During the seven-day National Day holiday, Chengwu County in east China's Shandong Province blended pastoral scenery with local folk culture in a packed program of activities, attracting both domestic and international visitors who came to soak in the countryside atmosphere.
In the county's Jiunyuji Township, local authorities launched a one-stop tour route combining countryside walks, farmhouse cuisine and heritage crafts, where visitors could take in performances and try their hand at black pottery making, paper-cutting and gourd pyrography -- the art of scorching designs onto a gourd with a heated iron.
Many international visitors also came to experience the crafts, taste local dishes, and immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture.
"The people here have been so nice. The trip to the village has been spectacular and the food here has been amazing. We really loved our trip here and everything we saw was beautiful," said Ahla Faisal Arain, a Canadian visitor.
"This is the first time I'm coming to a Chinese village. Today I experienced so many local foods, which are very tasty, and it's very surprising. People are so nice and I enjoyed it a lot here," said Rodrigo, a visitor from Sri Lanka.
As night fell, lively performances brought even more energy to the small town. A selection contest for "rural partners" -- most of them returning entrepreneurs -- saw contestants present their hometowns through talent performances and personal stories, treating visitors to a cultural showcase.
During the contest, Sadina -- who married into a Chinese family -- said China has become her second home and she wants to do more to promote its beauty.
"I'm a foreign daughter-in-law who married into a Chinese family. I like recording China's countryside with my camera. In the future, I hope to use my phone to promote my second hometown even more," she said.
Rural cultural events in east China county draw crowds during National Day holiday
