Zhang Jian (1853 ~ 1926), a native of Nantong, 1894 was the champion of the senior high school entrance examination; After treaty of shimonoseki was signed by China and Japan, they were indignant and advocated revitalizing industry and running education to save China from peril. Later, my father returned to the south due to illness, divorced from politics, and concentrated on industry, education, culture, water conservancy, transportation, urban autonomy and construction, and charity. Among them, he creatively managed the urban construction of Nantong and made extraordinary achievements, so Nantong was praised as "the first city in modern China".

Zhang Jian creatively manages Nantong.

First, China's early modernization experiment.

Zhang Jian lived in the chaotic era when the Qing Dynasty collapsed and the Beiyang government was in power. "He seems to be a famous figure who ended the old feudal ideas of two thousand years, and at the same time, he is a pioneer who moves towards a new society and serves the society enthusiastically"? Quote Zhang Jian's best friend Liu Housheng). Zhang Jian is an ambitious, pragmatic and enterprising person. After the reunification, he devoted himself to building a place. His social career involves many aspects:

(1) Chuangchang. Starting from 1895, Zhang Jian founded a series of important enterprises such as Sheng Da Cotton Mill.

(2) Open farms. 190 1 year, Zhang Jian founded Tonghai Reclamation Company to develop coastal beaches; Daxing farmland capital construction, planning farmland water conservancy, establishing cotton production base and developing agriculture; Later, salt reclamation companies such as Dayoujin, Dazi, Dayu and Dafeng were established.

(3) develop transportation. Based on the idea that road traffic is the mother of civilization and development, Zhang Jian established Sheng Da Shipping Company on 1998? By 19 18, the company has 20 ferries, which run on the 10 lane with Nantong as the center, connecting the north-south water network; 1904 Tiansheng port and its wharf warehouse were completed, and the Tongshen line was opened to connect with Shanghai; In order to strengthen the connection between Tangzha and the port area, Zhang Jian also built Gangzha Highway, and so on.

(4) water conservancy. There are frequent floods in Nantong. Zhang Jian personally hired water conservancy experts from Holland, Belgium, Hedri, Sweden and the United States to discuss Nantong's water control strategy, using science and technology to control water and building dams simultaneously.

(5) education. Zhang Jianyan said: "Without learning and skills, if you want to report national humiliation, you have no capital;" If you want to learn without popularizing people's education, there will be no guidance; If you want to educate and popularize the people without seeking teachers, you will have no guidance. Therefore, you must start from primary school, especially from normal schools. " Zhang Jian's urban cultural education construction mainly includes: 1902 self-raised funds to build Tongzhou Normal School, which will be completed the following year; Han Molin Publishing House was built in1905; 1909- 19 12 to establish two specialized schools of business and medicine; 19 14 to build a library, etc.

In addition, Zhang Jian also revitalized business, improved the environment, promoted municipal construction, and set up power plants, electric lights, telephone companies, etc. , bringing together many achievements of Nantong, blossoming and bringing benefits to future generations. In the modern history of China, this is a great "early modernization experiment".

Second, the understanding of Zhang Jian's early modernization experiment

(1) Zhang Jian's thought of "saving the country through industry" is based on the development of productive forces.

Zhang Jian believes: "The foundation of the world lies in agriculture, and the importance of today lies in business. Without commerce, agriculture will not lose anything. " "To develop business in China, we must first seek the increase of commodities; If you want to increase goods, you must have enough raw materials. " Agricultural products are the raw materials of all kinds of manufactured goods. If they are not multiplied, the development of industry and commerce will never be expected. Therefore, Zhang Jian advocated the coordinated development of workers and peasants. Objectively, the above-mentioned undertakings such as setting up industry, building water conservancy, reclaiming farmland and developing transportation have also improved the local productivity level.

(2) The purpose of education in Zhang Jianxing is to develop modern culture on the basis of traditional culture.

Zhang Jian has made great achievements in culture and education. Dewey, an American educator, said: "Nantong is the source of education, and I especially hope that it will become the center of education in the world."

Zhang Jian attached great importance to the introduction and cultivation of urban cultural talents. For example, when he chose the curator of the museum, he said, "Those who have attained the Tao, who are unswerving gentlemen who are not naturalists, must also be meticulous and interested in artists." Zhang Jian has also done a lot of work in reforming drama. He founded the first drama school in China, Nantong Gongling Club, and established a more vulgar theater? The modern theater, which can accommodate 1200 seats, invited famous Peking Opera artists such as Mei Lanfang to perform in Nantong, and hired Ou Yangyuqian as the director and presided over the school. To commemorate the drama activities of Mei Lanfang and Ou Yangyuqian in Nantong, Mei 'ou Pavilion was built. In addition, in 19 10, Zhang Jian met Shen Shou in Nanjing Nanyang persuasion society; 19 13 years, in order to develop women's education and advocate arts and crafts, 19 14 years set up an embroidery school workshop for female workers, with Shen Shou as the director. Seven years later, Nantong Embroidery and Weaving Bureau was established, and Shen Shou was invited as the director. Later, he set up branches in Shanghai and new york to promote art and revitalize industry, and assisted Shen Shou in writing "Xueguan Embroidery Spectrum".

