An agricultural tourism route that aims for common prosperity was released a few days ago by Hezhuang Subdistrict, the first of its kind in Qiantang District. It allows people to ride on trains of Wenwei Village, obtain a portion of land at Xinwei Village before touring the workshop producing pickled vegetables and plant nursery that grows succulents in Xinchuang Village.

Covering an area of 15.54 square kilometers, the route is located in the bridgehead of Qiantang District east of the Qiantang River and is perceived as a key part of Hangzhou’s agenda to develop the area along the river. The route planning was decided July this year, which was marked by ten projects intended to attract new businesses, such as a B&B RV site, a makerspace near subway stations for young entrepreneurs and a bridgehead food complex. The route stands strongly as a prime example of the district-wide efforts to pursue common prosperity.

What is the reason for choosing Hezhuang as the location of the first agricultural tourism route for common prosperity? Last year, Hezhuang Subdistrict established a rural revitalization and common prosperity community, with party organizations being the unique center and industrial chains the underpinning force. It was enabled by the synergy between six villages similar in their geographic positions, industrial structures, cultural traditions and development stages. Of the six villages, some have finished their transformation toward beautiful countryside while others are still working on it. The route has been recognized by Zhejiang Province as one of the top-quality routes in the category of recreational agriculture and rural tourism for 2022. A number of prospective industrial projects have taken root here in Hezhuang over the past several years, including Xianmeng Jiangdong agricultural complex, Mole’s World, Maiteng contract farming, Yuanhong phalaenopsis nursery and a food project that serves ten iconic dishes. These projects, as they forge on, contribute significantly to a dynamic and coordinated local economy.

In addition to the launch of the tourism route, Hezhuang has held an agreement-signing ceremony for the first district-level cultural tourism project it has ever undertaken. The project is set to create a multisensory experience that reflects both the heritage from the Song Dynasty and life in the countryside. The idea is to apply a variety of business models in the setting of cultural tourism to demonstrate the cultural appeal of the Song Dynasty as well as the humanistic spirits of the area along the Qiantang River. Meanwhile, the project looks specifically into Hezhuang’s strengths and uses them to promote cooperation between local authorities, schools and businesses. By arranging popularization of science, cultural experiences, handicrafts workshops, meetings, lectures and festival celebrations, the project will help attract an inflow of not just consumers looking to immerse themselves in local culture and local life, but also young college graduates who are enthusiastic about starting their own business. All that combined means the subdistrict will be able to take more solid steps toward culture-driven rural revitalization, common prosperity and high-quality development.