Chongqing - This November, a sculpture inspired by the Bayu Sacred Bird will be unveiled in Guanajuato, Mexico, highlighting a significant milestone in promoting Chinese culture globally, as announced on August 13.
The Bayu Sacred Bird, resembling a phoenix and found in Gaojia Town, Fengdu County, represents the county’s unique cultural heritage. It is also a significant symbol in both Eastern and Western cultures, highlighting its global cultural relevance.
As one of China’s first open counties, Chongqing's Fengdu showcases its growing openness. It is a key tourist spot known for blending traditional Bayu culture with modern development, and it is famous for its ancient temples and scenic landscapes.
A comparison of the Bayu Sacred Bird before and after its restoration. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)
The Bayu Sacred Bird, a phoenix-related find like the Golden Sun Bird from Chengdu, was one of China’s top ten archaeological discoveries of its year and is now a prized exhibit at the Three Gorges Museum.
Fengdu County, recognizing the Bayu Sacred Bird’s cultural and social impact, decided to create a global cultural icon based on the bird to enhance its international cultural outreach, said Zhang Guozhong, Secretary of the Fengdu County Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Boosting the new materials industry
Fengdu County is rapidly advancing major projects to build a strong industrial cluster, with two investments of over 10 billion yuan each: a 20 billion yuan fiberglass project and a 10 billion yuan aluminum alloy project. The goal is to develop a 50 billion yuan new materials industry cluster by expanding and refining the industrial chain.
The county is also fast-tracking a 10.3 billion yuan pumped-storage hydroelectric project and has already connected a 440,000-kilowatt wind power project to the grid. Additional wind and photovoltaic projects are planned to establish a 10 billion yuan new energy industrial cluster.
The total installed capacity of wind power is 440,000 kilowatts. (Photo/Fengdu County Media Center)
Tang Shouyuan, Deputy Secretary of the Fengdu County Committee of the Communist Party of China and Mayor of the People's Government of Fengdu County, said that Fengdu County is advancing its new materials industry through innovative energy, raw materials, and talent measures.
Tang added that the county's partnership with PetroChina Southwest Oil and Gasfield Company ensures an annual supply of 600 million cubic meters of discounted natural gas, significantly reducing energy costs.
A specialized team has found 290 million tons of white bubble stone in Fengdu County, securing a steady supply for fiberglass production. The county has also partnered with the National Engineering Research Center for Magnesium Alloys (CCMg) to support talent needs for the new materials industry.
Fengdu County will advance large-scale projects, such as the fiberglass and Liziwan pumped-storage hydroelectric projects while focusing on attracting and developing upstream and downstream enterprises to enhance the industrial chain.
So far, the county has launched 135 projects with a total investment of 56 billion yuan, including four projects worth over 1 billion yuan and two worth over 10 billion yuan. These projects position Fengdu as a key hub for China's new materials industry.