Preserving heritage, embracing innovation: Guizhou's cultural tourism boom

BEIJING, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from People's Daily

As night fell, a powerful and melodious soprano voice echoed through Zhaoxing Dong village in Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou province.

The village instantly came alive. Under a grand drum tower, various singing groups took turns to perform grand song of the Dong ethnic group, a form of a folk chorus inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

"What was initially just a local performance in the village ended up attracting over 130 singing groups from surrounding villages. We even added a grand parade in traditional attire and a feast of Dong cuisine," said Lu Yanyu, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage in Zhaoxing Dong village. "By day, we are farmers and shopkeepers; by night, we become performers. It's pure joy."

As a province home to multiple ethnic groups, Guizhou has nurtured a rich and diverse cultural heritage. In recent years, its ethnic culture has repeatedly gained national and even international recognition. Villages like Xijiang Qianhu Miao village and Sanbao Dong village have become dream destinations for many travelers. Miao silver jewelry and Shui ethnic horsetail embroidery have made their way from the mountains to the global stage. Meanwhile, handicrafts such as Miao embroidery, batik, Yazhou pottery, and Miao clay whistles have become sought-after souvenirs among tourists and are now sold overseas.

Guizhou is currently undertaking major cultural initiatives, with a strategic plan encompassing nine key areas, including high-quality cultural research, heritage preservation, and exhibition development. A total of 128 priority measures have been identified to accelerate the goal of building itself into a culturally strong province.

Amidst the rolling mountains, moss-covered ancient walls stretch into the distance—this is Hailongtun, Guizhou's only UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

"The reflective markers on the walls are used to monitor any subsidence or structural shifts. If a stone falls, it is carefully numbered and restored to its original place, and even the moss that re-grows must remain authentic to the site's ecosystem," explained Ji Tao, director of the Hailongtun cultural heritage management bureau.

From systematic restoration efforts to the successful transfer of 15,212 unearthed artifacts, Hailongtun has been revitalized with new life.

Guizhou boasts an impressive cultural heritage: one UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, three entries on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 1,655 recognized historical buildings, over 4,300 sites of intangible cultural heritage projects, and more than 700 recognized inheritors of intangible cultural heritage.

To enhance protection and ensure continuity, Guizhou has launched a series of cultural heritage initiatives, recruited 121 nationally renowned experts to form an academic committee, and published a batch of academic works, accessible books, and literary masterpieces.

Integrating culture with industry has been a driving force behind Guizhou's cultural and tourism growth. The province has leveraged 753 Long March historical relics, 757 traditional Chinese villages, and 312 ethnic minority villages to develop a series of landmark cultural tourism projects.

This multi-faceted approach has accelerated the formation of a diverse and interconnected cultural and tourism ecosystem. In the first three quarters of 2024, the number of tourists visiting Guizhou and total tourism revenue increased by 11.0 percent and 14.8 percent year on year, respectively.

Guizhou's cultural tourism boom has also sparked the emergence of new business models. In Rongjiang county, the integration of ethnic culture with sports events has created lasting appeal— the Village Super League of soccer and Village Basketball Association have gone from viral sensations to enduring cultural staples. In Guiyang, "street-side concerts" add vibrancy to everyday life. Traditional festivals sucn as Guzang Festival, Miao Sisters Festival highlight the distinct charm of ethnic cultures.

By capitalizing on its unique cultural assets, Guizhou continues to deepen the integration of tourism with sports, agriculture, and wellness industries, expanding tourism offerings, extending industrial chains, and elevating product quality.

At the same time, Guizhou has been actively implementing cultural welfare programs, enhancing public cultural services, and organizing various community cultural activities, so as to ensure that residents benefit from a stronger cultural presence in their daily lives.