At the end of 2011, Yichang, a beautiful city, was awarded the title of “National Model City” by Central Guidance Committee after 15 years’ efforts, making a breakthrough in Hubei Province.

The new title does not stop Yichang from growing but encouraging it to go further in the long term.

In September, 2012, NBS (National Bureau of Statistics) made an evaluation of 127 national model cities and nominated cities in terms of Civilization Index and juvenile moral education. The result shows that Yichang ranks 8th among 17 national model cities at prefecture level and 23rd among top 65 cities at prefecture level (including national model cities at prefecture level) in respect of adolescent’s moral education, achieving the goal of becoming a model.

Promoting Civilization Along with Development

Where there is city development, there is civilization promoting. With the expanding of city size, Yichang combines civilization promoting with social management innovation to cultivate modern farmers and build new rural communities.

Infrastructures concerning people’s life are renewed, such as lighting facilities, underground pipe network, roads, transportation signs, public toilets, etc.. Per capita living space of urban residents has increased to 32.23 square meters compared to 28.88 square meters during the 10th Five Year Plan Period. By the end of 2012, the projects of low-rent housing, economically affordable housing and old city renovation have solved the housing problem of over 40 thousand people.

Yichang Government spares no effort to solve the problems people concerned. 29 parks, 36 amusement parks and 37 greenbelts have been built. 22 communities at the edge of city, 58 farm produce fairs, 240 back street, alleys and 10 thousand small businesses have been regulated comprehensively. 1000 parking lots have been built as well. Yichang gets the title of National Sanitary City again after being awarded National Forest City, which benefits people with the increasing happiness index.

About 10 thousand moral lectures, telling stories about oneself or people around, have been given by Yichang people, such as urban citizens, farmers, civil servants, students and workers, to promote the construction of moral culture.

In recent years, 3000 role models have come from moral lectures in Yichang, among which 3 have been nominated for National Moral Model prize, 6 Moral Models of Hubei Province, 104 Moral Models of Yichang City, 36 have been chosen as Role Models in China and 3 have been elected as candidates of the 4th National Moral Model. 

At the same time, Yichang citizens are encouraged to supervise all the service industries, food and drug industries and public places.

Various voluntary services have been given to help people in need.

At present, Yichang has 130 thousand registered volunteers and about 100 volunteer service stations have been set up in urban and rural areas. During the weekend, the volunteers will help people on the street, impressing many citizens. “Volunteers are new drives of model city. The more volunteers a city has, the more courtesy a city will be.” A tourist from Baotou commented.

At the beginning of 2013, Huang Chuping, Member of Standing Committee of Hubei Provincial Committee, Secretary of Yichang Municipal Party Committee, put forward that the construction of megacity has to be not only big and powerful but also wonderful and beautiful, which means that the environment of development, investment, living, service and culture must be fabulous and everything, including city image, natural beauty, must be pretty.

Yichang today has more surprises to expect. (Reporter: Zhao Wei)