China - Hubei Shiman Highway Project : social assessment

27923 2003/8/31 The Social Appraisal Report on Hubei Shiman Highway Project &Rural Road Improvement Program (Revised) Social Survey Research Center of Peking University Beijing China August 31, 2003   Appraisal organization: Social Survey Research Center of Peking University Address: Room 5207, Department of Sociology, Law Building, Peking University Tel: 0086-10--62757189 HP: 13683243230 Fax: 0086-10-62751677 Postal Code: 100871 Email: liuay@mail.disa.pku.edu.cn; liuay@sohu.com The Social Appraisal Report on Hubei Shiman Highway Project &Rural Road Improvement Program Financed by the World Bank Team Leader of Social Appraisal: Liu Aiyu Staff Members: Liu Aiyu, Wang Ren, WangHansheng, Ying Yi, Zhang Lin. Major Participants: Wang Yanghong, Yu Wei, Guo Chenglin, Cao Yuan, Jian Yonggang, Zhang Limin Author of the Report: LiuAiyu   Preface Entrusted by the World Bank Financed Project Execution Office (PEO) under the Hubei Provincial Communication Department (HPCD), the Social Survey Research Center of Peking University CSSRCPKU) conducted an independent social appraisal on Hubei Shiman Highway Project & Rural Road Improvement Program. (HSHP & RRIP) Seven locations (Shuangloumen village and Tongshugou village under Hanjiang Office in the Zhangwan District, Waduangang village under Liubei Town and Quyuanhedian village under Qingqu town in Yun county, Shitizi village under Chengguan town and Guandimiao -illage under Tumen town and Shangxiangkou village in Yunxi county ) were selected as the points of investigation (POls) for social appraisal under HSHP. The other three locations (Baojiadian village under Baoxia town in Yun county, and Xiaojiagou village and Dengping village under Pankou township in Zhushan county) were selected as the points of investigation (POIs) for social appraisal under RRIP. The siting for this social appraisal has fully been taken into account the economic position, geographic location, traffic conditions, relations among ethnic groups and gender role of the affected groups within the directly and indirectly affected areas. During August Jh and 18"b, 2003, the social appraisal group which is made up of 13 members and is divided into two sub-groups conducted a 14 day social survey at 10 points of investigation (POIs) and collected the following materials respectively: 1. The natural, geographic, traffic and ecological environments as well as social and economic development in the grand area. 2. The natural, geographic, communication and ecological environments as well as social and economic development in the concerned counties and cities of this appraisal report. 3. A detailed description of the natural situation, resources, current economic and social situation of the towns in which the ten points of investigation (POls) are located. 4. The detailed circumstance of geography, land resource, population, number of families, industrial structure, income and expenditures, differentiation in wealth and reasons therefore, traffic conditions, labor service export, education, medical care, women problem, ethnic groups, religion, and etc. of the ten points of investigation (the ten administrative villages including Shuangloumen village) and  points of deep investigation (the villagers in the aforementioned administrative villages). 5. We conducted a semi-structured questionnaire survey to 302 households in the aforementioned administrative villages. The questionnaire included such information as household members' individual information, residence and traveling, production and operation, labor service export, income and expenditure, industrial structure, labor division and decision of the family, local people 's understanding of the Hubei Shiman Highway Project (HSHP) & Rural Road Improvement Program (RRIP) financed by the World Bank, local people's attitudes and expectations towards land levy and immigrants brought by the project. 6. In-depth interviews with 52 households or individuals. This social appraisal has been fully supported by the Project Office of Hubei Communication Department and the traffic departments of the involved cities and counties, as well as wholeheartedly aided by villagers and their governing county (district), township (town) governments at the 10 POIs, which are hereby devoutly acknowledged! And during the process of social appraisal , Mr. Liu Zhefu, a social development expert from the World Bank, offered invaluable ideas and suggestions, for which we here present our sincerest acknowledgement.  Abstract 1. The total investment of HSHP & RRIP amounts to RMB5.327 billion yuan, among which the loan from the World Bank is RMB2.08 billion yuan ($250 hundred million), accounting for 39% of the total investment. The constructions include the highway mainline (105.86km) and a sub-project (rural road improvement, ten rural roads as well as two bridges). 