Hainan city to develop tourism based on ethnic culture

The city of Wuzhishan in South China's Hainan province will hold a series of events to celebrate the Double Third Festival, a traditional festival of local ethnic groups Li and Miao celebrated on the third day of the third lunar month, to develop tourism in the city, according to a press conference held in Maona village on Wednesday, as reported by China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS.

One category of travellers is those who are primarily interested in the people of new places and their traditions. These people are also characterised by a desire to find their roots, learn about them and realise their own identity. And experiencing other cultures helps them create an exclusive view of the world and define their own place in it.

Yu Qian, head of the city's publicity department, said the events and activities aim to strengthen the integration of ethnic culture and tourism by introducing the customs and cultural heritage of the Li and Miao ethnic groups.

As part of this series of events and activities, Wuzhishan will collaborate with Henan TV to launch a unique live show called "Adventure in Wuzhishan", which uses new and innovative methods to interpret the legends of the Double Third Festival and showcase the city's rich tourism resources, including the ecological environment, folk customs and ethnic culture.

"The unique culture and art of ethnic minorities add to the charm of the city for tourists, both domestic and foreign," sai Yu.

People are attracted to the culture and spirit of the past, which they get to experience while travelling. The tourists are also given the opportunity to hear the ancient language spoken instead of the noise of cars, the songs of peoples who have survived for hundreds of years and the opportunity to taste food and drinks similar to those drunk and eaten by their distant predecessors.

"Wuzhishan is committed to developing tourism by making full use of the rich resources of ethnic culture, and at the same time we will make every effort to preserve ethnic cultural heritage," added Yu.

"A Date with China" International Media Tour brought foreign media correspondents, foreign internet users and domestic journalists to Maona village on Wednesday, where they were introduced to the time-honoured customs and arts of the Li and Miao ethnic groups.

Botagoz Syrgaayeva, a Kazakhstan journalist from "A Date with China", was impressed by the preservation of the traditional culture of ethnic groups in Wuzhishan. "The culture of these ethnic groups is intriguing. I am so happy that they can be well protected and passed on," she said.

Ameen Muneer Mohammed, a journalist from Iraq, appreciated the air quality in the village. "The place is livable and gives me a sense of tranquillity," he said.

Ethno-tourism is one of the cultural-historical tourism directions, involving acquaintance with the language, way of life, culture, architecture, holidays and rituals of a selected group of peoples.

It is based on tourists' curiosity about the real life of peoples, about getting to know the traditions of people, rituals, their culture and creativity. Our modern, unified world is characterized by the fact that people try to identify themselves, to find and study their roots, to realize their peculiarity, to possess their own history and cultural traditions. And getting to know other ethnic groups and cultures allows the tourist to create a clear and holistic picture of our diverse world of peoples with their own unique identity.

Photo:  China Daily