Renmin Road in Nanyang, a Road to Happiness

Renmin Road in Nanyang, a Road to Happiness

家乡的人民路丨南阳市人民路：立足当下 与时俱进，铺就“人民幸福路”

The Renmin Road in Nanyang city of Central China's Henan province, an epitome of the city's fast progress with the changing times, has left the local seniors with good memories.

南阳人民路是南阳立足当下与时俱进城市快速发展变化的一个缩影，一路走来，人民路是“老南阳人”的美好记忆，它见证着时代的变迁。

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On July 1, 1994, the prefecture-level city of Nanyang with 13 counties (county-level cities and districts) like the newly-established Wancheng district and Wolong district was approved by the State Council based on the former Nanyang prefecture, county-level Nanyang city and Nanyang county. The main urban area of Nanyang is divided by the south-north Renmin Road into Wancheng district in the east and Wolong district in the west.

1994年7月1日，国务院批准撤销南阳地区、县级南阳市、南阳县，设立地级南阳市，并新设宛城区和卧龙区等13个县市区。其中南阳市主城区依人民路东西一分为二，东边为宛城区、西边是卧龙区。

The beautiful Baihe River, Nanyang's mother river, flows through the city, fostering this ancient land for thousands of years. On the Renmin Road lies an ancient government building, which was first built in the Northern Song Dynasty in 1271, while to the west of this ancient building is the famous Hongde Commercial Street, always busy with visitors wandering, eating and shopping along the river. But do you know that this river was notorious for its pollution in the past?

秀美的母亲河白河穿城而过，千载不息滋养着这块古老的土地。人民路南阳府衙西边的鸿德商街每天都是游人如织，人们信步生态河边，品美食佳肴，逛琳琅商场，可谁又知道，曾几何时这条护城河因污染而被群众广泛诟病。

The Renmin Road in Nanyang. [Photo/dahe.cn]

Living on the Renmin Road, Mr. Chu is in his 70s now. Hongdu Times Square, a landmark on the Renmin Road, becomes a place where retired workers like Mr. Chu exercise every day. Prior to the upgrading of the river, he often exercised at Jiefang Square on the Binhe Road, far from his home. Now, thanks to the ecological improvement around the Baihe River, Mr. Chu no longer need to go round the sun to meet the moon.

家住人民路民主街的楚先生今年已经70多岁，退休后的他每天一大早都会到人民路地标性的红都时代广场进行晨练，在这条护城河没有修缮之前，他都跑大老远去滨河路解放广场进行活动，自从这护城河生态环境发生翻天覆地的变化后，一出门就是环境优美的活动场所，再也不用舍近求远地跑了。

The Renmin Road in Nanyang. [Photo/dahe.cn]

"Following the Communist Party of China, my life is getting better with each passing day," said Mr. Chu.

在记者采访中，楚先生高兴地说：“跟着党走，这生活真是一天比一天美呀。”

Thanks to the comprehensive management of the rivers in Nnayang's downtown area, the "stinking sewers" in the past have become today's ecological rivers featuring beautiful landscapes.

现如今，随着南阳对中心城区内河的综合治理，昔日的“臭水沟”变成了今天的“生态景观河”，成为城市一景，成了真正的网红打卡地。（中文来源/大河网 翻译/魏蔚 实习生王君艺 审校/张玉红 赵汉青）