Ｌａｎｇｆａｎｇ：Ｂｅｉｊｉｎｇ’ｓ　Ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　Ｂｒｏｔｈｅｒ

Ｂｙ　ＷＵ　ＭＥＩＬＩＮＧ

AN older brother often eclipses a younger one – perhaps because he makes more noise. Cities are little different. Beijing, for instance, is a bustling metropolis, brash and arrogant, while its sibling, Langfang, though just 40 kilometers distant, is a world away. And yet, like many competing brothers, it is the more unassuming who sometimes wins the day.

For better or worse, Beijingers consider Langfang as their backyard, and every weekend buses ply the expressway between the two. In Yangjiaying, a village famed for its eco-farming, most of the cars parked near the farmyards bear outside license plates.

Antiquities

The city derives its name from a man named Lü Qi, vice minister of war in the Later Jin (936-946) of the Five Dynasties period (907-960), and like so many others before him, he built a mansion in his hometown. It quickly became a landmark known to the locals as “Shilangfang,” the House of the Vice Minister, and the name stuck. Inevitably, wars and revolutions reduced the grounds to near ruins.

One of the few Chinese victories in the conflicts of the early 20th century against foreign invaders occurred in Langfang, when in 1900 the Eight Power Allied Forces came up against fierce resistance as they marched on Beijing. Although outgunned and suffering nearly a thousand casualties, Chinesetroops prevailed. It was one of the most significant Chinese triumphs since the first Opium War (1840-1842), and Langfang entered the history books as a seat of resistance.

As a borderland between ancient China and the northern nomadic tribes, Langfang was influenced by both the Han civilization and nomadic ethnicity. As one contemporary writer described it: “We live along the boundary river (Yongding), but no one dares fish.” Ouyang Xiu, another writer during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), spoke of life in Langfang as a frontier between two regimes, with the area north of the Yongding River belonging to the Liao Dynasty of the Qidan (Khitan) people, and to the south, ruled by the Song.

The history of that tension can still be seen in the military tunnels that extend for some 300 square kilometers in the south of the Yongding River. The discovery of the first tunnel was accidental, when a local farmer seeking treasure stumbled upon it. His interest waned when all he and his fellow villagers found were bits of porcelain. But the importance of the find was ultimately recognized in 1989, when specialists confirmed that the site was a military engineering project dating back to the period of warfare between the Song (960-1279), Liao (907-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties.

The tunnels are only 1.5 meters high and half a meter wide, enough for a soldier to make his way through, without much else, but they were strategically important all the same. After centuries shut off from the light of day, the air inside is humid and acrid.

Ironically, it was Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) who was responsible for the modernization of Langfang. Known as a cruel and demanding ruler, this notorious empress from the last years of Chinese feudalism decreed that a railway station be built in Langfang, making the once untraveled village a hub of communication between Beijing and Tianjin. Now, connected by both railway and highway, it takes a mere half hour to cover the 40 kilometers from Langfang to Beijing and the 60 kilometers to Tianjin.

And yet, Langfang remains quiet, as it has for centuries. It is the first inland city in north China to receive the China Habitat Award. As to tourist attractions, there is the leaning pagoda, built in theLiao Dynasty, and the ancient town of Shengfang. Many citizens from Beijing and Tianjin prefer to spend their free time in rural Langfang, picking their own fruits and vegetables. A country life is popular with everyone.

Two Cities in Xianghe

For those who lament the disappearance of old Beijing, Langfangs Grand Epoch City is a must-visit spot. Located in Xianghe County that borders Beijing, it is an exact replica of the capital as it existed during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Surrounded by a five-kilometer hollow wall, dotted with 22 gate towers, it covers an area of 240 hectares, and the city blends a typical Chinese style with modern amenities.

The city has a conference and exhibition center and five world-class hotels to meet every demand, as well as the Golden Arts Hall, the Buddhism Museum, a golf course, a water park and a well-equipped gym. Since 2004, over a million tourists have visited, and the city has been the venue for a number of important conferences, such as the Second International Finance Forum and the Seventh G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings.

For people with more ordinary concerns, Xianghe is another name for furniture. Being one of Chinas largest furniture distribution centers, the county sees thousands of buyers – wholesale and retail – come and go everyday. The furniture is sold mainly to the northern provinces and to Russia, Mongolia, Canada, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Environmental Protection

“What counts is to find ones own path,” Mayor Wang Aimin said when reflecting on his work. By employing its geographic intimacy with the capital and the coastal city of Tianjin, he believes, Langfang can easily become their natural partner. With per-capita GDP reaching RMB 22,000 in 2007, andmunicipal revenue surging forward at 30 percent, it is clear that the younger brother is catching up. To do that, Langfang has devoted its re-sources to creating an investment environment that combines a vibrant industrial base with an environmentally sound municipal policy, achieving the dual goal of economic prosperity and quality of life.

Many of the worlds top companies have already taken note. Manufacturers of electronics, automobile components and information systems have all established themselves in Langfang, with firms like Foxconn, Huawei, ZTE and BOE among its industrial giants. They are all prepared to cooperate with foreign concerns.

To protect the environment, Langfang has instituted a “veto system” on industrial projects. In 2006, for example, a foreign-funded enterprise hoping to invest RMB 2 billon in a 200-hectare project was rejected for its inattention to land use concerns. Another plant, a printing and dyeing mill prepared to move to Langfang – with a total investment of RMB 1 billion and a potential annual tax payment of RMB 100 million – was turned down because it consumed too much water. Since 2000, Langfang has voted down 56 projects, worth RMB 8.157 billion, in its dedication to preserving a pristine environment.