Longevity village faces short-sighted tourist boom

By Wang Wenwen Source:Global Times Published: 2014-4-12 0:58:01

Illustration: Peter C. Espina/GT



It is supposed to be an honor for a village to be dubbed as a land of longevity where folks regularly live past 100. Such is the case with the beautiful Bama county in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region which became famous for its large number of centenarians in the 1990s.

The county, set against the backdrop of the mountains and a then clean river, aroused the interest of not only scientists but also the media. Regular media reports encouraged people who want to seek the secret of a long and healthy life to flock to this land.

However, even Dr Keiichi Morishita, who helped boost Bama's reputation two decades ago, recently claimed that he would never want to go back to Bama and that Bama was a failed case, as the area's peaceful state has been challenged by continuous crowds.

It is Bama's popularity that is destroying its attractions. Many residents blame developers who try to seek commercial gains while sacrificing the nature of Bama to attract outside visitors.

Meanwhile, city residents bring their urban lifestyle to this county in the name of purifying their mind so as to live a longer life.

Residents began to complain the river is being polluted and their lives are disturbed. Given that not as many residents living provably over 100 as in the past, the town's reputation for longevity may be equally disturbed. An influx of tourists is hardly conducive to a peaceful and long life.

A similar case can be found in Fenghuang, Hunan Province, known for its outstanding natural beauty. Since its tourism resources began to be exploited, the pursuit of economic benefits and the coming of outside culture have gradually made the town lose its charm.

Towers and terraces were replaced by commercial streets filled with bars, restaurants and souvenir shops.

While people have lost interest in spending their holidays there, they forget that it is their own behavior that has led this ancient town into a dead end. The town used to be poor and isolated, but at least local people's lives were simple and clear.

People's desire to live a healthy and longer life is understandable, especially for city dwellers who are under great pressure from life and work.

They fancy that living in the hotels built by developers near the longevity village may offer some mystical nimbus. As longevity has become the brand of Bama, even products labeled as coming from Bama are all thought to help boost longevity such as beans, corn and even bottled water.

But let's face the reality. People cannot expect to expand their life spans with just occasional mountain air, spring water and tender breeze. What helps is a peaceful mind, a recipe everyone acknowledges but finds it hard to follow.

Wise people know how to seek a calm mood in this debilitating society to ease themselves into their golden years. Meanwhile, they know they should leave the last pieces of pure land to those who own them rather than enter as destroyers.

The significance of Bama and Fenghuang perhaps lies in reminding people of a farsighted lifestyle. Not ruining it is certainly a mark of the kind of cultured approach that helps with longevity.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. wangwenwen@globaltimes.com.cn



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