On the evening of July 22, the 2024 Hunan Summer Rural Cultural Tourism Festival opens in Changning City, Hengyang. 

The opening ceremony.

On the evening of July 22, the 2024 Hunan Summer Rural Cultural Tourism Festival and the 2024 Hunan Summer Village Gala Demonstration Showcase kicked off in Changning City, Hengyang. Eight major cultural tourism activities are scheduled to be held during the festival to promote rural revitalization, as a prelude to the third Hunan Tourism Development Conference, which is set to be held in Hengyang.

The festival was hosted by the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and the People's Government of Hengyang City, and organized by the Hengyang Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television, and Sports, the CPC Changning City Committee, and the People's Government of Changning City.

The opening ceremony took place at the Changning Yinshan Scenic Area in Hengyang City. A dazzling drone light show was held that night, making up different formations of representative scenic sites such as Yinshan Scenic Area, Shuikoushan Workers' Movement Memorial Hall, Tashan Yao Township, Baita Tower, and Tiantang Mountain. An array of art performances meticulously prepared by villages across the city were staged to showcase the rustic charm of Changning City, integrating singing and dancing performances and rap with Yao folk songs.

The festival featured events in the form of "2+6", focusing on rural tourism, rural delicacies, folk customs, and nostalgic tours. Activities included a promotion conference on cases aimed at boosting rural revitalization via rural tourism; expedition tours to Changning; a Changning cuisine tasting; a country music concert; a Weiqi or Go invitation tournament; and, an exhibition of Changning woodblock paintings.

Taking the festival as an opportunity, Changning City launched travel routes to allow tourists beat the summer heat, linking such scenic spots as Shuikoushan Workers' Movement Memorial Hall, ancient dwelling houses in Zhongtian Village, Yinshan Cultural Tourism Area, Tashan Grand Canyon, and Xijiang Whitewater Rafting. 

A drone light show. 

An art performance. 

A promotion conference on cases aimed at boosting rural revitalization via rural tourism is held on the afternoon of July 22.

Shuikoushan Workers' Movement Memorial Hall.

Ancient dwelling houses in Zhongtian Village.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: rednet