2. The World Bank Project Office of Hubei Communication Department entrusts the Social Survey Research Center of Peking University to form an expert group who will be in full charge of the social appraisal of the project. 3. The aim of this social appraisal is: to help design and execute the project with the support and active participation from individuals and villages whose interests are directly influenced by the project; to understand the social and economic situation of the affected areas and the influence the investment of the project will exert on the local economy; to pay attention to peasants' expectations and attitudes which include how they try to make their demands met so that the blueprint and goal of the project may be accepted and recognized ; to keep a close eye to the suggestions and measures which may avoid or reduce the negative influence brought by the project so that social costs may be reduced to the least. 4. A method combining quick participative rural appraisal (PRA) and fieldwork in anthropology as well as the questionnaire survey in sociology is adopted for this social appraisal 5. The landform in the affected area of the project varies dramatically, but the majority of it is mountainous regions and hills. The components of Shiyan city used to be called as a place which is made up of "90% hills, 5%water and the other 5% soir'. 6. The economic development of the affected area is on the middle or lower level in Hubei province. Yun county, Yunxi county and Zhushan county in the affected area are state- identified poor counties. 7. The economic development of the 10 points of investigation which participate this appraisal is far from the general level. The major part of the economic structure is the first industry which can be specifically divided into three kinds: the planting of vegetables, fruits and other economic crops, the planting of characteristic crops such as yellow ginger and the planting of wheat and other grains. 8. That the numbers of exporting workers and the time they work out has been  important bases of dividing those rich from the poor. And this rule applies both to families as well as villages. 9. Working outside has changed Iasants' lifestyle, psychology, value system and ways of thinking. They have become more modem than traditional individuals. 10. All the residents in the affected area are Han people. Since no ethnic minorities live there, to give them special support is not necessary. 11. The idea that "women are inferior to men" is changing. Women have been playing important roles in social and economic life and their influence in public affairs have been gradually increasing. The gender roles are changing as well. Men used to handle outside affairs and women domestic ones. But they begin to share equal rights right now. More and more women are working outside. They have broader visions and more open thinking. However, compared with their male counterparts, they are still in inferior positions. 12. The transportation in the points of investigation is generally rather poor. And local people strongly appeal to the improvement of it. 13. We asked local people to prioritize the 'questions ' about their life situation and village development. And it is a highly effective social appraisal method in which local knowledge has been fully explored. With this method, we obtained invaluable information that cannot be acquired by other means. 14. The semi-structured questionnaire survey is an important component of this social appraisal. And the specific sampling method of this survey is to choose one district, two counties and seven points to conduct indoor investigation. The questionnaire data of rural roads improvement came from the research conducted by the following people in December 2002: Mr. Dong Zhengyi, a senior engineer from the standing committee member from the Planning Division of China Roads Association, Dr./Professor Cheng Shenggao, an environmental protection expert from China University of Geosciences, Dr./Professor Zhang Haiyang, an anthropologist from the Central University of Nationalities, and Mr. Yu Bin, senior engineer from the Planning Office of Hubei Communication Department. 15. Those small transportation entrepreneurs, peddlers, forests and fruits-garden contractors and common villagers are the direct beneficiary of the project. Women, children and local governments of all levels are the indirect beneficiary of this project. 16. HSHP & RRIP will greatly help solve the traffic problems in the affected areas of  the project. 17. HSHP & RRIP will help strengthen the ties between the local area and markets, therefore increase employment opportunities and integrate local agriculture into a larger market. 18. HSHP & RRIP will bring benefits to the general villagers in the points of investigation, and will not result in enlarging the gap between the rich and poor. 19. HSHP & RRIP will help elevate women's position and improve the living condition of the fragile group. 