Visit China | Ancient towns join hands to promote canal tourism

Yangliuqing Ancient Town in Tianjin's Xiqing district is ramping up efforts to promote its rich cultural heritage through strategic partnerships, cultural exchanges, and tourism initiatives.

As part of this push, Yangliuqing hosted a cultural tourism event on July 25, where it signed a cooperation agreement with Daokou Ancient Town in Huaxian county, Henan province, to promote traditional culture through collaborations, cultural festivals, and international exchanges, and expand the influence of the Grand Canal, which links the two towns.

"Tianjin and Henan are vital nodes of the Grand Canal cultural belt, with complementary strengths and a broad scope for cooperation," said Duan Jianbin, deputy director of industrial development at the Tianjin Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

Wang Liguo, deputy head of the promotion department at the Henan Culture and Tourism Department, described Tianjin as a long-standing hub of river-sea transport and cultural convergence that has become a port city where Chinese and Western cultures converge.

Meanwhile, Huaxian in Henan historically functioned as a transit station for the goods moving from the Central Plains to the north, and the ancient town of Daokou has earned the nickname "Little Tianjin" due to its thriving canal trade, according to Wang.

"We hope to use the Grand Canal, this millennium bond, to bring the ancient town into the spotlight," he said.

The two towns share cultural DNA in addition to the canal. The distinct styles of woodblock New Year paintings from Huaxian and Yangliuqing are independently recognized as national-level intangible cultural heritage.

"Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year paintings appear delicate and opulent, while our woodblock New Year paintings have a relatively bold and casual brushstroke, mostly related to folk customs, and are primarily used for blessings during festivals," said Li Pengliang, the 27th-generation inheritor of Huaxian Woodblock New Year paintings.

As one of the representative forms of Tianjin's traditional folk culture, Yangliuqing New Year paintings have become an important window for showcasing traditional Chinese culture to the world.

Since last year, Xiqing district has proactively positioned the cultural and tourism industry at the center of its development into a distinctive destination.

"Many international friends have come here specifically to experience it," said Ren Zhenhuai, deputy director of the Xiqing district Culture and Tourism Bureau of Tianjin.

Xiqing district has been promoting the development of traditional culture through its unique resources and innovative methods of inheritance.

Looking ahead to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin at the end of August, Chen Bing, deputy director of Tianjin's culture and tourism bureau, said the city would "draw deeply on its historical heritage and optimise cultural tourism services" for the event.

To help Tianjin visitors better experience the unique charm of Huaxian, the promotional event also introduced a series of exclusive offers, including discounts on scenic spot tickets, accommodations, and local products.

Wei Qianqian contributed to this story.