By Lau Lan Cheong

Recently in the numerous mountains and valleys of Southern Guangdong， 1）crisscrossing greenways have appeared as if by magic and have attracted many tourists from the world over. “Lüdao” is called “greenway” in English and its a natural passageway that connects the city with natural and cultural sights. Guangdong Province was the first in the country to develop a greenway network， connecting the whole Pearl River Delta region. On the greenway， we can walk， ride our bikes and do other outdoor activities. We can go along the greenway and travel to many different cities. According to the Master Planning Outline of the Pearl River Delta Greenway Network， the construction of the mainline was started back in 2010. That means in the past two years， more than 2，000 kilometers of regional greenways have been built. The greenway network is structured with six mainline greenways that connect to the greenways of each city in the region， as well as greenways on the community level. This forms a multi-layered network system， covering the whole Pearl River Delta area. After one year of construction and perfection， the six ecological greenways have been woven into a network connecting the city with the countryside. Just like a string of pearls， they link together the nine shiny and beautiful cities and more than 200 scenic areas. If you dont have the money for a luxurious trip， you only have to take up your backpack and get on your bike， and you can travel anywhere along the Southern Guangdong Greenway.

The Poet Wang Wei from the Tang Dynasty wrote， “The boat wavers on the green waves and people travel in a picture.” If we apply the scene described in this poem to the Zhaoqing greenway， we might say “the bike soars along the greenway and we travel in a picture.” Zhaoqing greenway was named “the most beautiful greenway in China” in 2011 and the Zhaoqing people are very proud of it. According to planning， Zhaoqing will build greenways totaling 1，130 kilometers， among which provincial Nos. 1 and 6 will cross the city and extend to 250 kilometers. There are more than 500 kilometers of greenway on the city level， among which is the greenway around Zhaoqing Star Lake with a total length of 19.1 kilometers.

In the past when traveling to Zhaoqing Star Lake， because the scenic area is so large and the different sights are not completely connected， it was difficult to take in the beauty of Star Lake and the Seven Star 2）Crags in one go. But with the birth of the greenways， we can see it all.

The first stop of our trip around Star Lake is the Qidian Square in Jiaoyuan Gang， because this is the starting point of the No. 1 Guangdong greenway. To the north is Zhaoqing Train Station and to the east， we can see the beautiful scenery of Bohai Lake. Beginning in Jiaoyuan Gang and riding along the lake， the open lake view is really delightful. Riding a few more minutes， we arrive at the Bohai Park. Riding along the little pathway through the park， we cant believe how relaxed we can feel in the heart of a city. And by the shore of Star Lake near Bohai Park， there is a special two-way greenway. The wooden path is for citizens here to take their walks and on the inner side of the wooden path is the brick bicycle path. In this area， the tourist and traveller can pass each other in peaceful co-existence. And the design bordering the water makes us feel more strongly the harmony between man and nature.

T h e m o s t f u l f i l l i n g experience of this journey through Zhaoqing has brought us， is not the convenience brought by the closeness of Star Lake， but is more about the seamless connection between nature and the city discovered through the Zhaoqing greenway， and how harmonious men and nature get on together here. And most importantly， it is learning about the protection and gratitude the Zhaoqing people give to this greenness. History can become long and deep as time wears on and culture can show more of its vitality in small details. The beauty of nature has to be guarded by everyone of us.

近年来，在南粤的千山万壑之中，神奇地出现了纵横交错的绿道，吸引着海内外游客的目光。“绿道”英文叫“greenway”，是指一条能够连接城市、自然景观和人文景观的自然走廊。广东率先在全国规划并建设了遍及珠江三角洲的绿道网。在绿道上面，我们可以随意散步、骑车，进行其他户外活动，还可以沿着绿道到许多不同的城市旅行。根据《珠江三角洲绿道网总体规划纲要》，珠三角绿道从2010年开始启动，在过去的两年时间里，总长两千多公里的多条区域绿道，以六条绿道主线为基本框架的绿道网络已经建成，把该区域各市的城市绿道和社区绿道连接起来，形成贯通整个珠江三角洲地区的多层级绿道网络系统。经过一年多时间的建设与完善，珠三角六条生态绿道已经编织成网，连通城乡，如同一串珍珠，串联起熠熠生辉的九个明珠城市，以及两百多个景区、景点。如果你囊中羞涩，付不起豪华旅游费用，那你只需背上行囊，骑上自行车，就可在岭南绿道任意逍遥。