20. As far as the requisition and compensation of land are concemed, villagers hope that a dualistic compensation method will be adopted which combines money, land as well as employment opportunities and among which money compensation takes up a major part. 21. In regard to the housing reconstruction (Chaiqian) and compensation, the villagers hope that executer of the project will offer money compensation and the local government will provide free land for them to build new houses. They also hope that the compensation money will be granted to each family in advance. 22. Villagers were generally very worried about that the compensate fee of land and resettlement allowances might be intercepted and embezzled by local governments of all levels. They were especially concerned about that various taxes and fees might be directly deducted from the compensate fee of land and resettlement allowances. In general they proposed they should be once granted to villagers directly. Some villagers even suggested each family be offered a deposit book and money be directly put nto it so that deductions by local governments may be avoided. 23. We must take into full account of peasants' interests and listen to the voices of them and consider their proposals comprehensively. We also must bear this in mind that the opinions of people from different status? roles and classes should be fully taken into account. 24. The education on traffic security should be strengthened and more security measures be taken.  i i i i i I  TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter One Introduction to the Project and its Social Appraisal ..................................................................11-15 1.1 General Introduction of the Project 1.2 General Introduction of the Social Appraisal of the Project 1.2.1 The Significance and Objective of the Social Appraisal 1.2.2 Methodology of Social Appraisals 1.2.3 The Operation of Social Appraisal 1.2.4 Sources of Documents & Materials Chapter Two General Introduction of the Affected Areas of the Project .....................................................................-16-33 2.1 The Directly and Indirectly Affected Areas of the Project 2.2 Geographic Location, Historical Development and Human Cultural Characteristics of Affected Areas 2.3 Demographic composition and nationality characteristics of Affected Areas 2.4 The Economic and Traffic Conditions of Affected Areas of the Project 2.5 The Natural and Human Resources of Affected Areas of the Project 2.6 D irect and Indirect Stakeholders Chapter Three Current Condition and Problems of Each Part of the Project .............................. 34.49 3.1 Main Project of the Highway 3.1.1 Basic condition of the transportation facilities in the affected areas 3.1.2 Existing problems 3.1.3 Necessity of the Project 3.2 Sub- project 3.2.1 Basic Conditions and Existing Problems 3.2.2 Necessity of Improving the Roads Chapter Four Priority of Major Stakeholders on Relevant Questions of the Project ............................... 50-61 4.1 Significance and Operation of Priority of Relevant Questions 4.2 Priority of Richness and Poverty 4.2.1 Prioritization of Reasons for Richness and Poverty 4.2.2 Prioritization of Reasons for the Poverty of Families  4.2.3 Prioritization of Factors restricting the Development of Local Economy 4.2.4 Prioritization of Positive Effects of Implementation of Projects on Local Economy 4.2.5 Prioritization of Disadvantages Brought by Implementation of the Project on Local Economy Chapter Five The Social and Economic Life of Major Stakeholders and Their Expectations towards the Project .*-- 62-96 5.4 Production and Operation 5.4.1 Land 5.4.2 Means of Production and Operation 5.4.3 Working Time on Agricultural Production as well as Non-agricultural Production 5.4.4 Analysis of Working out 5.4.4.1 Time of working out 5.4.4.2 Places for working out 5.4.4.3 Occupations 5.4.4.4 Income from outgoing laborers 5.5 Income and Expenditures 5.5.1 Income 5.5.2 Expenditures 5.5.3 Incomes and Expenditures of Typical Peasants 5.6 Housing and living 5.7 Traveling and Transportations 5.7.1 Household Vehicles in Relation with Satisfaction Toward Traffic Conditions 5.7.2 Traveling Frequency in Relation with Degrees of Satisfaction of Those Investigated 5.7.3 Occupation in Relation with Degrees of Satisfaction Toward Traffic Conditions 5.7.4 Living Environment in Relation with Degrees of Satisfaction Toward Traffic Condition 5.7.5 Cases 5.8 Gender and Division of Labor 5.8.1 '4Men wcrk outside and women stay at home"? 5.8.2 Distributionof Employment Opportunities 5.8.3 Education 5.8.4 Social Participation 5.9 Attitudes and Expectations towards the Highway Project  5.9.1 What people know about the Project 5.9.2 Project and Opportunities 5.9.3 Typical Cases: the Fragile Groups and Opportunities Brought by the Project 5.9.4 Perception of Impacts on Land Acquisition and House Reconstruction 5.10.1 Expectations from Land Expropriation and Compensation 5.10.2 Expectation of Compersation for House Reconstruction 5.11 Conclusion from Individual Interviews and Questionnaire Surveys Chapter Six Discussion ................................. 