Introduction of Huzhou Silk Town
Introduction of Huzhou Silk Town
People’s Government of Wuxing District
Silk industry has a more than 5,000-year history in Huzhou, where is the origin of China’s Silk Road. Building a Silk Town in Huzhou can extend the glory of Huzhou’s silk product with its 5,000 years history; and what’s more, it will initiatively shoulder the responsibility to promote the revival as well as the sustainable and stable development of the silk industry.
1. Foundation and Conditions
1) Cultural Advantage.
Up to now, silk has more than 4,700-year history in Huzhou, which is proved by the strong evidence of the antiques discovered from the culture site of Qianshanyang. From the Warring State Period to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, ghatpot silk had exported to more than 10 countries. In Tang Dynasty, Hangzhou, Jiaxing and Huzhou became the center of silk industry in regions south of the Yangtze River. During Ming and Qing Dynasties, Huzhou had been the center for all country’s silk exportation. There was an old saying: “It has large areas of mulberry trees and millions of silk producers in Huzhou”. In Ming Dynasty, Huzhou is world famous for its Jili Silk. In Qing Dynasty, the quality of Huzhou silk is the top in the country. In 1851, Huzhou silk, as the only product of China to participate the 1st World Expo in London, won the big prize. And it got the Special Award in the 1st National Xihu Expo in 1929.
2) Regional Advantage
First of all, Huzhou has exceptional geography and climate conditions. Taihu basin is one of the three biggest traditional silk producing areas in China. The climate and geographical environment are very suitable for mulberry growing and silkworm raising. Secondly, Huzhou is a pivotal place for both land and water transportation and is also an important commodity gathering place in the Yangtze River Delta region. It is a strategic city which has the function to help the central region to develop. Huzhou plays an important role in combining east and west, connecting north and south. It is called “the Heart of Yangtze River Delta”.
3) Industrial Advantage
First of all, the silk industry has large scale in Huzhou. Since the Reform and Opening Up, the production of silkworm cocoon occupies 1/10 of the national amount (42,000 tons). Since this century, Huzhou’s silk and satin takes 1/3 of the total production in China (nearly 200million meters). Secondly, raw silk industry is gathering in Huzhou. Huzhou’s consumption of raw silk takes up 1/3 of the whole country. Thirdly, Huzhou has large amount of exportation. Silk and satin exported from Huzhou accounts 1/5 of the global amount. Lastly, Huzhou silk has excellent quality. Huzhou silk enjoys the comments that “Huzhou silk is top of the world”. Its raw silk quality is always the best in China. Huzhou silk exclusively supplies for the world top bands such as Hermes, Prada, etc.
Therefore, Huzhou is the important origin of the Silk Road. It is also the main contributor for the world silk civilization. The industry status and cultural value of Huzhou city is incomparable to others in the silk-production circle. Nowadays, Huzhou intends to convert from the traditional silk city to an international silk brand. In order to realize this goal, building the Silk Town in Huzhou is quite a good method.
2. Constructive Idea and Target
1) General Idea
This project will give full play to the cultural advantage, regional advantage as well as the industrial advantage of the Silk Town. Relying on the tradition of Huzhou’s silk culture, this town will be built into a “comprehensive town”, which combines silk industry, historical tradition and the eco-tourism.
2) Target
With the theme of silk, connecting different space and regions, highlighting the leading position of silk industry, merging culture as well as tourism and relying on the three centers of cocoon, silk and satin, this project will build a 5A tourist attraction, which boasts both characteristic industry and tourist function. There are 3 target of this project. Firstly, this project is to build an “International Silk Fashion Center”, which combines global silk trade, design, exhibit and also gathers various silk brands home and broad. Secondly, it is to build the “Oriental Silk Trade Center”, which has the function of online silk promotion and trade. This online center has the leading power on the online distribution of the silk economical resources. Thirdly, this project is to build the “Silk Culture Experience Center”. This center can inherit the traditional silk culture, extend the culture of silk industry and explore the leisure-based silk tourism.
