At 19:30 on August 8, the lights at Zhangjiajie Helong Sports Center came on one by one. In the stands, a special group of spectators chatted enthusiastically in English—they were Italian tourists visiting Zhangjiajie as part of a tour group. That day, their itinerary included a "surprise": watching a Chinese football match.

"Ever since I was informed yesterday that we'd be coming to watch the match, I've been looking forward to it all day!" said Gabriele, an Italian tourist, excitedly. He had been asking the tour guide all morning when they would arrive. He hadn't expected that after enjoying Zhangjiajie's spectacular scenery, he'd get such a "treat."

The match officially kicked off at 19:38. The stands erupted with thunderous drumbeats, and chants of "Go Zhangjiajie!" rang out in waves. In the second minute, the Yiyang team took the initiative to score the opening goal; in the 61st minute, they added another, putting the Zhangjiajie team behind 0–2. But the home team didn't give up. In the 63rd minute, No. 14 Xiong Yukai sent a lofted cross toward the goal, and the ball traced a beautiful arc through the air. No. 9 Yu Yongcong leaped high to head it firmly into the net! The whole stadium burst into cheers.

Davide from Rome was deeply moved by the atmosphere. "The crowd was incredibly enthusiastic, and the event was well organized. You live in a beautiful city, and I'm truly honored to be here with all of you to watch this exciting football match," said Davide. Meanwhile, his compatriot Gabriele was full of praise for the players' performance. Gabriele added, "Their skills are outstanding, and the game was a real treat to watch. That goal was fantastic—even though it was scored by the opposing team."

During halftime, Zhangjiajie presented a true "cultural feast." A Banban dragon lantern procession wound its way through the venue while a "phoenix" soared through the air. Davide was completely mesmerized. "It was so breathtaking! I saw Chinese 'dragon' and 'phoenix'— it was absolutely spectacular!" He said he was completely swept up by the atmosphere at the venue.

For these travelers from the other side of the world, football became a universal language—when a goal was scored, they stood up and applauded alongside the Zhangjiajie fans around them. When the Tujia dragon lanterns passed before their eyes, they held up their cell phones and snapped photos continuously. Their cheers transcended language barriers.

Davide said, "We look forward to seeing more outstanding performances from them in the future." Gabriele put away his phone, feeling satisfied. "To be able to watch such an exciting football game while traveling in Zhangjiajie—that was truly an unexpected gift," he said.

In Zhangjiajie, surprises go far beyond its three thousand majestic peaks. When visitors from the Apennine Peninsula stepped into a football field here, they discovered that, beyond the scenery, the city's passion came alive on the field. The synergy between "sports and tourism" has allowed the world to hear a different voice from Zhangjiajie.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.
 
Translator: Xiao Juan
 
Chinese source: hunantoday