Doesn’t the name \u534e\u897f\u6751\u53cd\u8d2a\u8150\u6559\u80b2\u4e2d\u5fc3 sound like a place of serious reflection? I am excited to share its story with you.
Guangzhou is a city with a long history. It has been known by many names. One is Canton, which you might know. It has been a center for trade for a long time. Guangzhou was the first city in China to open up to foreign trade. That was in the 19th century during the Qing Dynasty.
Now, let’s talk about Xian village. It is in Guangzhou. Once, it was a village of 1400 families spread across 45 acres. New skyscrapers and apartment towers ringed it. The land was very valuable. It was labeled the diamond village.
In 2009, the government wanted to redevelop Xian village. They promised villagers apartments in new high-rise towers. But, there was a lack of trust. Most villagers supported redeveloping their ancestral land. But they wanted to control the process.
For six years, many families gave in to pressure. They signed over their homes. Still, some families remained. They lived among the rubble and vacated homes.
One villager was beaten by local security. Villagers called them the gang. Lu Youtian was beaten. He grabbed a bamboo fighting stick. He defended himself.
Villagers amassed and called the police. Old Lu threw a brick at the thugs. The thugs retreated. Lu Youtian was badly injured.
Later, villagers blocked Huangpu Avenue. This is a main road in Guangzhou. They wanted to put pressure on the government. SWAT officers arrived. Officials promised justice.
Xian village is one of many urban villages slated for redevelopment. Many farmers have lost their land in China. Local governments profit from this.
Lu Yongquan wondered where all the fields had gone. Officials profited as the villagers lost their farmland. Lu Suigeng, the village party secretary, sold off Xian village’s land. He took kickbacks.
In 2008, the Xian Village Record was published. It revealed details of Xian village’s transformation. Villagers learned what they had lost. They began to protest. They wanted officials to open the village accounts.
In 2010, city officials moved to flatten slum areas like Xian village. The villagers resisted. There was a battle. Many were wounded.
The villagers’ resistance persisted. Development costs spiraled. The Poly Real Estate Group took over the project. Xian Yaojun, a leader of the village’s defense movement, was arrested.
After Xian’s arrest, villagers were afraid to speak freely. They held secret meetings. Construction of a wall ringing the village commenced. Migrant workers were barred from entering.
Lu Yongquan and others planned demonstrations. In 2012, Xian was freed. In 2013, Poly’s guards almost beat a villager to death.
After 33 years, Lu Suigeng fled abroad. Village officials were arrested. Villagers celebrated.
An election for new village representatives was set. Fissures opened among the villagers. Some boycotted the vote.
In 2013, Cao was detained. He was suspected of taking millions in bribes. A year later, the village officials were tried.
Today, some families remain in their half-demolished village. They don’t trust the developer. The ancestral temples reopened. Villagers congregate there.
The story of \u534e\u897f\u6751\u53cd\u8d2a\u8150\u6559\u80b2\u4e2d\u5fc3 is a testament to the resilience. It highlights their fight against corruption.