu became a source of public debate this summer when it was converted into a high-end restaurant, after which the Kunming municipal government announced that officially recognized protected historical buildings could no longer be converted into restaurants, hotels, etc. Unfortunately, there are very few old buildings left to benefit from the new rule. The photo below is of the Jukui Lou/Zhuangyuan Lou's former location as it looks today.


Currency image: 集草居的Blog

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On September 27 a group of high-profile names from different circles in Chinese society were named 'outstanding contributors to China's reform' during the China Reform and Development Summit in Beijing.

Before an audience of high-level central officials, national media and well-connected intellectuals, the accomplishments of economist Li Yining, environmental minister Pan Yue, 'father of hybrid rice' Yuan Longping, Olympic official He Zhenliang, SARS hero Dr Zhong Nanshan and China's first astronaut Yang Liwei were praised as major contributions to the PRC's 30 years of "reform and open" (改革开放).

Slightly out of place, the seventh VIP of the evening was Kunming Municipal Party Secretary Qiu He (仇和), one of the most ambitious, controversial and visible party chiefs Kunming has seen to date.

After becoming Kunming's party secretary in December 2007 – his previous job was vice governor of wealthy Jiangsu province – Qiu made waves immediately by publishing the name, job responsibilities and office phone number of every Kunming official in local Kunming newspapers – including his own. The attempt at increasing official accountability and government transparency was applauded by media throughout the country.

Since then, things have been changing in Kunming much faster than usual. Thousands of surveillance cameras have been installed citywide, dozens of large 'urban villages' (城中村; older, poorly built neighborhoods surrounded by modern city) have been slated for demolition by the end of the year, a large 'turtleback flyover' was built at Xiao Ximen, trees have been planted virtually everywhere they can be fit, a plan to privatize the city's hospitals has been unveiled and major education reforms are also underway.

Anyone familiar with Qiu He's record in Jiangsu would not be surprised at what has happened to Kunming under Qiu's leadership. During his tenure as party secretary of northern Jiangsu's Muyang County in the late 1990s and vice mayor/vice party secretary/party secretary of the city of Suqian, Qiu gained a reputation for taking a heavyhanded approach to government focusing on improving education, health services, transportation and environmental conditions and rooting out local corruption all with an eye on attracting investment.

Qiu's cult of personality and a no-nonsense, 'my way or the highway' style similar to that of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji have earned the Jiangsu native plenty of media scrutiny and citizen complaints. That said, he seems to eventually win over many of his critics in the long-term and has a track record of success that has won him the respect of some officials at the highest levels of China's central government.

After initially rocking the boat in Muyang, Qiu was able to let his accomplishments speak for themselves, despite many complaints regarding his way of getting things done, which has been called 'autocratic' by his detractors. The website China Elections and Governance notes that in the end, Qiu had put up some solid numbers:



In Kunming, Qiu has what may be his biggest challenge: a massive, sprawling city with an inefficient and underdeveloped economy, severe traffic problems and major environmental disasters that plans to nearly double in size and add several million residents in the coming few years, during which time it is supposed to become the main trade and transport gateway between China and Southeast Asia.

Despite the daunting task given him, it seems that Qiu He is not only up for the challenge, but has just been given a good report card by Beijing.

Qiu He image: clzg.cn

Tags: China Elections and Governance, corruption, environment, government, Jiangsu, Muyang, Qiu He, Suqian, traffic, turtleback flyover, Zhu Rongji

The committee in charge of Kunming's no-car days has reduced the scope of no-car days to only include the area within the city's first ring road, citing current construction on the Second Ring Road's western portion as well as roadwork starting today on the road's eastern and southern segments.

For the last three months, the area between the first and second ring roads was off limits to odd- or even-numbered cars on alternating months. Beginning this Saturday and continuing on the last Saturday of each following month, private automobiles will be banned from the area within the First Ring Road from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The First Ring Road includes Huancheng Dong Lu, Huancheng Nan Lu, Xichang Lu and Yieryi Dajie. Buses and taxis will still be allowed to operate within the no-car area.

Over the next 12 months, Kunming will invest six billion yuan (US$878 million) into improving traffic flow on the Second Ring Road. Roadwork on the second ring road is scheduled for completion by September 2009.

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One week to the day after two bus bombs killed two and injured 14 on two number 54 buses on Renmin Xi Lu in Kunming, the city was on edge once more as rumors of another explosion Monday night – this time a K2 bus – spread like wildfire via text messages and phone calls.

