The story of Yanqing people's emigration for building a reservoir

When talking about the three cultural zones of Beijing, such as the "Great Wall", "Xishan" and "canal", the topic is always inseparable from the "immigrant culture" related to water. For more than 60 years, Yanqing, as the main strategic water source base and ecological conservation development area of Beijing, has to mention the migration story of the two reservoirs.

The spring scenery of Baihebao reservoir is intoxicating [Photo by Zhang Yan]

Guanting reservoir, the first large reservoir built after the founding of the People's Republic of China, is known as "the first reservoir for water control in China". Its completion has thoroughly eradicated the Wuding River floods and made Beijing's "Yongding River" worthy of its name. It is of great significance to guarantee Beijing's urban water use, eradicate Yongding River floods and protect ecology. It is a milestone in the history of water conservancy in China. Baihebao reservoir is the largest reservoir built by Yanqing people on their own. It has comprehensive benefits such as water supplement, irrigation, flood control, power generation and reservoir breeding.

The panorama of Baihebao reservoir [Photo by Zhang Yan]

Immigration is closely related to the political and economic situation of the country, from laws and policies to organizations and specific implementation. On April 19, 2007, the meeting of the implementation work of Yanqing large and medium-sized reservoir resettlement supportive policies at late stage was held. According to the relevant regulations of the State Council and the municipal government, the reservoir migrants who enjoy the support policy in Yanqing are the rural migrants from Guanting reservoir and Baihebao reservoir. Since July 1, 2006, the government will grant 600 yuan per person per year to the immigrants who are included in the scope of support, and the support period is 20 years. The scope of population approval and registration of this support policy is the immigrants and their descendants who are determined to move before June 30, 2006 due to the construction of Guanting reservoir and Baihebao reservoir, and have agricultural household registration. According to the relevant provisions, within the defined scope, the township government and village committee shall complete the verification and registration of migrant population. According to statistics, due to the construction of Guanting reservoir and Baihebao reservoir, 27000 people were resettled in Yanqing, and the current immigration is 31000. Among them, the current population of Guanting reservoir is 28000, and that of Baihebao reservoir is 3000, which is distributed in more than 100 villages of 11 towns in the whole region.

Yanqing's two large-scale immigrants may have been forgotten by people, but there are still many scenes, many stories, many customs and many valuable things to be nostalgic. In the reservoir construction of those years, the dedication spirit of "take one for the team" needs to be inherited forever. The construction of the two reservoirs is to supply water to the city of Beijing. Although the twice migrations have become a thing of the past, when people are in the valley and Pinghu Lake can still vaguely think of the great mind those immigrants choose for the sake of beautiful scenery and happy life of others. In particular, those unforgettable years, those who did not leave a name, for the sake of the national and collective interests, would rather sacrifice their own interests to support national construction, which make people deeply moved.