By LIU HUANZHI & WANG NAN

Chuxiong is home to many ethnic minorities and diverse ethnic culture.

Yunnan Baiyao, a white medicinal powder produced by the Yunnan Laoboyun Pharmaceutical Company, is well known for its miraculous treatment of hemorrhages, wounds and bruises. The Yi ethnic minority group of Chuxiong, Yunnan Province discovered it some 300 years ago.

Yi Medicine, Essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Yi medicine is a blend of local, Indian and Persian ingredients. It is considered a priceless aspect of traditional Chinese medicine, and local doctors have dozens, sometimes hundreds of secret prescriptions that they have inherited from their ancestors. There are rich medicinal resources in Chuxiong, including 1,381 species of plants belonging to 243 families. The First China Yi Medicine Pharmaceutical Culture Protection and Development Seminar was held in Chuxiong in February this year, attended by more than 100 traditional Chinese medicine experts. They all agree that Yi medicines have been well explored and developed, and will hopefully become a medicine as trusted as that of the Tibetan and Miao minorities.

Early in June 2002, the Yunnan provincial government proposed developing Yi herbal medicines, with the aim of making Yi medicine the second largest industry in Yunnan after tobacco production. The government plans to make 10 billion yuan in the next five years from the pharmaceutical industry, and 30 billion yuan in the coming 10 years.

In Yunnan's Chuxiong and Sichuan's Liangshan Prefecture, both inhabited by the Yi people, a complete Yi medicine research, development, treatment and teaching system has taken shape. This constitutes a solid foundation for large-scope Yi medicine research and industrialized production. Twenty nationally approved Yi medicines have already obtained intellectual property rights. They include Hairyvein Agrimony Compound Enteritis pills, and Toxin Dispelling and Skin Nourishing pills. They have been mass-produced and sell well. Chuxiong's pharmaceutical industry has since 2002 reached a gross output value of 500 million yuan, indicating good market potential for Yi medicines.

"Implementing the opening policy and attracting investment has introduced Chuxiong to leading pharmaceutical companies," says Ding Shaoxiang, secretary of the CPC Chuxiong prefectural committee. "Examples are Yanta and Jinbi, and a provincial level pharmaceutical industry zone has been constructed in our prefecture, which is now an important medicine production base in Yunnan." The reasons why so many come to Chuxiong are its business foresight, standard capital operation, rich medicinal resources and firm support from the local government. Chuxiong's development strategy for Yi Medicine exploration is to pay equal attention to medical companies, production bases and rural families. They have carefully selected and planted some 364 hectares of medicinal herbs, which have realized an output value of more than 41 million yuan. Laoboyun Pharmaceutical, the oldest pharmaceutical company in Chuxiong, plans both to continue its traditional medicine exploring and production and use its medicinal resources to explore traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine and medical material markets.

The hardware for pharmaceutical development in Chuxiong is already mature. More than 30 production lines have been established there with a combined production capability five times its present volume. The Good Manufacturing Practices recently implemented and enforced in China provide a good opportunity for Chuxiong, as it attracts more pharmaceutical enterprises and help them to explore the market.

Developing Culture and Economy Together

The area inhabited by the Yi people is one of the earliest cradles of human civilization. The Yuanmou Man found in Yuanmou County, Yunnan Province, was one of the earliest human inhabitants of China ever found. His fossilized remains are almost two million years old.

Rich Chinese medicinals herb resources in Chuxiong total 1,381 species belonging to 243 families.

Chuxiong is also the resting place of many dinosaur fossils. Lufeng Dinosaur Hill preserved the world's most complete and numerous dinosaur fossils.

The Yi people worship fire, and the Torch Festival, handed down for generations, is their most important festival. Its original purpose was to chase away evil spirits, but is now celebrated as an ethnic carnival.

Chuxiong's rich cultural heritage provides a solid foundation for its economic development. In recent years, Chuxiong Prefecture has implemented an industrial revitalization strategy to promote its social and economic development. It has formulated and implemented opening, business bidding and investment attracting preferential policies to encourage capital. In 2003, Chuxiong realized an industrial added value of 4.97 billion yuan, and its prefectural GDP reached 13.9 billion yuan. Industry is becoming the economic backbone of the prefecture, and its industrial position is becoming more and more important in Yunnan Province.

According to Ding Shaoxiang, Chuxiong Prefecture will develop three industrial parks in Chuxiong, Lufeng and Yuanmou, whose pillar industries will be tobacco, pharmacy, metallurgy, green food production and energy. The Chuxiong Economic and Technology Development Zone realized a GDP of 580 million yuan in 2003. By the end of 2003, it had introduced 548 projects with a planned investment of 7.674 billion yuan.

Lucheng City, capital of Chuxiong Prefecture, is an ancient town that has witnessed many historical changes. The old city is now being renovated, with some 31 projects in construction, including Taoyuan Lake, National Highway 320 and North-South Avenue. All of these will give the old city and prefecture a new look as it continues to pursue the global trend.