Expats explore 'hometown of intl draughts'

Expats look at the xiangqi bord at the tourist center of Jianzi Mountain Scenic Area in Xintai, Tai'an. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

More than 20 expats from countries including South Korea, Mongolia, and Suriname got to admire the beautiful scenery of Xintai city, a county-level city of Tai'an, and experienced traditional Chinese culture during the 2023 "Xintai Cup" International Draughts Tournament on Nov 21.

The expats started their journey at the foot of Jianzi Mountain, where they learned about basic rules of xiangqi, or Chinese chess, at the tourist center of Jianzi Mountain Scenic Area, as well as the origin of the name "Jianzi Mountain" and the cultural connotations behind it.

"Xiangqi is a very interesting game, and I want to take it back to my country," said Top, an international draughts player from Mongolia.

Inside the fruit-picking garden in the Jianzi Mountain Scenic Area, the expats picked various fruits and took pictures with the large guavas hanging from the branches.

They also visited the cultural exchange exhibition area, where they watched performances of tai chi, Xintai dough sculpture, and embroidery sachet sewing.

Xintai is the only county-level city in China that has hosted world championships, Asian championships, and national championships in the field of chess and card games.

In 2016, Xintai was awarded the title "hometown of national international draughts".

Expats pose for a photo with Xintai dough sculptures at Jianzi Mountain Scenic Area in Xintai, Tai'an. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]