China Youth Daily:

Jiangxi boasts beautiful natural scenery and a rich cultural heritage, providing excellent conditions and unique advantages for integrating culture and tourism. Could you provide an overview of this integration and outline the plans for the next steps? Thank you!

Ye Jianchun:

Thank you for your question and your attention to Jiangxi's cultural and tourism development. I will answer this question.

In July 1934, Chairman Mao Zedong wrote a famous poem in Huichang, Jiangxi: "Crossing these blue hills adds nothing to one's years; the landscape here is beyond compare." Jiangxi boasts a revolutionary heritage passed down through generations, stunning landscapes, and a rich cultural history. We consistently adhere to enhancing tourism through culture and highlighting culture through tourism, ensuring that beautiful Jiangxi stands out even more. During this year's May Day holiday, Jiangxi received 20.86 million tourists, a year-on-year increase of 24.7% compared to 2019. The tourism consumption also grew by approximately 24.7%.

In creating more attractive tourism products, we leverage our unique "revolutionary, green, and ancient" resources to carefully plan cultural and tourism projects. Jiangxi, known as the cradle of the Chinese revolution, the People's Republic, the People's Army, and the Chinese workers' movement, as well as the gathering and starting point of the Long March, offers visitors the opportunity to learn about revolutionary history and feel the power of original aspirations. Leveraging our rich tourism resources, we have innovatively developed many popular tourism products. For example, there is a place called Wangxian Valley in Shangrao, Jiangxi province. It used to be an abandoned canyon mine, but later, through tourism development empowered by Xianxia culture and its unique canyon landscape, it gradually emerged from its predicament. Now, Wangxian Valley has become an Instagrammable spot for tourists from all over the country. It is crowded with visitors, making tickets and accommodations hard to book. What was once barren mountains has now become a wonderland, and the local community has been benefiting from tourism and walking the path to prosperity.

Jiangxi is striving to create more influential tourism brands. The province is home to the tranquil Lushan Mountains, picturesque Sanqing Mountains and marvelous Longhu Mountains. In Jiangxi, you can visit Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China; the country's most beautiful countryside in Wuyuan; the "Millennium Porcelain Capital" Jingdezhen; and the ancient Tengwang Pavilion, the Bailudong Academy, and the Donglin Temple. Additionally, Jiangxi produces distinctive tourist products such as Jingdezhen ceramics and Gougunao tea. The province is also enriched with countless ancient poems left by historical figures like Tao Yuanming, Ouyang Xiu, Li Bai, and Bai Juyi. After years of effort, the tourism brand Unique Landscape in Jiangxi has evolved from focusing solely on natural landscapes to combining nature, history, culture, and services. At the beginning of this year, in collaboration with the Palace Museum, we launched a special exhibition themed The Imperial Porcelain Returns at the Jiangxi Provincial Museum, showcasing imperial porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties with the oldest dating back some 600 years. The exhibition has been extended until May, with the site being packed with visitors daily, who are vying to see the exquisite exhibits that were produced in Jingdezhen, including the Chenghua doucai sanqiu cup, the red glazed guanyin vase from Kangxi period, and the small bowl with pale yellowish green glaze from Yongzheng period. Part of the exhibits are displayed outside the Palace Museum for the first time. All these highlight the splendor and charm of Jiangxi as the hometown of literati and loyalists and the birthplace of literature and culture.

To provide more friendly tourism services, we always place tourists at the center of our efforts and actively promote honest business among tourism operators across the province. We work to modernize tourism service facilities, implement intelligent management, and provide tourist-friendly services. Our goal is for every tourist to Jiangxi to not only revel in the beautiful mountains and rivers but also enjoy safe, comfortable, high-quality, and efficient services that warm the hearts and satisfy the needs. 

Jiangxi is suitable for travel in all seasons with tourism attractions located all around. We will further enhance the integration of culture and tourism, diversify business formats, and unleash the innovative power of cultural tourism sector. We aim to make Jiangxi's cultural tourism offerings eye-catching and soul-touching, gaining popularity and commercial success. We warmly welcome you to Jiangxi to experience its elegant and attractive landscapes, relive the glorious revolutionary stories at our red tourism destinations, and feel the province's unique charm. Jiangxi is an ideal place that deserves your visit and makes you want to return. Thank you.