OBOR: How Special Is Yanqi Lake Metaphorically and Historically?
It is non-editorial section providing for only private record for the sake of sharing only. I am not responsible for any misuses of this blog.
Picture source: Google
This morning at about 7:30 am, series of leaders, one of whom include Cambodian PM Hun Sen, were walking into the forum hall in Yanqi Lake. That beautiful blue sky reminds me of ASEAN-US summit in Maryland a couple years ago. What are secrets behind such landscape holding the summit?
This blog has no other meanings but giving an amateur report and reflections which I habitually do for my integrity of “sharing is caring”. This time I investigate how Yanqui Lake landscape reflects OBOR principles metaphorically and historically, followed by some of my reflection of OBOR. All information is earned by Xinhua China News Live Stream of Belt and Road Leaders Forum in plus with literature I read occasionally.
Yanqui Lake lies about 50 kilometers northeast from Beijing of China, allowing viewers to see historical landscape of the Great Wall. The lake is referred by Chinese locales as the Geese Lake due to huge flock of wild geese migrating there during autumns. Etymologically Yanqui means Geese Rest (see China wiki).
President Xi Jinping hence draws an analogy between OBOR counterparts to flock of swan geese. He says, “The swan geese can fly long and safe through win and storms because they move in flock and help each other as the team.” Such the statement implies the OBOR’s genuine rejection of ‘protectionism’ currently faced in the Western Bretton Woods system. Good blue sky of freshness at Yangi Lake must encourage all swan geese of OBOR to spread to wings up to the sky of opportunities of growth. All geese of hope fly far and safe in storms of challenges in the sky of security equipped with cooperated policies and wills. Out of my skepticism, humans and geese are different, confrontational in nature. To make humans become geese needs strong will and structures. Also we have to make sure all geese are healthy enough to fly; diseases of individual geese have to be solved—such as corruption and oppression.
These are all just metaphorical. Does Yanqi Lake have other aspects behind OBOR aspiration? Of course, it has a beautiful geostrategic history. Geographically the lake provides reflection of the Great Wall of China built by Emperor Qin in attempt to protect from nomadic tribes named Xiongnu. What went wrong with them? Also we cannot forget talking about an iconic Chinese missionary Zhang Qian.
During Han dynasty, Central Asia, currently as a second part of Xi’s Overland Silk Road, was controlled by Xiongnu tribes who never stopped themselves from growing and becoming a major threat to Chinese empire. Even importantly, they dared to prevent Han Empire from getting rich because of its annoying geostrategic location in the middle between China and the West. It simply means that the Xiongnu Tribes upset economic relations between Chinese Han and the Western markets.
Until 138 BC, Emperor Wudi decided to send Zhang Qian to Central Asia in hope of building alliances in fights against nomadic tribes Xiongnu. Tribe by tribe the missionary was able to build strong alliances; however, later on he was arrested by Xiongnu and put to hard labor. Fortunately, his diplomatic skills helped him out of suffer and even marry to a Xiongnu wife who later gave a birth to a son. That even created more trust and friendship between the tribes and Zhang Qian as a representative of Han dynasty. Needless to say, Chinese Han and Central Asia eventually tied together, which gave another birth of Overland Silk Road.
All in all, Yanqi Lake represents two interesting pictures of geese and Great Wall as aspiration behind OBOR initiative. By the way, without visualization and wills to act, aspiration is still like a picture of roasted Beijing duck in front of a hungry man. Thanks for reading.
References
LIM, Tai Wei (2016), "China's One Belt One Road Initiative/ Tai Wei Lim, Henry Chan, Katherine Tseng & Wen Xin Lim". New Jersey: Imperial College Press
Xinhua China News Live Stream: Yanqi Lake Belt and Road Leaders Forum / May 15, 2017