Local media is reporting that "another abnormal incident occurred" Monday night at 8:40 – once again on Renmin Xi Lu – near the intersection of Haiyuan Lu. At a press conference this morning, Kunming police spokesman Liu Zheng said the incident was a tire blowout.

According to local reports, the bus in question was driven away shortly after police and ambulances arrived at 8:50. Some people at the scene said they thought there was an explosion on the bus, while others said a tire had exploded.

Unlike last week's explosions, which shattered all the windows on the two buses that were attacked, last night's bus in question reportedly had no broken windows, with only an oil stain on the road left behind after it left the scene.

Last Wednesday, a video purportedly released by the Turkestan Islamic Party claimed responsibility for the July 21 bus attacks in Kunming, saying further attacks would take place throughout China, aimed at stopping the Olympics. A spokesman for the Yunnan Public Security Bureau said no connection had been found between the bus attacks and terrorist organizations.

Despite any evidence that last night's incident was a deliberate man-made explosion, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues were on high alert and searching customer bags thoroughly.

In what may or may not be a related event, three China Southern flights – two to Guiyang and one to Changsha – were delayed at 9:40 Monday night at Kunming Wujiaba International Airport for "weather reasons".

The passengers, numbering more than 170, were not provided with food or lodging by China Southern, and slept in the departure hall or elsewhere at the airport after some took taxis to a hotel China Southern told them they had prepared for them, only to be turned away by the hotel at 2 am Tuesday morning.

This morning, several of the passengers clashed with airport police, smashing computers, desks and other items.

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This year in Kunming, public works projects have been bigger and more frequent than in recent years. From the Xiao Ximen 'turtle back' flyover to the installation of thousands of surveillance cameras citywide to the conversion of major roads into one-way streets, it seems that one is greeted by change whenever one steps out the door in Kunming.

The most recent bit of change to affect Kunming residents is a bold and somewhat controversial plan to plant 800,000 trees throughout the city this year. As of June more than 200,000 trees had already been planted in the city's four major urban districts.

While most Kunming residents appear to support increased green space and plant coverage in the so-called 'Spring City', the fact that many of the new trees are small and weak and have been planted on already cramped sidewalks has drawn criticism from pedestrians.

"How are people supposed to walk down the street when there are two rows of trees in the way?" asked a university student surnamed An, as she walked down Weiyuan Lu. "Looking at all these scrawny trees in the way it's hard to believe that there's a plan behind this."

There is a plan, and it is a big one. As Kunming Municipal Parks Bureau Director Zhang Jiaren (张家仁) recently informed Kunming daily Dushi Shibao:

"Kunming has already put forth a higher target [for green coverage] – we will establish a national ecological garden city. If we want to realize this goal, the rate of green space needs to reach 38 percent, the rate of green coverage must reach 45 percent and per capita green space must reach 12 square meters."

Even areas known for their green space such as Cuihu Park have not avoided the tree invasion. Hundreds of trees – dozens of which have already died – have been added to the promenade encircling the park, drastically affecting views of the park as well as impeding the area's heavy foot traffic.

Many trees have also been planted in areas normally used for car parking, which is already scarce in car crazy Kunming, which is adding an average of 500 new cars to the road each day. Thousands of trees have also been planted underneath overhead lines, threatening to disrupt electric and communication services in Kunming as they grow.


In addition to the location of the trees, the massive project's funding has also become a sore point for local business owners, who are being forced to help foot the bill for the planting spree.

"We have to pay for these trees, but that one's already dead," said a manager of a business on Huancheng Nan Lu surnamed Wang. "Why are these little trees being planted in the shade of much larger trees?"

GoKunming spoke to several business owners and managers in the city's downtown area and discovered that businesses with newly planted trees in front of their commercial space have been asked to pay 550 yuan per tree. Many of the people we spoke with said they've been asked but haven't been forced to pay up – yet. According to a Dushi Shibao report last month, the city's strategy to pay for the trees is 'plant first, levy later'.

Although most of the businesspeople GoKunming spoke to support the idea of more trees in the city, many spoke of the trees planted near their businesses bringing differing degrees of inconvenience. For any businesspeople thinking about taking matters into their own hands, it should be noted that Director Zhang of the Kunming Parks Bureau has already issued a warning to businesses that intentionally harm the trees:

"There are many businesses that don't support tree planting, even to the point of killing trees planted by the government. For example, the Wuhua district government has planted a row of trees in front of a large restaurant. Maybe the row of trees influenced customer parking – after a short time, three of the trees planted in front of the restaurant had died.

