Chongqing- As visitors alight by the main entrance of Ayi River Scenic Area, traditionally dressed Miao ladies addressed the party with greetings of A-Liu-Liu from their minority language. In fact, the very name Ayi means a beautiful and elegant young woman.

Tourists flock to the Ayi River Scenic Area every summer to experience rafting amongst the mesmerizing canyon scenery.

In early 2020, the Ayi River attraction of Pengshui County was preliminarily confirmed as a 5A rated national tourist area, a remarkable achievement that has seen this canyon tributary of the Wu River rise from an undeveloped hinterland to a top travel destination in the space of a decade.

During these years, great effort has been devoted to mobilizing the rich tourism resources and natural environment, an endeavor which has seen a number of successful projects that have elevated Pengshui to the head of regional GDP growth, and final removal of the poverty-stricken counties list.

Following the concept that green mountains and waters are a source of wealth, Pengshui has developed tourist infrastructure at the Wu River Gallery, where they plan to begin scenic cruises through the gorges in the near future. Also, the attractions of Chiyou Jiulicheng Miao Stockade and the Mowei Mountain Scenic Area have been welcomed by tourists far and wide.

Back in 2008, the remote Ayi River canyon was completed undeveloped, and there was little financial scope for turning the location into a major tourist attraction. Nevertheless, the potential as a scenic destination was recognized by a private developer that completed a simple walkway along the river and opened the attraction for rafting experiences.

Following a closure over safety issues, the project was overtaken by Chongqing Tourism Investment Corporation, who built the infrastructure that now makes the Ayi River one of the top destinations in Chongqing.

Local residents in the surrounding areas have also benefitted from the sharp rise in visitors, as they now run a variety of tourism-related facilities such as guesthouses, shops, and fruit picking experiences.

Test your nerves on this step bridge 150 meters above the canyon floor!

The new tourist infrastructure of Ayi River Scenic Area includes a commercial village and a 180-meter high outdoor lift that drops guests down to the canyon floor, where people flock to experience the delights of rafting along tranquil valleys to the crisp song of Miao hosts, or down exhilarating rapids towards to the Wu River downstream.

Further highlights are the 3.5 kilometers of plank walkways that stretch along the dramatically beautiful canyon, and past a number of karst caves open for exploration. Meanwhile, tourists can test their nerves on a mid-air step bridge that crosses the Ayi River 150 meters below.

When the legs of tourists begin to feel weary, there are fun activities such as bonfire parties, fruit picking, and Miao delicacies for guests to try out.

The 180-meter tall lift carries tourists down the canyon floor in a matter of seconds.

The rapid development of tourism infrastructure in tandem with social guarantees has raised the income of Pengshui at every level and provided the formerly impoverished Miao communities with higher incomes thanks to new employment opportunities, and economic activity related to the tourism industry.

GDP in Pengshui County rose to over 22 billion Yuan in 2019, compared with 8.5 billion just seven years prior. Meanwhile, the amount of disposable income per capita for urban and rural residents doubled to 31, 833, and 12, 370 respectively. In 2018, the total number of tourists that visited Pengshui County surpassed 25 million.

So on a future trip to Chongqing, why not visit Pengshui to enjoy the serene beauty, admire the jade waters, and feel the warm hospitality and crisp singing voices of friendly Miao hosts.