左宗棠与陇东开发

Zuo Zongtang and the Development of Longdong

左宗棠在担任陕甘总督、督办新疆军务期间,对甘肃陇东的经营与开发给予了极大的关注,政治上采取的措施有屯田垦荒,安抚流亡;修路筑城,加强管理。经济上采取的措施有治河修渠,兴办水利;改进耕作,试种稻谷;禁种罌粟,引植棉桑。文教上采取的措施有遍设义学,遍及教育;大办书院,广育人才。还十分重视生态环境的建设,提倡植树造林,绿化道路、市镇。为陇东社会经济的发展,创造了较好的条件。研究总结左宗棠开发陇东的思想与政绩,对今天搞好西部大开发和发展区域经济具有重要的借鉴作用。

When he was the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu and the supervisor of the military affairs of Xinjiang, Zuo Zongtang showed great concerns over the development of Longdong in Gansu. In politics, he adopted such policies as station troops to open up wasteland, appease those going into exile, build roads and cities to improve the administration. In economy, the measures adopted were to harness the rivers and open canals, to build irrigation works, to improve farming techniques and plant rice, to prohibit the plantation of opium poppy and introduce cotton and mulberry. In culture and education, he took measures to run free schools and advocate education for all people, to set up academies of classical learning to bring up talented people. He also stressed the construction of ecological environment and advocated afforestation to make towns and cities green. All these paved the way for the development of social economy of Longdong. It is of great significance to study and sum up Zuo Zongtang's thoughts and achievements in developing Longdong and it is helpful for us to carry out the Programme of Western Development and to develop regional economy.