97-99 6.1 HSHP and RRIP are Beneficial to the Solving of the Emergent Traffic Problems 6.2 They Are Beneficial to Strengthen Ties with Markets and Increase Employment Opportunities 6.3 They Are Beneficial to Solving the Poverty Problem 6.4 They Are Widely Beneficial to Villagers and Will not Widen the Gap between the Rich and Poor 6.5 They Are Beneficial to the Promotion of Women's Status 6.6 They Are Beneficial to the Cultivation of Children and Development of Secondary Higher Education Chapter Seven Suggestions .*- -- --- 100-107 7.1 Suggestions from Villagers 7.2 Suggestions of Township (Town) Government 7.3 Expert Panel's Suggestions Appendix One Social Appraisal Team .105 Appendix Two Guidelines for the Social Appraisal Work on HSHP and RRIP .106-109 Appendix Three Guidelines for the Interviews of Cadres on HSHP and RRIP .......................................................................................110-112 Appendix Four Guidelines for Individual Interviews on HSHP and RRIP .......................................................................................113-114 Appendix Five Guidelines for Seminar Discussions on HSHP and RRIP ... 115 Appendix Six Guidelines for Surveys at Schools on HS HP and RRIP P...- 117 Appendix Seven Questionnaire of Social Appraisal on HSHP and RRIP *.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------117-16  I i I  Chapter One Introduction to the Project and its Social Appraisal 1.1 General Introduction of the Project Shiman Highway is the west extension of Hubei Xiaoxiang Highway and Xiangshi Highway and an important entrance to the northwest areas. The highway begins with Xujiapeng at Maojian district in Shiyan city, extending to Tumen (the locality of Dongfeng Tyres factory), Shuangmenlou,Qingqu, Jiepaiguan, Hejia, Huocheling, Tianheping, Wangjiaping, Bamudi, Xiangkou, Lishiguan, Erdaoya,Jiaochangguan, Dingjiawan, and ends in Manchuanguan, where the boundary of Hubei province and that of Shanxi province meets. Altogether it goes through one city ( Shiyan) ,two districts (Maojian and Zhangwan), two counties (Yun and Yunxi). Totally the highway extends 105.86 km long. It is expected that the general speed is 80km/k. The base of the highway is 24.5m wide and the net width of the bridge is 2X 11 .0m. According to the communication planning of Hubei province, Shiman Highway Project and the Rural Roads Improvement Project are to be built with the loans from the World Bank. It is expected that the project will fully start in 2004 and be finished in 2008. The estimated investment of the project is RMB5.327 billion yuan. 1.2 General Introduction of the Social Appraisal of the Project The social appraisal on HSHP & RRIP is an important step of the feasibility report of the project, and it is also an absolutely necessary reference to the investment of the World Bank. The World Bank Project Office of Hubei Communication Department entrusted the Social Research Center of Peking University to form an expert group who will fully in charge of the social appraisal of this project. 1.2.1 The Significance and Objective of the Social Appraisal 1.2.1.1 The Significance of the Social Appraisal Social appraisal is a form of feasibility research a fundamental condition of the design and implementation of a project and the supplementation b the analysis of economy, finance, technology and environment. A project argumentation without social appraisal is incomplete since it cannot be replaced by other argumentations. 1.2.1.2 The Objective of Social Appraisals The basic objective of social appraisal is to ensure the social benefit, which includes the social and cultural influence and the potential social and cultural problems, and correspondingly eliminate or at least decrease the negative social effects. The social  appraisal will contribute to the dearness of the objective of the project and more attention to the poverty-stricken people in the affected areas of the project and more support to the fragile group, especially the ethnic minorities and women; it will also contribute to the constructions of various associations, organizations and institutions which will provide more opportunities to locals, and to the communication and understanding between investors and those interest-relevant people, and to the enhancement of the participation and sharing of information; it will also contribute to the founding of the base of social supervision and appraisal 1.2.1.3 The Objective of this Social Appraisal The objective of this social appraisal is to understand the direct and potential influence of the investment df the project on the social and cultural characteristics in the directly and indirectly affected areas. At the same time the appraisal also concerns the traveling demands of the major stakeholder---- ordinary peasants and residents, which include how they imnage to