(3) Zhang Jian creatively carried out urban construction.

Cities are carriers of people's production and life. Tongzhou ancient city was built in 958, which is a typical urban pattern. In the middle of Ming Dynasty, the east and west compartments were developed. When Zhang Jian set up an industry in Nantong, he creatively carried out urban construction. He chose Tangzha in the western suburbs of the city, Tiansheng Port of the Yangtze River as the port area, and Langshan Mountain in the southern suburbs of the city as the garden private house and scenic spot. The three places are about 6 kilometers away from the old city, and the roads are connected, which constitutes the spatial pattern of "one city and three towns" with the old city as the center. Cities and towns are relatively independent, with clear division of labor and less pollution, and each can develop reasonably. This pattern of multi-town and multi-block layout in one city is very creative.

Zhang Jian built roads, museums and Wushan Park, spared no effort in urban construction, managed the city with the feelings of a poet, and strived to make people live and work in peace and contentment. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, a city park was built in the urban area. In 19 18, it was expanded into five small parks in the east, south, west and middle, which were called "five mountains and five parks in the north, and the five parks were mutual"; "A big garden of a city, one by one"; 19 14 also built a park in tangzha industrial zone.

He rationally expanded the old city, built administrative facilities and services such as commercial finance, entertainment and leisure, restaurants and hotels outside the south gate of the main city and Taowu Road, and built schools, museums, libraries and other cultural and educational undertakings along the Haohe River, opening up new development space for the new city, invigorating the appearance of the city and attaching importance to the creation of urban landscape.

In order to promote urban construction, Zhang Jian also consciously trained the chief architect of Nantong, also known as Sun Zhixia, one of the earliest modern architects in China, who grew up in the local area and left many architectural design works integrating Chinese and Western cultures.

(4) Zhang Jian's idea of coordinating regional development.

Zhang Jian's thought of developing Nantong is not only based on the urban concept, but also seeks the overall coordinated development of cities, towns and villages, which has the idea of regional development. The proposal of Tong, Tai and Yan Economic Zones and the development plan of Wusong were more than half a century earlier than today's Suzhou-Wuxi-Changzhou Economic Zone.

In Zhang Jian's thought of regional overall development, "village-oriented" needs to be expounded. The establishment of the company is of great significance, which can not only be regarded as water conservancy construction and land transformation, but also find a way out for modern rural construction. He believes that "food and clothing is an essential factor for a stranger, and the origin of food and clothing lies in agriculture ..." Let's take a look at the history of the company's establishment and its achievements in rural human settlement construction mentioned in his speech at the first shareholders' meeting of Xingmu Company: "Within each dike, people have houses, treat people with houses, entertain guests with halls, store houses, grow vegetables with gardens, rent houses with houses, and build houses with cities and businesses, and make many bridges."

Under the influence of Zhang Jian's thought, at that time, Sha in Rugao County, Sun Chu in Jingsha County and Ling Xunzhi in Yancheng County around Nantong were all devoted to revitalizing local industries and organizing schools, and the role of satellite cities suddenly rose.

To sum up, Zhang Jian develops industry, builds new cities, expands new urban areas and builds regional infrastructure? Irrigation and water conservancy, traffic construction, and efforts to develop rural areas are not only for the material construction of cities and regions, but also for the "overall improvement of society."

The practical significance of tracing this history.

The purpose of tracing back this period of history is not only to re-evaluate Zhang Jian's urban construction thoughts and achievements, but also to explore its practical significance, that is, to study Zhang Jian's early modernization road in China, as well as his "one city, one district" planning and construction thought in a series of urban construction practices, and to explore its significance to China's urban construction road.

First, make a deeper analysis and understanding of Zhang Jian.

When commenting on Nantong, planners first affirmed the planning and creation of "one city and three towns" in Nantong, which is of course correct, but it may not be appropriate to understand it with the western "satellite city" theory. "One city, three towns" is the characteristic of Nantong layout, and it is Zhang Jian's creation according to the development requirements of industrial transportation, including the development process. As can be seen from the literature, Zhang Jian's description of Nantong's specific planning ideas seems to be few, but what he did, from unconscious to more conscious, has a forming process, and some ideas are indeed dominant. In order to illustrate this point, we need to make a further comprehensive and in-depth analysis and understanding of Zhang Jian.

(1) Love the country, hometown and people.

This point has been recorded in some of his biographies, and some general explanations have been made in previous articles. Based on the ambition of strengthening the country and enriching the people, Zhang Jian is the top scholar. The article also talks about "giving my life to the tiger", "going down is the world's cattle and horses, and the end of the year will never end", "I dare not relax myself when I am 70 years old". What I have done is rooted in my sincerity to my country and my love for my country and people is beyond words.

