such traditions as Ganqiu Festival (to celebrate harvest in autumn), Caishan Festival (asking for blessings from
God, various activities held), Yangma Festival (to remember the contribution of sheep and horse), Huoxin Festival (people gather together to establish the regulations), crying marriage and funeral dance. And the suspending building of the Tujia people and the embroidery and wax printing of the Miao people are very special.
Chongqing now has a brand new strategy for regional development; the \Economic Circle\and the Two Wings, Northeast Chongqing and Southeast Chongqing.
Chongqing has a series of strategies for economic development since the establishment of the municipality: first, the three zones of Metropolitan Advanced Economic Sphere, Southeast Chongqing, and the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, and later the four blocks of the City Proper, West Chongqing, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, and Southeast Chongqing.
This change of policy aims at making Chongqing the key driving force in West China and the economic center at the upper reaches of the Yangtze.
The One-Hour Economic Circle will be centered at the city proper of Chongqing, a super metropolis, and covers 23 of Chongqing's 40 districts and counties, at one hour's driving distance. In 2006, the GDP of the One-Hour Economic Circle reached RMB 271 billion, 78% of Chongqing's total GDP. This is Chongqing's economic and industrial heart.
Northeast Chongqing covers 11 districts and counties, centered at Wangzhou District, comprising most the Three Gorges Reservoirs Area, Chongqing part.
Southeast Chongqing, as the residents are mostly ethic minorities, has six districts and counties, centered at Qianjiang.
According to the plan, Chongqing will realize the overall well-being in the One-Hour Economic Circle in 2015,5 years earlier than the plan of the central government, to drive the realization of well-being in West China three years earlier than the central government plan. Chongqing plans to triplicate GDP of the One-Hour Economic Circle in 2020,over that in 2005, and make the GDP per capita exceed USD 8,000. In 2020, the permanent residents will reach 22 million; the rate of urbanization will reach 80%; and major indicators of economic and social development will reach the average level of East China.
In the One-Hour Economic Circle, we will focus on industrial development and accelerate the development of industrial bases and industrial clusters, especially for modern manufacturing, service, and agriculture. In addition, we will expedite to make the metropolis of the city proper, more influential to surrounding regions.
Chongqing's stress on the development of One-Hour Economic Circle backs the development of the Two Wings. When the One-Hour Economic Circle is developed, the financial supports to the less developed areas, the Two Wings, will be strengthened. The One-Hour Economic Circle will offer employment opportunities for the redundant labors from the Two Wings, which will accelerate the urbanization of farmers. By 2020, the One-Hour Economic Circle is expected to offer as many as 4 million employment opportunities to the Two Wings.
In 1986, camellia was officially made the city flower of Chongqing.
Camellia is the evergreen shrubs in the theaceae family which has a long florescence, tolerates pollution and is easy to plant. There are 73 existing species. The flowers have bright colors, varying from pink, purplish red, to white and multiple colors. The petals have a variety of patterns.
Camellia has been cultivated in Chongqing for more than 2,000 years and is applied and praised a lot. Su Shi (1037--1101), a famous poet of the Song Dynasty, wrote some famous sentences in praise of camellia: 'With all the pollen taken by the humming bees, the flowers remain fragrant, sweet as honey.' In Zhiziqiao, Shigang, Banan District, an ancient camellia tree of 400 years old is still alive, 8m in height and 72 cm in diameter. Camellia can be found everywhere in Chongqing, in parks, scenic spots, in front of the houses, and on balconies of tall buildings.
The ficus lacor was officially made the city tree of Chongqing in 1986.
Ficus lacor is the tree with deciduous leaves, of banyan genus in the mulberry family. With its deep roots, strong trunk, and thriving branches and leaves, it has great vitality, grows fast, and enjoys a long life. The tree can grow on thin soil in hot, damp climate, and is pollution resisting. It can even grow well on high cliffs.
There are many places in Chongqing named after the tree, 'huangge', as the local people pronounce it. The fact is witnessed by ancient books. An ancient book Shui Jing Zhu (A Record of Rivers) of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 - 534 A. D.), noted, 'the water (of the Yangtze) then goes east through the Huangge Gorge (known as Tongluo Gorge today).' And in the Tu Jing (A Book of Pictures) of the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) described 'At the foot of Tushan Mountain, there are huangge trees (ficus lacor); and below the trees there is the Huangge Ferry Crossing'. In Chongqing today, there are quite a number of places named after the tree: Huanggeya, Huanggeping, for instance.