make their traveling demands met and what are their prior demands during the construction and reformation of the road network. The appraisal will introduce a gender prospective when taking the project into account. Besides this the appraisal will reveal the advantages and disadvantages of the economic development in the affected area. 1.2.2 Methodology of Social Appraisals The appraisal group from the SSRC of Peking University combined such methods as participative rural appraisal (PRA) method, the fieldwork survey method in anthropology and questionnaire survey in sociology to conduct the social appraisal on HSHP & RRIP. Participative Rural Appraisal method depends largely upon the participations of the residents in the local communities of the affected areas. With this method we may collect various kinds of information on their production, life, environment, etc. It is a community development method which entirely depends upon local knowledge, leadership, institution and resources to attribute to the rural development through local people's participation. With such a participative interaction with local people, the experts get to know the community development, social relationships, structure of resources and local knowledge about the historical development and changes as well as the current social and economic situation. Participative observation in fieldwork is the fundamental research method in which researchers enter the targeted community, live with locals for a period of time and  observe local life, production and rites. This method combines subjective research as well as objective research and conduces to the understanding of the actual living conditions and true thoughts of local people. Questionnaire survey method is the most frequently used method in modem society to collect information. Its most obvious advantage is to obtain plenty of rich, comprehensive and objective materials in a very short time which can be handled and analyzed quantitatively. As an important component of the social appraisal, the questionnaire survey aims at understanding local people's comments and attitudes on the influence brought by the implementation of the project, and making a comparatively in-depth sociological as well as anthropological analysis, ensuring that the investment of the World Bank will help those poorly -paid people and the fragile group, guaranteeing that men and women enjoy equal opportunities of participation, and building a social supervision and estimation system to achieve the aforementioned goal. Hence the appraisal group initially designed the form titles with "The Social Appraisal Survey Questionnaire on Hubei Shiman Highway Project Financed by the World Bank". The analysis on the questionnaire survey will add to the width of the materials collected with the participative rural appraisal and fieldwork survey methods. 1.2.3 The Operation of Social Appraisal The SSRC of Peking University formed a social appraisal group in late July 2003. According to the requirements of the World Bank and the specific situation of the project and that of the affected area of the project, the appraisal group designed "Outline of the Social Appraisal on Hubei Shiman Highway Project Financed by the World Bank" (Appendix Two) and "Questionnaire Survey on Shiman Highway Project Financed by the World Bank" (Appendix Seven) and the flow chart of this social appraisal. Before the survey, the group collected and analyzed relevant documents and materials of the affected areas of the project as well as the points of investigation. On August 5th the social appraisal group discussed in detail such issues as the objective of this social appraisal, the working process and the choice of the points of investigation with directors of Hubei Communication Department and those of the World Bank Project Office and reached an agreement. Then the social appraisal experts were divided into two sub-groups and went to the ten points of investigation from August dh to August 18th and conducted a 12-day social research. An strictly order was followed: holding conversations with representatives of the counties, towns,  village cadres and villagers? drawing maps(community maps as well as maps of household distributions) ? prioritization(prioritizing the positive and negative influences of the highway and roads improvement on local people, prioritizing the factors which may exert influence on local economy, prioritizing the beneficiaries) ? conducting the indoor questionnaire survey? making in-depth interview with household members. During the survey, local governments of all levels and local residents offer great support and help which made it true to finish the survey in the due time. Hubei Communication Department, the World Bank Project Office, the Statistics Bureau of Hubei Province, the Antipoverty Office of Hubei Province, the Communication Bureau and Statistics Bureau and Antipoverty Office as well as other governmental organizations of Shiyan