3. Plan and Industrial Structure
The Silk Town is located in the east of Huzhou’s downtown area. It reaches Xishan Road to the east, Wuxing Avenue to the south, Shushan Road to the west and Zhongxing Avenue to the north. The planning area of its central region is 6.38 km2, in which, the water and mulberry area occupies 5 km2. The construction land is 1,425 mu.
1) General Plan
The plan of the Silk Town focuses on the industrial project and extends to different aspects as culture, leisure and tourism. It is designed according to the structure of “1 axis, 2 rings and 4 zones”. “1 axis” is the Xishanyang central scenic line which goes through the Silk Town. “2 rings” refers to the silk industrial area ring which is composed by the two Silk Roads (both land and marine) and the other one is the transportation ring composed by the main streets in the town. “4 zones” are operational and development zone for silk enterprises, exhibition and trading zone for silk fashion products, experience zone for the silk culture innovation and the leisure zone for silk theme park.
2) Industrial Structure
1. Operational and development zone for silk enterprises
This zone will gather the headquarters of all the relative enterprises by setting the encouraging policy to attract these leading companies in silk industry. In this zone, the government will attach great importance to series of projects, such as R&D center for silk enterprises, famous experts’ creation garden, operational headquarters for silk companies, etc. By these kinds of implementations, there will be a gathering area of the high value-added industries (such as R&D, designing, brand, sales, etc.), which stand on the two heads of the “smiling curve” (it represents the silk industrial chain).
2. Exhibition and trading zone for silk fashion products
This zone targets at building the “Lead of International Silk Fashion”. The government will try to attract investment to the China Silk Trade Center, Exhibition Center for Silk Brands’ Fashion Products, “Silk-connected” E-business Platform, “Impression-Silk” fashion show and fashion street, etc.
3. Experience zone for the silk culture innovation
This zone focuses on the production chain of the silk industry and the development chain of silk history and culture. By investing the major program such as the tourist factory of silk industry, Qianshanyang relic museum (China Silk Expo Garden), silk culture experience garden, etc., it will attract modern people to participate and experience the country life surrounded by the mulberry trees and fish ponds. This zone aims at advocating the traditional craft and the intangible cultural heritage as planting mulberry trees, raising silkworm, reeling silk, spinning, etc. It can develop the culture and tourism, and at the same time, it will make our silk culture more popular.
4. Leisure zone for silk theme park
This zone will give full play to the advantage of beautiful natural scenery of Xishanyang where the Silk Town is located. The investment potential will be promoted by making the surrounding environment more beautiful. There will be some major projects such as Silk Cosplay Park, Recreation Center (Shangshi five-star hotel), etc. By attracting investment, it will extend to the silk tourism industry concerning recreation and health maintenance. What’s more, it will further enrich the complementary tourist function of Silk Town’s industrial development.
4. Investment and Industrial Benefit
The investment and construction of Silk Town hold the principle that “government guides, enterprises lead and market determines”. It adopts the regional PPP cooperative and development method to attract the non-governmental capital to take part in the infrastructure construction and whole scale development of the town. It will focus on the bringing and gathering of the industrial program to guarantee the quick revival and sustainable development of silk industry. It is hoped that this town will become a featured Silk Town with listed size and potential within 5 years.
1) Investment on Infrastructure
In the beginning, it will start with the general plan and design of the central area, including the construction of infrastructure, such as roads, pipe network, greenery landscape, etc. Later, it will invite the non-governmental capital to join in the auxiliary construction of the Silk Town together. The total infrastructure investment is about 1.5 billion RMB.
2) Investment on Industrial Program
Developing the cocoon-silk-satin industry is the core working element in the construction of the Silk Town. Therefore, it will intensify the investment promotion and try to attract the leading enterprises home and abroad. These methods can keep the town in an energetic condition and provide the impetus for its sustainable and scientific development. Within three years, 13 projects plan to complete the total investment about 5 billion. It is estimated that the whole annual output value will reach 2 billion by the year 2017 with 0.3 billion tax and the number of visitors will be 3 billion.
