Hong Kong Media's Guizhou Tour: Tasting Sauce-Aroma Baijiu at 4A-Level Scenic Spot

A delegation from the Publicity Department of the Guizhou Provincial Committee, along with more than ten Hong Kong media representatives, embarked on a six-day media tour of Guizhou starting April 22 to explore innovation in the integration of the province's cultural and tourism industries.

Colorful Guizhou City, Photo by Bastille Post

Colorful Guizhou City, Photo by Bastille Post

On the first afternoon, the delegation visited Colorful Guizhou City, a 4A-level scenic spot and a comprehensive tourism destination in Guiyang that integrates culture, commerce, sports, and tourism. Positioned as "the pearl of colorful Guizhou's scenery, the living room of refreshing Guiyang, and a dazzling city that never sleeps," Colorful Guizhou City aims to offer tourists a one-stop experience of Guizhou's culinary and shopping delights, making it a must-visit destination within the province and a top attraction for out-of-province visitors. The site has been recognised as a "Guizhou Provincial Cultural Industry Demonstration Base," a "Provincial-Level Commercial Pedestrian Street in Guizhou," and a "Benchmark Project Presenting Guiyang's Cultural, Commercial, and Tourism Integration."

Colorful Guizhou City, Photo by Bastille Post

Colorful Guizhou City, Photo by Bastille Post

The core area of Colorful Guizhou City includes the Colorful World and the 1958 Cultural and Creative Park, covering approximately 243 mus, with a total commercial area of about 100,000 square metres. Focused on the goal of "one-stop shopping and dining in Guizhou," the site emphasises attracting businesses in four key sectors: specialty coffee, craft beer, fine dining, and innovative cultural and creative products. Currently, 123 businesses have settled in, attracting over 1.6 million visitors last year.

Colorful Guizhou City, Photo by Bastille Post

The Colorful Guizhou Cultural Exhibition Centre, located within the site, features exhibits themed around "dyeing, weaving, creation, culture, artefacts, and embroidery," showcasing the intangible cultural heritage techniques of Guizhou's ethnic minorities, including indigo dyeing and embroidery.

The introduction of the staff of the exhibition centre, Photo by Bastille Post

"The Spirit of the Golden Pheasant", Photo by Bastille Post

According to the staff of the exhibition centre, "The Spirit of the Golden Pheasant" is the signature item of the exhibition, which was the closing piece at London Fashion Week in 2020, elevating the work from a local cultural expression to an international aesthetic masterpiece. The staff noted that "The Spirit of the Golden Pheasant" was created by 48 artisans from Ninghang Batik in Danzhai of Guizhou, and took three months to complete. Its most distinctive feature is a 15-metre-long "fish tail."

Four types of sauce-aroma baijiu can be sampled at the Sauce Aroma International Club. Photo by Bastille Post

Four types of sauce-aroma baijiu, Photo by Bastille Post

The baijiu produced in Guizhou Province, Photo by Bastille Post

The delegation later visited the Sauce Aroma International Club to learn about the origins and main production areas of baijiu, and sampled four types of sauce-aroma baijiu: traditional, elegant, rich, and light. The person in charge of the club said that locals in Guizhou Province prefer the traditional type, while visitors from other provinces tend to favour the lighter version, appreciating its pronounced grassy aroma. Tasting the traditional type firsthand, the reporter noted a noticeable warmth upon swallowing. Despite the alcohol content being 53 per cent, the liquor does not leave drinkers feeling intoxicated.

Authentic Guizhou Living Pavilion, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Colorful Guizhou City also features the Authentic Guizhou Living Pavilion, which sells batik products, tea, perfumes, and other specialties. Additionally, the wine house on the site has a wine aroma experience area, where visitors can smell and even sample different wines.

The wine house on the site, Photo by Bastille Post

Visitors can sample different wines, including famous Chinese Moutai, at the wine house. Photo by Bastille Post

The wine aroma experience area, Photo by Bastille Post

The special version of Moutai displayed at the wine house (upper row), Photo by Bastille Post

As part of the celebrations marking the 77th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy, China's first domestically designed and built navigation training ship Zheng He will be opened to the public on Saturday and Sunday in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Over nearly 39 years of service, Zheng He has trained over 40,000 naval officers for the Chinese PLA Navy, and is recognized as the cradle of naval commanders. With its voyages spanning six continents and three oceans, the ship has completed solo circumnavigation missions, setting multiple records, and has been honored with the title of "Meritorious Training Ship."

"Ship Zheng He, officially commissioned in 1987, will celebrate its 39th birthday next week. Look at this photo. In 1989, we visited Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USA, for the first time on behalf of the People's Navy. That mission was also the first time that a People's Navy vessel crossed both the eastern and western hemispheres. Since the ship was commissioned 39 years ago, it has gone abroad on behalf of the People's Navy 16 times and visited 29 countries, including Russia, Republic of Korea, and Japan. Especially during the Harmonious Mission: Global Voyage of Zheng He in 2012, we visited more than 10 countries and set a record for the navy's single-ship global circumnavigation," said Wang Jianglin, a crew member of Ship Zheng He.

In addition to various types of weapon launching systems, Ship Zheng He is also equipped with navigation radar and can carry out teaching and training programs across more than 30 subjects at the same time.

"There are differences and connections between our training ships and combat ships. Take me for example. First of all, I am a qualified crew member. I need to perform regular duties on the ship and maintain the equipment. I am also a coach during the internships of students on board the ship. I teach students how to operate and use equipment, as well as giving some daily lectures. I am also a combatant. Our main task is to help students apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom to real combat on the battlefield, which solves the 'last mile' problem from campus to troops. Finally, I am also a commander. We should not only be able to fight and teach, but also be resourceful and be good commanders in our own positions," said Cheng Jialin, a crew member of Ship Zheng He.

China's naval training ship Zheng He to open to public celebrating Navy's 77th anniversary