(2) the political proposition of "local autonomy"

This paper does not discuss this too much, which is a proposition commented by historians. However, from the perspective of urban construction, under the political conditions at that time, it was a realistic move for Nantong to seek one-sided "autonomy", do practical things and benefit the local area with political achievements. As a national political line, it is unrealistic to seek the way to save the country, but as a local construction in Nantong, it should be said that it is successful. Moreover, the political ambition of "local autonomy" pursues "the overall improvement of society." Although it is utopian, Zhang Jian has accomplished many undertakings with a very serious attitude and body, and the above-mentioned Nantong urban construction also belongs to the product of this grand idea.

(3) Multi-directional and multi-level construction route

Mr. Zhang Jian's construction thought is multifaceted and has a wide understanding of economy and society. For example, starting from the international market situation and the social capacity and demand of China at that time, he made various observations and reflections on cotton and iron in order to seek the way of development; I have studied water conservancy and transportation, worked in the government, was in charge of industry and commerce, water conservancy and other affairs, and personally participated in various specific plans; He suggested that Longhai Road lead to Nantong? The routes he proposed are Suqian, Huaiyin, Huai 'an, Yancheng, Nantong and Chongming, which are of great significance to the development of northern Jiangsu. Unfortunately, because political disputes were not adopted, this route is still included in the planning of Jiangsu Province. Another example is the plan to open a commercial port in Wusong, which advocates that a good port should be built at Wusong mouth of the Yangtze River estuary, where municipal administration and industry and commerce are developed, and commercial ports should be the first voice to recover the concession. Wu Tiecheng, the former mayor of the Shanghai Municipal Government during the Anti-Japanese War, developed a new administrative center in Jiangwan for the same consideration, which was particularly rare. The above shows that his thinking is open and far-sighted, and his urban planning and regional development ideas are the product of multi-system and multi-level construction routes.

(4) Science and humanistic spirit

Zhang Jian consciously regards urban culture, splendid ancient society and ethical thoughts as important guidelines for urban development, and details of his China culture, oriental philosophy and methodology can be seen everywhere. For example, he named the company "Sheng Da", "Fu Sheng", "Zisheng", "Lifelong" and so on, which means that the Book of Changes is "a great day for the birth of heaven and earth". Zhang Jian himself explained that "all political and academic minimum expectations should make most ordinary people live above the lowest level", and the development of Nantong originated from Historical Records. He has a soft spot for parks, "park people, human feelings, industry and education", all of which shine with the light of traditional cultural thoughts. Therefore, Nantong is not only a place where people live together and a production base, but also a place where culture is prosperous. This is consistent with the creation of "pleasant living environment" pursued by today's cities in terms of ideas, ideals and theoretical principles.

Under the conditions at that time, Zhang Jian was able to consciously accept modern science and pay attention to the information at that time. He said, "I am useful because of my new evidence; Things in China are done in other ways, but there are teachers in China. "At the beginning of the 20th century, some modern urban construction and urban planning ideas in Europe and Japan did not necessarily spread to China? After 1930 s, Zhang Jian's 70-day trip to Japan, and made a thoughtful observation? For example, Zhang Jian's "Diary of Eastbound Travel 1904" describes his observation that "Sapporo Street is seven or eight feet wide, even in vertical and horizontal directions, with neat official studies, macro studies and macro opening; There are many factories, and it is a pioneering work to meet each other for 20 years. " Sure enough, Zhang Jian himself worked hard as a pioneer for more than 20 years and achieved remarkable results. Zhang Jian had a clear technical route, introduced the technology of western talents according to the principle of "serving us", established China's own urban and rural areas, and gradually brewed in practice, forming China's relatively complete planning thought in modern times; He also claimed to attach importance to planning and mapping. "The planning of construction should be proper, the planning of surveying and mapping should be detailed, and the progress should be gradual. When another plan is sent to the people, the benefits of education should be widely sought. " "To organize local undertakings, we must first know the size, number and number of places, so we must have a complete map, and then we can plan on the map, where to run schools, divide villages, talk nonsense and dredge water sources.

(5) Philosophy and methodology

The formation of Zhang Jian's planning and construction thought is rooted in his philosophical thought and methodology. He advocated the combination of theory and practice academically. In his own words, "Learning needs theory and experience, while learning and practicing, he is learning and demanding more ..." He pays attention to practical knowledge, reading and traveling to observe mountains and rivers, and the two are integrated, which embodies the spirit of an explorer and entrepreneur. He combined the conditions of Nantong in a down-to-earth way, but it was not limited to Nantong. He said with foresight: "A person should have a provincial vision, save trouble, have a national vision, and have a world vision." "Today, China is in the era of great power competition. No matter what policies, it needs to have a vision of observing the world and equal means, and then it must compete with it. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was rare to have such a far-sighted vision.