The silver culture, Danxia culture, ancient village culture and Red culture add to each other’s splendor in Yongxing County, Chenzhou City.
Since the beginning of this year, the local government has started the construction of 13 key cultural and tourism projects, such as Dongtou Yedu Study Tour Base, Guanyin Rock Protection and Quality Improvement, Silver Cultural and Creative Industrial Park, and Xihe Rural Revitalization Demonstration Zone.
Silver industry
People travel for scenery, food and culture. With its unique history and culture of gold and silver smelting, Yongxing County has vigorously implemented the integrated development of industry and tourism, welcoming tourists from all over the world.
In the gold and silver products exhibition and sales center of Silver Cultural and Creative Industrial Park, silver jewelry, living utensils and silver ornaments such as silver locks, silver bracelets, silver bowls, and silver pots are on display. Tourists were selecting their favorite silver articles.
“I’ve been here almost every day lately,” said Liu Xiaowei, general manager of Zhongyong Silver Co., Ltd.
As early as 2003, Yongxing was awarded the title of “the Silver City of China”. However, there was no silver distribution market or characteristic commercial landmarks due to the scattered distribution of silver stores across the county.
Seeing the development difficulties the silver industry faced in his hometown, Liu Xiaowei, who graduated from university, gave up the opportunity to work in Wuhan and resolutely returned to his hometown to promote the silver industry chain in Yongxing County in 2016.
Here, he not only grew from an ignorant young man to a manager of an enterprise, but also saw a brighter future about the development of the silver industry in Yongxing County.
Taking advantage of the second Hunan Tourism Development Conference, the construction of Silver Cultural and Creative Industrial Park project was started on February 14.
With silver culture as the theme and silver industry as the basis, it is the largest silver cultural and creative industry complex in Hunan Province and the first in China, integrating culture, tourism development, silver products inspection and testing, silver products trading and distribution center, precious metals and non-ferrous metal trading platform.
“The cultural and creative industrial park is conducive to the agglomeration effect of the Yongxing silver industry. At the same time, it provides a better trading platform for enterprises and the expansion of business channels, which will further promote our brand,” said Liu Xiaowei, who is positive about the future development of the silver industry.
Revitalization of old houses
Relying on the Danxia landscape and location advantages in the Jinli section of the Bianjiang River, Yongxing County has actively carried out a campaign to save old houses through culture and tourism, and boost rural revitalization through art.
Li Haohan is the “leader” of this campaign.
Li Haohan, a graduate of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, has been engaged in cultural industry and art in Beijing for more than 10 years.
In 2016, he invested in the cultural tourism industry in Myanmar, but all projects in Myanmar were basically suspended due to the epidemic and other reasons, so he set his sights on his hometown, Yongxing.
In 2021, Li Haohan returned to his hometown and established Yongxing Danshan Bishui Rural Tourism Co., Ltd.
After investigation, he decided to invest in the Koi Rural Revitalization Demonstration Village Project in Jinli Village along the Bianjiang River.
Later, he first started the construction of the Dongtou Yedu Comprehensive Camp Project.“It is backed by mountains and faces the Bianjiang River. Xu Xiake, a traveler in Ming Dynasty, once traveled here. And it can arouse nostalgic memories,” said Li Haohan.
He insisted on ecological and cultural protection, and took both industrial and commercial development into consideration to developed new business formats, with the construction of Hongzu Academy, homestay inn, team building camp, Xu Xiake milestone and statue, and rural restaurant for tour groups.
“Since its soft opening in October 2022, it has received more than 100,000 tourists. And it has provided more than 500 jobs for villagers after its official operation,” said Li Haohan.
Next, the Jinli Rural Revitalization Demonstration Village Project will see its supporting facilities to be improved with market-oriented operation, expected to attract more tourists to come, stay longer and have more fun.