"We're guessing that the restaurant poured boiling water on the trees to scorch them to death. We'll replant trees, but if it happens again we'll ask the media to expose what they are doing."

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Editor's note: Every week for the remainder of 2008 GoKunming will publish photos from the collection of Auguste François (1857-1935), who served as French consul in south China between 1896 and 1904, during which he spent several years in Kunming. The photos have been provided by Kunming resident and private collector Yin Xiaojun (殷晓俊). GoKunming thanks Yin Xiaojun for providing us a glimpse of Kunming at the beginning of the 20th Century.

Year: 1901
Subject: The White Pagoda (白塔, Baita)
Location: Near the intersection of Baita Lu and Tuodong Lu

Background:

While much of present-day China was under the rule of the flourishing Tang Dynasty, Yunnan was part of the Nanzhao Kingdom (南诏), an upstart regional power whose territory at one point would stretch from Chengdu to northern Thailand and from northern Myanmar to Guizhou.

Kunming first began to emerge as a major settlement – it was originally known as Tuodong (拓东) – more than a millennium ago, during the height of the Nanzhao's reign in the Eighth and Ninth Centuries. Based in Dali, the Nanzhao is known for its penchant for Pagodas, and it left its mark on Kunming with several structures, some of which are still standing, while others such as the White Pagoda (白塔, Baita) – succumbed to the pressures of urban development.

The White Pagoda, highlighted in the above photograph by Auguste François taken in 1901, has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the first important architectural structures in Kunming to be demolished to make way for increasing traffic. Back in 1901 there were no BMWs, SUVs or even QQs choking the streets – traffic tended to consist of pedestrians and the odd water buffalo cart.

By 1913, the Nanzhao had been nonexistent for 1,000 years and Tuodong had been going by its new name of Kunming for only one year. Five years before, the city was officially opened to foreign trade as an inland treaty port – a development which led to its first period of rapid growth. Kunming was highly coveted by France, which had three years earlier completed a railway linking the city with the port of Haiphong in present-day Vietnam.

As traffic flow reached new levels of congestion, it was decided by the city government that the White Pagoda, with its narrow tunnel and low overhead, would have to be demolished to make way for modernity. Today the sacrifice of the White Pagoda is commemorated by the name of the street that runs through where it once stood for more than 1,000 years – Baita Lu (白塔路).

The image below is a photograph taken in May, 2008 by GoKunming – 107 years after François preserved the White Pagoda on film.



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This Saturday is the last Saturday of the month, which means another No-car day in Kunming. Currently Kunming is the only city in China with monthly no-car days - during which private cars are not allowed to operate within the city's first ring road from 9 am to 5 pm.

Private cars with license plate numbers ending in an odd number will also be restricted from operating between the first and second ring roads as June is an even-numbered month. Buses and taxis are exempt from the restriction.

The above video is a short piece produced by China's Green Beat in conjunction with China Dialogue. 'Green sisters' Jenny and Ou Yang provide video footage comparing Kunming's traffic on normal days and no-car days. They also interview several Kunming residents who offer their differing opinions on the monthly no-car day policy.

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Almost four months after the sudden shutdown of Xiao Ximen – one of Kunming's busiest intersections – the upper level of the new, so-called 'turtle back' flyover is preparing to open to traffic as soon as July 1, according to a Dushi Shibao report.

The report, which cited sources involved in the construction project, said that the upper level of the flyover at the intersection of Dongfeng Xi Lu and Renmin Lu is nearly complete, aside from throwing down 16 centimeters of asphalt and installing four bus stops. Barring excessive rains the upper level should open for traffic on July 1, the report said.

Construction of the flyover has had a major effect upon traffic flow in Kunming's Wuhua district, much of which has been rerouted through ill-prepared streets such as Wenlin Jie, Cuihu Nan Lu and Honghua Qiao. The reopening of Xiao Ximen to traffic is expected to alleviate traffic pressure on these side streets.

According to traffic police statistics, a total of more than 21,000 automobiles, 26,000 bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles and 43,000 pedestrians pass through the intersection at Xiao Ximen during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

Image: clzg.cn

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