Chongqing - From April 7 to 9, 2023, the 11th Chongqing International Cultural Industry Expo (CQCIE) was held. During this year's event, Chongqing's districts and counties and Guizhou, Shanxi, and other provinces and municipalities showed their characteristic cultural tourism products, offering the audience a taste of their unique charm.

Get a Taste of Guizhou's Charm

Guizhou Exhibition Hall drew a legion of visitors during the event. A variety of Guizhou products combining local characteristics and creative elements offered a vivid reflection of the charm of Guizhou. Among others, there was an exhibition stand for ICH paper-cutting. Delicate and vivid paper-cutting works attracted local vloggers to recommend them through live-streaming. "These are three-dimensional paper-cuts for window decoration hand-made by Guizhou ICH, inheritors of paper-cutting. This large one is a complete paper-cut work themed the Dream of the Red Chamber. How exquisite it is!" During live-streaming on their mobile phones, these praises aroused netizens' interest in Guizhou's paper-cutting handicrafts.

Colorful exhibits brought by Guizhou Province. (Photo/ CQCIE)

"This year's Guizhou Exhibition Hall consists of five parts, i.e., Yangming Culture, Red Culture, Ecological Culture, Tunpu Culture, and Ethnic Culture. As a showcase of cultural tourism enterprises and products with distinctive Guizhou characteristics, it aims to show the cultural characteristics of Guizhou, highlight the charm of Guizhou's cultural tourism, and deepen cultural tourism exchanges and cooperation between Chongqing and Guizhou," said Hu Yu who took charge of the work related to Guizhou Exhibition Hall.

Shanxi's ICH Ziyu gourd painting

Shanxi Exhibition Hall displayed diverse gourd paintings, a traditional handicraft in southern Shanxi with a long history. Guo Hong said when being interviewed with iChongqing that as an ICH inheritor of gourd painting, she strives to combine traditional Chinese painting and enameling techniques with gourd paintings to pass on and give a modern take on the traditional craft. By doing so, she hopes to stay abreast of the more modern aesthetic concepts of young people who love ICH and pursue fashion and beauty.

Shanxi's intangible cultural heritage Ziyu gourd painting. (Photo/Guo Hong)

"Chongqing is a charming modern city. Many people came to inquire about the event on its first day. Through the exchanges and negotiations in the next two days, I believe we can reach many cooperation intentions with cultural and creative enterprises in Chongqing. We also welcome Chongqing's cultural and creative enterprises to visit Shanxi."

The world's first underwater heritage museum in Chongqing

Zhang Jun, deputy director of the Culture and Tourism Commission of Fuling District, accepted iChongqing's interview during the 11th CQCIE, sharing touching stories about Fuling to open a window for worldwide citizens to understand Chongqing better.

Fuling White Crane Ridge (Photo/Hu Jianzhong)

Zhang Jun strongly recommended overseas friends visit the Baiheliang (White Crane Ridge) Underwater Museum, which UNESCO reputes as "the world's first underwater heritage museum that is reachable by the non-diving visitor." The Baiheliang inscription under the Yangtze River records the historical dry water data of the Yangtze River for 72 years since 1200 years ago (from the Tang dynasty). It thus embodies the creation of generations of calligraphers and is of high scientific value, well-known as "the underwater stele miracle" and "the first world-class ancient hydrographic station." For tourists immersing in this arresting scenery, Zhang Jun sincerely suggested: "You can enjoy a visual feast in the middle of the Yangtze River."

Fengdu Temple Fair coming back

Fengdu County is located at the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the geographical center of Chongqing. Every year on the third day of the third lunar month, a grand Temple Fair is held here, and each Temple Fair will last for several days. During this period, Fengdu will launch a number of float street parades integrating Fengdu's distinctive folk culture, religious blessing, scenic amusement, trade, and food. 

The parade of Fengdu Temple Fair. (Photo/Fengdu County)

Li Chao, a guide from Fengdu County at the 11th CQCIE, introduced that this year's Fengdu Temple Fair will return from April 22 to May 3, 2023. It is planned with three sections: the introductory section, the section on blessed land for thousands of years, and the section on mortal life, with seventeen activities. A "traditional culture + modern technology" cool temple parade will be launched at that time. "You can enjoy a fantastic, shocking, time-travel, romantic, and happy night-in-night travel in the ghost city. An incomparable audio-visual carnival feast will be created: an electric music carnival. Young friends must not miss it," Li Chao added.

(Chen Xiaoyu, as an intern, also contributes to this report.)