Zibo barbecue is said to have a mastermind behind it on the internet, but in fact, this is a very official jargon. Zibo was the capital of the ancient Qi State and has a deep historical and cultural heritage. It still maintains this inheritance, which adds a lot of vitality to the city.
On the other hand, in many other cities on the mainland, in order to become so-called civilized cities, they are eradicating and suppressing local customs and cultures, such as the Spring Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. These Chinese customs that have been passed down for thousands of years are being banned and diluted by the authorities. It is precisely because of the ideological corruption of the government that these cultural elements originating from Chinese culture have been listed as intangible cultural heritage by other countries and become representatives of their cultures. Therefore, a nation without its own culture cannot have a soul, as culture is a part of the soul. The same goes for patriotism. Without its own cultural genes, how can there be patriotism when the soul is hollow? Zibo, on the other hand, may not be a large city in terms of area, but when it comes to creating a civilized city, it focuses on putting people first, using guidance and guidance as the basis for urban development.
On the contrary, many cities on the mainland are suppressing the night economy and street vendors in the name of creating a civilized city. Civilization has become a new slogan for the city, but also the most feared voice in people's hearts. The purpose of a civilized city is to achieve harmony between the government and the people. If there is opposition between the government and the people, the civilization of the city will be suppressed and eventually become sick. Once it becomes sick, the government will lose its authority and the people will lose their identity, leading to an explosive force beyond imagination. Historical events such as the Nanchang Uprising and the Wuchang Uprising in 1927 are the best examples. The people do not reject peace, but if peace is suppressed, they would rather rebel against it, as rebellion may bring about a happier life than living like dogs.
Therefore, although Zibo is in the same country as other cities on the mainland, many places only pursue false prosperity and neglect the well-being of the people. For example, in 2023, various strange phenomena appeared on short video platforms, such as trees being cut down and rice being grown on mountains, urban management acting like bandits, and agricultural management acting like robbers. It is unclear whether someone is playing a prank or deliberately creating content without a clear purpose. However, these things are definitely not groundless rumors. Therefore, once the people's trust is lost, it is difficult to regain it. Just like the Qing government, even if there were some good policies and enlightenment, it would still be remembered negatively for thousands of years.
Creating a civilized city also requires putting people first. The people are the masters of the city and can contribute to the city's tax revenue. The government of Zibo understands this very well, but it is unknown whether the government officials of other cities have gained their positions through connections and then started to abuse their power and exploit the autonomy of the people. Therefore, relying solely on GDP is not enough to achieve a civilized city. It also requires a strong supervision system, which should be carried out by the people. Through a blockchain-based voting system, the performance of an official can be assessed. In a city with millions of people, even if some politicians want to suppress others using their power, in a performance assessment system where each person has one vote and anonymity is maintained, the rise and fall of an official can be determined, reflecting their performance in serving the people. The people know how much an official has done for them, and they also know how much an official has harmed their interests. Therefore, true civilization does not depend on how clean the facade is, but on how harmonious the people in the city are and how happy the people in the countryside are. It is not about taking advantage of one's position and acting like bandits. This false civilization may not promote the birth of true civilization.
The great fire of Zibo did not happen overnight but was the result of a consensus built over a decade. The integration of the government and the people, and the consensus from bottom to top, can drive the development of the entire city towards civilization and harmony. Because it stands on the side of the people, thinking about what the people think, and solving the people's livelihood, instead of constantly making things difficult for the powerless people.