5. Current Progress and the Development Steps
1) Introduction about the Construction of the Program
According to the “Eight Actions” task goal proposed by Wuxing government, Silk Town located in Xishanyang area is a key step to promote the urbanization of Wuxing District. The landscape planning started from 2010 and the major greenery landscape construction started in 2013. Up to now, within Silk Town’s area of 6.38km2, 3,500 old rural houses have been removed, making space for the constructive land about 1,500 mu, in which, 345.2 mu has got the land usage approval.
1. Infrastructure Program
Most area in Silk Town belongs to the city green system. It has rich ecological communities and beautiful natural scenery. This area has been approved by the Department of Housing and entitled as the National Wetland Park. The basic scenery in the town began to appear. Currently, Xishanyang Bridge, Slow-driving Road surrounding Xishanyang, Wedding Park, Wetland Park as well as the Painting and Calligraphy Academy have been finished. More than half of the water area in Xishanyang has been desilted and the Shangshi five-star theme hotel’s major structure has been completed. In 2015, it is planned to start the construction of Water Park, sea of flowers as well as the scenery of mulberry trees and fish ponds. All these programs will make the element of silk more typical and special.
2. Industrial Program
According to the plan of “4 zones” and further deepening the conceptual design, we will start the construction of a series of important programs. First is the Qianshanyang relic museum (China Silk Expo Garden) and fashion expo center. We have invited 5 famous designing companies (world famous designers) both home and abroad to present their proposals. The final plan will be determined through comparison, aiming to build the two landmarks in Silk Town. Second one is the operational headquarter for silk enterprises. We plan to attract more than 10 companies both home and abroad to establish the trade center, financial center, operational center and brand exhibit center, etc. in Silk Town. We can provide them with the preferential policy given by Zhejiang government. The third one is expert creation garden which occupies an area of 221 mu. It gets the idea about the architectural form from the old residences of Huzhou historical and cultural celebrities. This garden will combine different aspects of designing, tourism, commerce, etc. With silk as the theme, it will reveal the historical and cultural characteristics of Huzhou and build an integral body composed of culture, tourism and commerce.
2) Situation about Current Investment Promotion
According to provincial governor Mr. Li Qiang’s requirement, Silk Town should insist the enterprises as the main body to lead the planning and construction. It should speed up the investment promotion, clarify the cooperation and development mode as soon as possible and set up the main body for development.
1. Contact with the Enterprises
Currently, we have deeply contacted with a series of leading silk enterprises, specialized real-estate operational groups and listed companies as well as large central enterprises which have strong ability to raise funds both home and abroad. Under the background that the provincial government is actively advocating the construction of characteristic towns, non-governmental capital has great enthusiasm in participating in the development and construction of this Silk Town. Several enterprises have already carried out the market survey and studied the cooperative plan.
2. Contact with the Relative Organizations
Since this year, we have contacted with several silk-oriented specialized organizations such as China Silk Museum, Zhejiang Silk Association, China Cocoon-silk-satin Trade Center, etc. China Silk Museum is willing to provide all-around technology to support the construction of the Silk Town. On the other hand, China Cocoon-silk-satin Trade Center hopes to build a national silk trade platform with us, together to set a national standard of silk.
3) Development Steps
April 2015, the framework about the cooperation and development of the Silk Town is formed and we have the preliminary target about the potential development and investment enterprises.
April 2015, landmarks such as Fashion Exhibition and Trade Center, Qianshangyang Relic Museum (China Silk Expo Garden), etc. will finish the first-step designing.
June 2015, intent about the cooperation and development of Silk Town will have been reached, and the developer will be identified.
September 2015, landmarks such as Fashion Exhibition and Trade Center, Qianshangyang Relic Museum (China Silk Expo Garden), etc. will start to be built.
Spring of 2016, Silk Town will form its unique image and start to entertain large number of visitors.
Before the end of 2016, some architecture in the core area of Silk Town will show their images.
