Chinese and foreign visitors gathered on the bank of Fuchun River during the Mid-Autumn Day and National Day holidays, where they experienced the natural beauty of Tonglu County and explored the charm of Asian Games in travel. 

“This is a tour to a beautiful and magic ancient village. History of some hundred years is presented at a certain live moment. It’s of historical significance,” said Russell McKinnon, an Australian report, after finishing the Asian Games sightseeing tour during the National Day holiday. He marveled at the folk customs in the local village. 

Yueju Opera and cross talk performances were staged before a full house. In the Shen’ao Tea House, McKinnon and his peer journalists watched the performances while enjoying a cup of tea. Shentu Meifang, a county-level inheritor of Tonglu paper cutting, demonstrated how to make the national intangible cultural heritage. She then instructed McKinnon and other journalists to make their own art works. In addition, they went to make a Chinese herbal satchel, wheat stalk fan and cotton flippers, and also played Kongfu in Tonglu. 

During the Mid-Autumn Day and National Day holidays, the Tonglu County launched three travel routes for journalists and technical officials of the Asian Games. They are the experience tour of village folk arts, tour to a village in Fuchun Mountains, and night tour along the Fuchun River. The tours brought visitors to ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, scenic villages and boardwalks in forests, presenting intangible cultural heritage in Tonglu and local folk art and customs to the world. 

Rabbit-shape lanterns made with craftmanship of Shen’ao characteristics drew widespread attention in the branch of Asian Games Village in Tonglu County. “Villagers” in Tonglu were also offered with experiences of tasting local black tea, weaving color ribbons of Shezu people, wearing Yueju opera makeup and enjoying the melody of Guqin. More than 10 representatives of intangible cultural heritage, including the Tonglu paper cutting and Hecun Village embroidered shoes, 30 inheritors and folk-art masters brought close to 100 activities demonstrating intangible cultural heritage, folk music, calligraphy and Chinese paintings to “villagers” in Tonglu. More than 11,200 people were involved in the activities, and more than 300 customized Chinese traditional foldable fans were presented as gifts.