Rural tourism boosted by county's cultural bounty

Local artists put on shows during the 16th Pingxingguan Cultural Tourism Festival in Lingqiu. [Photo by Zhang Xiuli for China Daily]

Thousands of tourists flock to Lingqiu, a county in the northeast of Shanxi province, every summer, to enjoy the cool weather, see the spectacular sights of the Taihang Mountains, study the local history and experience the local culture and life.

And in mid-July this year, tourists were offered a special treat – the 16th Pingxingguan Cultural Tourism Festival, which opened on July 18.

At the festival, tourists were treated to a variety of shows, including a grand drum dance, folk songs, local operas, martial arts and food shows.

The county's rich historical resources, as well as natural attractions, were also on display at the event.

Lingqiu has a recorded history of more than 2,300 years, which has left the county with numerous cultural assets and historical moments for today's tourists to enjoy, including the Great Wall, ancient residences, temples, pagodas and stone statues.

The most famed is Pingxingguan, a well-preserved Great Wall pass and stronghold. This was also the site where the Eighth Route Army, a military force led by the Communist Party of China, made its first major victory during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

Lingqiu is now one of the favored destinations for tourists from Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province because of its closeness to the three regions. This advantageous location has made tourism an important pillar to vitalize the rural economy and boost the income of rural residents.

Lingqiu's specialty agriculture is another pillar of the rural economy. In recent years, the local produce, including organic beef and bitter buckwheat, has proven to be another draw for tourists as the county is integrating tourism with farming. Shopping for local farming produce is now a choice of many tourists.

The county now has one of the strongest animal husbandry industries in Shanxi province. It is especially famous for its organic beef, with cattle raised in a natural environment, grazing on the grassy slopes of the Taihang Mountains.

Statistics show that Lingqiu has more than 5,500 people engaged in cattle farming, which reported an output value of 694 million yuan ($97.02 million) last year. Beef products there have been sold to many regions in China, including Hunan, Hubei, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Bitter buckwheat is another example of the famous organic produce of Lingqiu. It was recognized as a product with geographical indication in 2008.

The county's annual output of bitter buckwheat is about 3,500 metric tons. It has eight enterprises involved in the processing of the produce, turning it into products like noodles, cakes and beverages.

Lingqiu began the integrated development of farming and tourism in 2013 by establishing a pilot sightseeing farm in the village of Chehe near the Pingxingguan Pass. The per capita income of residents in Chehe grew to 23,000 yuan in 2022 from 2,300 yuan in 2013. At present, sightseeing agricultural parks have emerged in five townships in the county.

Zhang Yehua and Ma Mingqing contributed to this story.