Can Jiangxi's Textile Industry "Big Sister" Usher in a "Rebirth"?

As a historical and cultural city, Nanchang is home to many old buildings brimming with historical charm. The Wanshou Palace Historical and Cultural Block, Shengjin Tower Folk Custom Street, and 699 Cultural and Creative Park—places that carry Nanchang's memories—have successively embarked on their "rebirth journeys." Jiangfang, an industrial relic from the early years of New China, has now been designated as part of a historical and cultural district. The Jiangfang 1953 Cultural and Creative Industrial Park has commenced construction. Can this once-dominant "big sister" of the textile industry, after years of decline, finally witness a "rebirth"? 1. "Men seek Jiangfang, women marry Hongdu"—this was a saying circulating in Nanchang during the 1960s. When it comes to Jiangfang, no longtime Nanchang resident is unfamiliar with it. Jiangfang, short for Jiangxi Cotton Textile Printing and Dyeing Factory, is located on Qingshan Road in Qingshanhu District, at the terminus of Bus Route 8. 2. The old industrial factory buildings of Jiangfang were constructed in 1953, featuring a layout of "northern workshops, southern residences," central axis symmetry, and a courtyard-style design. It was one of the top ten textile enterprises built during China's "First Five-Year Plan," with Soviet-style architecture exuding a strong sense of the era. 3. In 1954, Jiangfang began production, supplying cotton yarn, cotton cloth, and bleached-dyed fabrics that were in high demand at the time. Mentioning Jiangfang would earn thumbs-up across Nanchang and even all of Jiangxi, with nationwide acclaim as well. 4. At its peak, Jiangfang employed up to 20,000 workers, with nearly 30,000 family members living in the area. It had a complete set of living facilities: being born in Jiangfang Hospital, growing up in Jiangfang's school for employees' children, and working at Jiangfang after graduation was the common life trajectory for that generation. 5. "Back then, villagers around Jiangfang dreamed of becoming Jiangfang workers." Old Liu, now in his seventies and a former employee, recalls those days with pride: "You have to understand, working at Jiangfang was such an enviable job—people would pull strings just to get in. Back then, Jiangfang truly was enviable, with hospitals, schools, cafeterias, sports fields, cinemas, and all the necessary amenities. Living here meant you could meet all your needs without ever leaving the compound." 6. As an old state-owned textile enterprise, Jiangfang ultimately succumbed to the fierce competition of the market. In 2002, the factory underwent restructuring, with hundreds of employees reassigned, and its uncompetitive, loss-making textile and dyeing operations were decisively halted. Times have changed, and Jiangfang has been off the historical stage for years, with its factories closed and sites abandoned. The former glory of Jiangfang now lingers only in the weathered bricks and tiles of its buildings—but it has not been forgotten. 7. In June 2023, this industrial relic that witnessed Nanchang's urban development officially began construction as the Jiangfang 1953 Cultural and Creative Industrial Park. Following the original layout of "northern workshops, southern residences," central axis symmetry, and courtyard-style design, the park will preserve Jiangfang's industrial heritage, architectural style, and landscape while transforming into a comprehensive cultural and creative hub integrating creative offices, education and training, leisure, fitness, and cultural consumption.