City, Yun and Yunxi and Zhushan County were visited curing this survey .10 symposia were organized, 1 I village (town) cadres were interviewed, and 4 schools were visited. Altogether 302 questionnaires were issued and 200 of them were returned effectively (vith a rate of 66.3%) and 52 in-depth interviews with villagers were held as well. The specific sampling method was to choose 3 counties (districts) and then 7 points of investigation out of the three districts (counties) to conduct indoor investigation. The standards of choice are as following: firstly, to choose 7 villages and towns according to the kind of samples (the level of economic development, the geographical position and the section of the project); secondly, to specify an administrative village among the aforementioned villages and towns by drawing lots; thirdly, to specify one or two natural villages from each administrative village. To ensure the objectivity of the materials as well as the appraisal, the SS1 RC of Peking University employed 3 local students from Shiyan city to conduct the questionnaire survey independently. When holding interviews with families, the social appraisal group rejected local officials' offer to accompany them. Instead the group asked local guide and interpreter to eliminate peasants' worries, which guaranteed the objective revelation of their true thoughts and requirements. Whe n organizing symposia with villagers and asking them to prioritize problems listed, all appraisal groups adopted the universally used method of anonymous meeting. 1.2.4 Sources of Documents & Materials This report was based on the following 4 kinds of documents and materials: ? . Official statistics and materials supplied by Hubei Communication Department:  The Abstract of China's Statistic Year Book in 2003, The Statistic Almanac of Hubei Province, The Statistic Almanac of Shiyan City, The Feasibility Research Report of the Section of Shiman on Yinwu Highway, statistic forms of all counties, towns and villages under investigation. ? Ethnographies: Such as The Ethnography of Shiyan City, The Ethnography of Yun County and etc. ? Field Research Materials Above all the listed references, two principles were observed strictly: first, use the latest statistic materials; second, use the first-hand materials as far as the statistics of villages are concemed to ensure the objectivity and exactness of them; third, integrate the ideas of peasants' and local governments of all levels' to analyze questions we came across to avoid partiality and distorting the true problems so that the appraisal might come nearer to the core of problems.  Chapter Two General Introduction of the Affected Areas of the Project 2.1 The Directly and Indirectly Affected Areas of the Project Hubei province, "E" for short, covers a total area of 185, 900 km2. It neighbors Anhui province on the east, bordering on Jiangxi and Hunan province to the south, Chongqing Municipality to the west, Shanxi province to the northwest and Henan province to the north. It is surrounded by mountains and hills in the east, west and north. In the south of it lies an incomplete basin. The ave rage height of the west areas reaches over 1OOOm above the sea level with mountains extending from the northwest to the southwest continuously. While in the southeast and northeast are hills which are less lOOOm high. In the middle lies the broad and rich Janghan Plain which is below 50m. Altogether mountainous regions covers 50% of the total area of the province, hills 24%, plains and Lakeland 20%, and other watery areas 10%. That is why it is also called "the province of a thousand lakes". Most areas of the province are under the influence of the humid subtropical monsoon climate. Every year it enjoys 230-300 non-frosty days. The average yearly rainfall is between 750- 1600 mm and the average temperature 13-18 'C. And it enjoys 1200-2000 hours of sunlight every year. Now it govems 12 province-level cities, 24 county-level cities and 41counties and is capitalized at Wuhan. By the end of 2002, its total population had been 59.88 million people, accounting for 4.7% of the total population at the density of 322 people/km2. The overall provincial GDP in 2002 was RMB497.6 billion yuan. The trunk line length of the Shiman Highway (TTH) is 105.86km. By geographic location and major benefited areas under the Project, the directly affected areas cover 1 city (Shiyan), 2 districts (Maojian and Zhangwan district), and 2 counties (Yun and Yunxi). By adjacency to the affected areas in geographic location, connection in traffic network and post-project influences, the areas indirectly affectedby the Project are also outlined, including the remaining territory of Hubei Province, Shangluo area of Shanxi Province, Gansu Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Within Hubei Province, the most indirectly affected area is Shangluo area. 2.2 Geographic Location Historical Development and Human Cultural Characteristics of