Rural sports, cultural activities boost tourism in SW China's Guizhou

An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 3, 2024 shows a firework show during a village gala held after a football match at the Village Super League, dubbed "Cun Chao," in Rongjiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

In recent years, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province has held sports and cultural activities in rural areas, including the Village Super League (VSL), also known as "Cun Chao", the Village Basketball League, dubbed "Cun BA," and rural singing competitions, attracting scores of visitors from across the country.

From "Noodle King" to "Football King"

Dong Yongheng, who once sold rice noodle rolls, never expected that he would become a football coach. This remarkable transformation was sparked by the VSL, which was initiated in the prefecture's Rongjiang county.

From May to July 2023, 600 to 700 football enthusiasts from 20 village teams took part in the VSL. The VSL quickly became a hit and put the small mountainous county on the map, gaining attention both domestically and internationally. Dong, a member of the Zhongcheng village team, scored 15 goals in 13 appearances and received the Golden Boot award as the leading scorer in the league. 

Dong attributed the popularity of football in Rongjiang to the local government's commitment to rural sports events. The county has plenty of outdoor pitches, and schools and sports parks offer free access to their facilities. This has given more people a chance to engage in fitness activities. In addition, residents have had more leisure time and a growing appetite for cultural activities since Rongjiang was lifted out of poverty in 2020.

The VSL has become a calling card for tourism in Rongjiang and the broader Qiandongnan region. It has attracted over 300 football teams from across China and amateur teams from countries including France, Liberia, and Cambodia.

The final game of Cun Chao, China's village football tournament, attracts thousands of people in Rongjiang, Guizhou Province, on July 29, 2023. (Photo/Xinhua)

In addition, the VSL offers a multifaceted cultural immersion. Spectators can watch traditional dance performances at halftime, and enjoy intangible cultural heritage and savor local delicacies at food markets beyond the pitch.

To retain visitors, the local government has taken measures to improve services and address tourists' concerns. For example, the number of accommodation beds in Rongjiang has increased to over 11,000, more than double that of last year.

According to reliable data, the VSL has generated over 78 billion views online. From January to July this year, Rongjiang received about 5.47 million tourist visits, up 17.62 percent year on year, with comprehensive tourism revenue soaring 26.32 percent from the same period last year to 6.21 billion yuan ($877.86 million).

The court isn't just for basketball, but also features a cultural feast

Recently, the 2024 "Cun BA" Finals concluded in Qiandongnan's Taijiang county. Over nearly four months, 75 teams from the Guizhou division competed in friendly matches, delivering a series of exciting and intense games. During breaks in the basketball game, a cultural feast featuring artistic performances, traditional foods, and local specialties was presented, offering a rich cultural experience to the audience.

Since it's the "Cun BA," there's no shortage of rustic elements: the venue is an open-air basketball court in front of the village committee, the props used by the audience for cheering are pots, pans, and bowls, the prizes are agricultural products like cattle, sheep, chickens, and ducks, as well as intangible cultural heritage items like embroidery, and the commentators switch freely between Mandarin, Guizhou dialect, and the Miao language, all highlighting the agrarian flavor of the "Cun BA."

An aerial photo taken on March 26, 2023 shows players warming up for a village basketball game in Taipan Village, Taijiang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

To enhance the experience and watchability of the "Cun BA," multiple villagers' meetings were held to collectively decide on important matters such as the formulation of competition rules and the renovation of the basketball court. Now, the "Cun BA" basketball court in Taipan village is equipped with spacious and comfortable changing rooms, shower facilities, a media reception room, public restrooms, and upgraded parking lots and stands. Additionally, the village collective decided that the income from various operations during the event would be used to improve infrastructure, hygiene, and the appearance of the village, while gradually developing related industries such as tourism, homestays, and catering.

Moreover, Taijiang county uses the event as a platform to fully tap into the resources of ethnic and folk arts, inviting folk artists, intangible cultural heritage bearers, and cheerleaders to perform and demonstrate, bringing the passionate and vibrant Miao ancient songs, Miao flying songs, wooden drum dances, polyphonic love songs, silverware, and embroidery into the stadium. Audiences can enjoy authentic cultural feasts while watching the games.

Villagers of the Dong ethnic group wear their ethnic dress as they sing during the halftime show of a Village Super League match on June 17, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

According to statistics, in 2023, driven by the "Cun BA" event, Taijiang county saw a year-on-year increase of 74.87 percent in the number of tourists, and a 94.66 percent increase in tourism revenue. From January to July 2024, Taijiang county received 2.01 million visitors, a 32.07 percent increase year-on-year, with tourism revenue reaching 2.32 billion yuan, a 34.22 percent increase, and the turnover of above-limit accommodation and catering industries grew by 11.6 percent and 23.2 percent respectively.

Communicating with the world through music

People participate in a performance of the Kam Grand Choir of the Dong ethnic group in the Dong village of Zhaoxing, Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Photo by Lu Zhongnan/Xinhua)

As night falls, the area around the Xintuan Drum Tower in Zhaoxing village, Zhaoxing township, Liping county, Qiandongnan, lights up. Amidst the cheers of the tourists, groups of singers dressed in traditional Dong attire, adorned with silver ornaments and light makeup, sing and dance, some even playing local musical instruments. The melodious and undulating songs stir the hearts of the audience, making them reluctant to leave.

Liping county has held rural singing competitions, aiming to help better preserve and pass on the Kam Grand Choir of the Dong ethnic group, a type of polyphonic folk singing performed without musical instruments or a conductor, while promoting the integration of culture with tourism, according to an official with the county's culture, sports, radio, television and tourism bureau.

In the first seven months of this year, Liping county, known as the hometown of rural singing competitions, received 3.96 million tourist visits, a 4.79 percent increase year on year, with comprehensive tourism revenue reaching 4.29 billion yuan, up 7.95 percent from the same period last year.

Rural singing competitions have become a regional cultural brand in Qiandongnan, attracting global attention. In July, the 2024 China (Qiandongnan) International Folk Song Festival was held in the prefecture, drawing choirs from Poland, Italy, Malaysia, Thailand, and beyond.