Shanxi launches Great Wall promotion

Shanxi province launched the Great Wall "fortress master" recruitment program recently, inviting scholars, singers and travelers from around the world to create and promote works related to the famous structure.

The winners will each receive a cash prize of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400).

The 2023 Great Wall Seeking Fortress Masters and Great Wall Tour Diary events are organized by the Shanxi Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and aim to creatively promote the Great Wall National Cultural Park and its tourism resources in the province.

The chosen fortress masters will be tasked with creating works in their respective fields and receive a 2,000-yuan bonus upon their completion.

The works will be uploaded to social media platforms and scored based on metrics such as views, likes, shares and comments.

"We hope to present a more youthful and fashionable image of the park using storytelling, language and methods that are more in line with the times, presenting the oldest civilization story in the trendiest way," said Li Qianqian, who is in charge of the events.

The selected fortress masters will be invited to visit iconic sections of the Great Wall and experience traditional local crafts and intangible cultural heritage.

Each three-day trip will be filmed and turned into a brief travel documentary.

The Great Wall Tour Diary will integrate tourism, travel photography and a variety of events to promote the Great Wall tourism resources in Shanxi such as sections of the wall at Li'erkou, Shoukoubu and Deshengbu in Datong city.

Shanxi is rich in Great Wall cultural resources. In recent years, the province has leveraged the history and culture of the Great Wall to create a tourism belt, while protecting the resources.