“Didn’t it used to be called Bakou?” someone in our group asks, peering at the bustling streets of Pingquan. That’s right. Pingquan, once known as Bakou, is a county-level city in northeastern Hebei. It’s a place buzzing with trade, echoing with the clinking of coins and the shouts of merchants. But beneath its vibrant present lies a history interwoven with Mongol lands, gold mines and even religious unrest. Pingquan wasn’t always the name etched on maps. It grew, absorbing Chinese colonies in the surrounding Mongol territory. Parts of the Kharachin Right Wing Banner and the Kharachin Middle Banner, both belonging to the Josutu League, became part of its story. This expansion, however, wasn’t always peaceful. The year 1891 brought a wave of violence with the Jindandao Incident. Pingquan became a battleground for clashing beliefs as Chinese religious sects stormed the town. Catholic churches were razed, the flames consuming not just buildings but also the lives of Chinese converts. Today, the echoes of that dark chapter have faded, replaced by the bustle of modern life. The city thrives as a center of commerce, its streets alive with the energy of its people. But if you listen closely, perhaps in the whispers of the wind or the rhythm of the marketplace, you can still hear the faint echoes of Pingquan’s past, a reminder of its long and fascinating journey through time.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to