Affected Areas The affected areas lie in Northwest of Hubei, lower reaches of the Hanjiang River, located at Qinba mountainous area. It abuts on Xiangfan city to the south, close to Ankang area in Shanxi province to the west, bordering on Shennongjia city and  Chongqing Municipality to the south, Shangluo area in Shanxi provinceand Nanyang city in Henan province to the north. These areas take on diversified landforms, mainly in mountains and hills. The cultivable land mainly includes river valleys and basins, which takes up 7% of the total area. The watery area covers 101.95 hectare, 4.3% of the total area. The landforn of Shiyan city is called by local people as "90% hills 5%water and the other 5% land". Shiya n city was part of Jiao and Yong (the two were kingdoms at that time) in Shang and Zhou Dynasty. During the Warring States period, it belonged to Chu (a kingdom). In Qin and Han dynasty it was under the government of Changli county, Hanzhong province. And during Donghan and Wei it was part of Xi county; and then Yunxiang county Wudang province in Tang and Song dynasty. In Yuan dynasty, Yun county was established. In Qing dynasty people build ten dams at Befer River and Jianghe River to irrigate vegetables and crops, after which Shiyan was named (In Chinese "Shi" means "ten" while "yari' means "dam"). In 1967, the Secondary Automobile Factory was built there and Shiyan Office was set up in Yun county. In 1969 the State Council authorized the establishment of Shiyan city (county-level city) and in 1973 was promoted to a province-level city. In October 1994, the past Shiyan city and Yunyang area were combined together and the current Shiyan city was established. Shiyan city now govems 5 counties, a city, 2 districts and an economic and technology development district, namely, Yun county, Yunxi county, Zhushan county, Zhuxi county, Fang county, Zhangwan district, Maojian district, Danjiangkou city and Bailang economic technology district. At the end of 2002 the city covers a total area of 23.6 thousand km2, with a total population of 3.387 million people (among them 1.7864 million are men and 1.6006 million women) at the density of 143 people/km2 and a GDP of RMB23.152 billion yuan. Zhangwan district is in the city zone area of Shiyan. It borders Han river to the north, Shennong to the south, Ba mountain to the west and Wudang mountain to the east. It is the headquarter of Dongfeng Automobile Company----China's one of the biggest state-owned enterprises as well as the biggest Tyre manufactory in Asia. The district covers a total area of 651.65 km2 with total population of 260.6 thousand (among them there are 135.1 men and 135.4 women) at the at the density of 400 peopleAn2 . It right now govems 2 villages, 2 towns, 4 subdistrict offices, and a provincial economic and technological development zone (Shiyan Xicheng economic and technological development zone). Altogether there are 66 villagers' committees and 40 neighborhood committees. The major industry includes machinery, metallurgy,  chemical industry, electricity, light textiles, building materials and medicine. In 2001 the GDP of the district reached RMB709 million yuan. Maojian district lies in the east part of the city zone and at the foot of the Wudang Mountain which enjoys a world fame as a touring site of Taoism. It is the political, economic and cultural center of Shiyan. The district was established in 1984, and governs 2 villages, I town 2 state-owned forestry centers, 4 subdistrict offices and an economic development district. By the end of 2002, it had covered an area of 540 km2 with a population of 230.2 thousand (among them there are 119.7 thousand men and 110.5 thousand women) at the density of 426 people/km2 . In 2001 its GDP reached RMB780 million yuan. Yun county is located at middle-low reaches of Han River in the northwest of Hubei province. It is close to the famous Wudang Mountain, the White River in Shanxi province bordering on Xichuan in Henan province to the north and Shiyan to the south. It is called "the protective screen of Hubei province, the door and window of Henan province, the throat of Shanxi province and the dispensation of Sichuan province" .The total area of the county is 3,863 km2, and takes on a look of "80% hills, 5% watery areas and 10% fields, and the other 5% is roads and farms". Yun county has been established for more than 1,700 years. Since the foundation of People's Republic of China, it underwent many changes, and it has been an attached county to Shiyan city since 1994,at present it governs 15 towns, 3 townships and 518 villagers' committees. By the end of 2002 it had governed 3,863 km2 with a total population of 603,900 (among them there are 319,400 men, 284,500 women) at a 2 density of 156 people//kmH. In 2002 its GDP reached RMB 1.631 billion yuan. Yunxi county is at the corner of northwest Hubei province, to the northern bank of Han river and the southern side of the east section of Qinling. It lies between 114