On July 8, a folk festival opened at Leigongjing Village in Jinping Town, Jiahe County, Chenzhou City. It’s a national traditional village. The picturesque scenery, splendid cultural performances, and distinctive local delicacies attracted visitors from afar, infusing the ancient village with vibrant energy.

 

Having been established for over a thousand years, Leigongjing Village boasts breathtaking natural beauty. It has been imbued with a rich legacy of traditional culture. 

 

The village is home to 86 well-preserved ancient houses, constructed in traditional brick-and-wood style, adorned with intricately carved windows and doors carved with vivid flowers and figures. These architectural wonders carry the memories of its inhabitants.

 

In addition to its scenic charm, Leigongjing Village is also the birthplace and heritage site of the Jiahe Wedding Songs, a national intangible cultural heritage project. In this village, a group of inheritors are dedicated to preserving the authentic Jiahe Wedding Songs with exquisite melodies and unique vocals, passing down this ancient cultural heritage for centuries.

 

 

In recent years, Leigongjing Village has made great efforts to preserve the ancient village and inherit Jiahe Wedding Songs. It has actively integrated cultural tourism and rural development, establishing attractions such as the Wedding Songs Hall. Furthermore, the Leigongjing High-Quality Rice Planting Cooperative has been established, along with the construction of a 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) modern agricultural park. 

 

The village promotes intangible cultural heritage and local tourism resources, ensuring the continuation of traditional culture and stimulating tourism vitality. The village has successfully hosted two harvest festivals and one tasting-new-rice festival, greatly driving the development of the ancient village. In 2022, it was awarded a four-star rural tourism destination in Hunan Province.

 

 

The folk festival offered a rich array of activities, including the opening ceremony with artistic performances, exhibitions of cultural relics and tours of rice fields. Mr. Li, a visitor from Guangdong, said that the festival at Leigongjing Village was visually captivating, entertaining, and a treat for the taste buds—truly worth the visit.

 

“Holding the folk festival in Leigongjing Village allows us to utilize our ancient village as a platform to promote Jiahe’s distinctive culture, the intangible cultural heritage of the Jiahe Wedding Songs, and other folk customs. This could help increase people’s income. It is truly a very worthy endeavor. Going forward, we will continue to leverage the benefits of the festival, persist in the integration of culture, tourism, and agriculture, utilizing our cultural heritage to enhance the well-being and happiness of our people,” said Li Xinxin.