唐代诗人王维曾写下这样的诗句：“舟行碧波上，人在画中游”。把诗中所描述的景致套在肇庆绿道上，就是“车行绿道上，人在画中游”。肇庆绿道在2011年被评为“中国最美绿道”，肇庆人因此而倍感骄傲。按规划，肇庆将建设绿道1130公里，其中省一号线和六号线会穿越该市，并且延长至250公里；市级绿道则有五百多公里，其中肇庆环星湖绿道全长19.1公里。

以往你如果到肇庆星湖游玩，由于景区面积大，各个景点之间不是完全连接，要一次把星湖和七星岩美景全部游览完是件很困难的事。如今有了绿道，这个遗憾就不再存在了。

我们环游星湖的第一站就是蕉园岗的起点广场，因为这里是广东绿道一号线的起点，它的北面就是肇庆火车站，东面可以看到波海湖的美景。以蕉园岗为起点，沿湖边骑行，开阔的湖景让人心旷神怡，再骑上几分钟，就可到达波海公园。在公园的小道穿行，我们都无法相信在市区能有这种轻松自在的感觉。在波海公园附近的星湖畔上，有一段别具一格的双层绿道，其中的木栈道可以让市民在此散步，临湖观景，而在步行木栈道的内侧，就是铺设了地砖的自行车道。在这里，游客与旅行者可以互不干扰，和平共处，而这种亲水设计更加令人感觉到大自然与人的和谐融合。

在肇庆的这次绿道之旅带给我们最大的感受不仅仅是星湖对于肇庆人近在咫尺的美好，我们透过肇庆的绿道，更能体会到大自然与城市的无缝连接，以及人与自然之间的和谐共处。最重要的是，肇庆人对这份绿色的守护和感恩让人难以忘怀。历史可以随着时间变得悠长远久，文化通过生活的细节更显其生命力，而大自然的美丽需要我们每一个人共同努力去守护。翻译：旭文

小链接

广东绿道标志：标志中的两个细胞如同两个手拉着手舞动的人，寓意着联系、沟通和协作；标志整体外形则与珠三角地区图相似，伸展的叶脉如同六条不断延伸的绿道，这意喻着：绿道，如叶的茎脉一样把健康、活力和能量源源不断地输送给这片热土，生命如同细胞一样在舞动、在壮大、在扩张……

绿道小知识 —— 绿道类型

根据形成条件与功能的不同，绿道可以分为下列5种类型：

（1）城市河流型：这种绿道极为常见，在美国通常是作为城市衰败滨水区复兴开发项目中的一部分而建立起来的。

（2）游憩型：通常建立在各类有一定长度的特色游步道上，主要以自然走廊为主，但也包括河渠、

废弃铁路沿线及景观通道等人工走廊。

（3）自然生态型：通常都是沿着河流、小溪及山脊线建立的廊道。这类走廊为野生动物的迁移和物种的交流、自然科考及野外徒步旅行提供了良好的条件。

（4）风景名胜型：一般沿着道路、水路等路径而建，往往对各大风景名胜区起着相互联系的纽带作用。其最重要的作用就是使步行者能沿着通道方便地进入风景名胜地，或是为驾车游客提供一个便于下车进入风景名胜区的场所。

（5）综合型：通常是建立在诸如河谷、山脊类的自然地形中，很多时候是上述各类绿道和开敞空间的随机组合。它创造了一种有选择性的都市和地区的绿色框架，其功能具有综合性。