Changzhou gives me the feeling of prosperity, with thriving industries and large enterprises everywhere, while Zhenjiang appears more traditional and slower paced.
Of course, both cities have their own charm, and this article will talk about my feelings.
Let’s talk about Zhenjiang first.
The fame of Zhenjiang largely comes from the poem “Between the waters of Guazhou in Jingkou, Zhongshan is only separated by a few mountains”, as well as various historical allusions derived from it.
Zhenjiang has always been a battleground for military strategists, and its geographical location is extremely important.
In the era of cold weapons, whoever controls Zhenjiang holds the throat of the Yangtze River.
This important strategic position has also brought prosperity to Zhenjiang, but at the same time, it has also limited its development.
Due to its strategic importance, rulers throughout history have focused on the defense of Zhenjiang rather than developing commerce.
This historical inertia continues to this day, making the commercial atmosphere in Zhenjiang not as strong as some other cities.
Walking on the streets of Zhenjiang, you can feel a strong historical atmosphere.
Xijin Ferry Ancient Street preserves a large number of Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings. Walking on the bluestone road feels like traveling back to ancient times.
Jinshan Temple and Jiaoshan, these familiar names, carry rich historical and cultural significance.
The historical and cultural heritage of Zhenjiang is difficult for other cities to replicate.
However, the profound historical background also means limited development space.
The infrastructure construction in many old urban areas is relatively lagging behind, and traffic congestion is also a prominent problem.
How to develop modern economy while protecting historical and cultural heritage is a major challenge facing Zhenjiang.
Speaking of Changzhou.
The feeling that Changzhou gives me is one word: new.
Tall buildings are arranged in rows, and industrial parks are blooming everywhere, full of vitality.
Compared to Zhenjiang, Changzhou has a stronger commercial atmosphere and a faster pace of people’s lives.
The economic development of Changzhou mainly relies on the manufacturing industry, especially the equipment manufacturing industry.
A large number of manufacturing enterprises have gathered here, forming a complete industrial chain.
This industrial cluster effect has provided strong impetus for the economic development of Changzhou.
In addition to manufacturing, Changzhou’s tourism industry has also developed well.
Scenic spots such as the Chinese Dinosaur Park, Tianmu Lake, and Yancheng Site Park have attracted a large number of tourists.
The development of these tourism resources not only drives the local economy, but also enhances Changzhou’s reputation.
Of course, Changzhou also faces some problems, such as environmental pollution and traffic congestion.
These problems are the pains brought about by rapid development and require joint efforts from the government and enterprises to solve them.
Compared to Zhenjiang and Changzhou, the development models of these two cities are completely different.
Zhenjiang focuses on the protection and inheritance of historical and cultural heritage, while Changzhou places greater emphasis on the development of modern economy.
There is no superiority or inferiority between the two modes, the key is how to find a suitable development path for oneself.
In fact, the development models of these two cities also reflect two different paths of urban development in China.
One is to rely on historical and cultural resources to develop the cultural tourism industry; Another approach is to develop modern manufacturing and create industrial clusters.
These two paths are not contradictory and can learn from and complement each other.
Zhenjiang can learn from Changzhou’s industrial development experience, introduce some high-tech industries, and enhance the city’s economic vitality.
Changzhou can learn from the historical and cultural protection experience of Zhenjiang, and better protect and utilize its own cultural resources.
Both cities have their own strengths and are striving to explore development paths that suit them.
I believe that in the near future, both cities will achieve greater development success.
Finally, what I want to say is that there is no fixed pattern for urban development. The key is to adapt to local conditions and find a development path that suits oneself.
Both Zhenjiang and Changzhou are striving to explore and constantly making progress.
We look forward to a better future for these two cities.
