On the afternoon of October 17th, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Liu Chi Lane in Tongcheng City, Anqing, Anhui Province. During his visit, he explored the local efforts to promote and preserve excellent traditional Chinese culture as well as enhance spiritual civilization.
Liu Chi Lane is located in the heart of Tongcheng City, stretching just over a hundred meters. Unlike winding and deep alleys, it is straight and only six feet wide, which doesn’t accommodate bustling shops. Adorned with green brick roads and dark tiles, and shaded by towering camphor trees, this lane encapsulates its entire charm. Despite its modest size, it attracts numerous visitors from across the country every year.
Historical records, including “A Brief History of Tongcheng County,” recount an incident during the Qing Dynasty in the Kangxi era involving Scholar Zhang Ying, then Grand Secretary and Minister of Rites, who faced a property dispute with his neighbor, the Wu family. Upon receiving a letter from his family seeking help, he replied with a poem: “A letter merely conveys a wall, what’s three feet more or less? The Great Wall still stands tall today, yet we see no more of Qin Shi Huang.”
Inspired by Zhang’s words, both families willingly conceded three feet, leading to the creation of the renowned “Six Chi Lane.”
For years, efforts have been made to restore and revitalize Liu Chi Lane in Tongcheng. The local court has creatively adopted the essence of the Liu Chi Lane story into what is known as the “Liu Chi Lane Mediation Method,” comprising six steps: listening, reasoning, encouraging, borrowing, yielding, and harmonizing, to help resolve community disputes. Today, the spirit of Liu Chi Lane has influenced various aspects of social governance in Tongcheng, emphasizing courtesy and harmony.
As you stroll through the streets of Tongcheng, the influence of Liu Chi Lane is omnipresent: murals adorn street walls, lines of poetry like “What’s three feet more or less?” can be found on community buildings, and children’s books feature stories from Liu Chi Lane.
This well-known lane is not just a local point of interest; it has transcended its origins in Anhui. During the 2023 National Two Sessions, the “Liu Chi Lane Mediation Method” was highlighted in the Supreme Court’s report. In November 2023, the “New Era Liu Chi Lane Work Method” was recognized as an advanced example of the “Fengqiao Experience” nationwide. The principles of Liu Chi Lane have been successfully implemented in grassroots political and legal departments in Hubei, Guangxi, Shandong, among other regions.
Liu Chi Lane embodies the essence of the Chinese philosophy emphasizing harmony. It teaches the importance of neighborly relations and cohabitation through courtesy. Moreover, it offers insightful strategies for social governance, helping to build consensus and identify the greatest common denominator among communities.
Interviewer: Chen Nuo, Liu Meizi, Qu Yan
Visuals: Tan Muxiao, Sun Pengcheng
Produced by Xinhua News Agency’s Domestic Division and Anhui Branch.
Editor: Wang Qin
