The autumn sky is clear and the air crisp; wild geese fly south in formation. As the 12th Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs prepares to open in Hengyang, the “Wild Goose City” awaits every entrepreneur's homecoming with its deepest affection and warmest embrace.

Wild geese soar across the sky; home is always the starting point from which Hunan entrepreneurs set out.

“Wild geese flying south rest their wings here and go no further.” Hengyang is elegantly known as the Wild Goose City — both the terminus of the geese’ southern migration and the starting point from which millions of Hunan entrepreneurs have chased their dreams. Carrying the trust and expectations of their hometown, Hunan entrepreneurs have striven across the world, creating one business miracle after another.

Today, Hunan entrepreneurs worldwide number more than 4 million, with businesses spanning over 180 countries and regions and assets held outside the province exceeding 4 trillion yuan. They are, without question, business elites and a source of pride for Hunan.

“Those who eat the fruit think of the tree; those who drink from the stream remember its source.” Hunan entrepreneurs have always been a precious resource for Hengyang’s development. Over the past three years, returning entrepreneurs have registered more than 500 new enterprises in Hengyang, with cumulative investment exceeding 120 billion yuan, contributing over 70 percent of the city's newly added industrial enterprises above designated size — becoming a key pillar of Hengyang's high-quality development.

A shared root makes our bond deep and enduring; a shared soul makes our hearts beat as one; a shared dream makes us of one heart and one mind. For Hunan entrepreneurs, Huxiang — Hunan — is a gene inscribed in their blood, and Hengyang is the native soil they never forget. However far you have traveled and however high you have flown, home will always be your most solid backing and warmest harbor.

This place holds your childhood memories, bears the footprints of your growth, and still more, flows with kinship and hometown ties that can never be severed: while others care whether you fly high, your hometown always worries whether you fly tired. We will always regard serving Hunan entrepreneurs as our bounden duty, strengthening support on the home front so that every entrepreneur striving abroad can venture into the world with confidence and pursue development with peace of mind.

Wild geese return home; every corner of this land is fertile ground for Hunan entrepreneurs to build their businesses.

“Wild geese from ten thousand li away routinely return to Hengyang.” If Hunan entrepreneurs venturing across the four seas to build their careers are likened to wild geese winging a thousand miles, then Hengyang is the homing nest that these wanderers dream of and where they alight and take root.

Here, strategic opportunities converge — we look forward to sharing them with you. As a national regional key city and provincial sub-center city, Hengyang recorded average annual GDP growth of 5.83 percent during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), ranking second in the province — demonstrating the responsibility of a major economic city in bearing the weight. At present, anchored to the beautiful blueprint of the “Three Highlands and Four New Missions” strategy, we are advancing in depth the development strategy of “building the city on manufacturing and energizing it through culture and tourism,” ushering in a golden period in which policy dividends are being released in concentrated fashion and the economy is moving steadily upward and renewing itself.

Hengyang has been entrusted with the national pilot program for integrated innovation in industrial metrology and approved as a national pilot city for retail innovation and upgrading, seizing strategic commanding heights for strengthening industry and boosting consumption. The province has issued policies and measures supporting Hengyang in accelerating the building of a provincial sub-center city, tailoring a package of support to our city’s needs. With the Global Forum for Hunan Entrepreneurs about to open, this is an important window for Hengyang to pool strength, gather resources and empower development. We sincerely invite Hunan entrepreneurs to seize these strategic opportunities, ride the express train of Hengyang's development, share in its dividends and achieve mutual benefit.

Here, industrial momentum is gathering — we look forward to building together with you. Hengyang is one of China’s old industrial bases, a national demonstration zone for undertaking industrial transfer, and one of China’s top 100 manufacturing cities, with a deep industrial heritage and a complete industrial system.

Following the laws of industrial development, we have built a modern industrial system with distinct Hengyang characteristics under the framework of “stabilizing five, advancing three and positioning two,” successfully cultivating three national-level industrial clusters — power transmission and transformation equipment, salt-halogen chemicals, and deep processing of copper, lead and zinc. The smart weighing and metrology industry has been listed as the province's 12th key industrial chain; the Runze Embodied Intelligence Industrial Park has become an important new force in the province’s embodied intelligence industry; the Hengsteel supporting industrial park is driving upstream and downstream agglomeration; and strategic cooperation agreements worth tens of billions of yuan — between Hengyang and TBEA on the power transmission and transformation industry, and with China National Nuclear Corporation on nuclear technology applications — are about to be signed.

We look forward to Hunan entrepreneurs deeply participating in Hengyang’s industrial project development and striving to be the “leading geese” of the city’s industrial transformation and upgrading.

Here, openness and vitality are bursting forth — we look forward to prospering together with you. Hengyang is a comprehensive national transport hub and a land-port national logistics hub, with a three-dimensional transport network comprising Nanyue Airport, a 2,000-tonne-class golden waterway on the Xiangjiang River, eight expressways and six railways (four high-speed and two conventional), reaching rivers and seas and connecting to the globe.

We have persisted in expanding space and pooling resources through openness, coordinating our efforts on the combined initiatives of “Hunan entrepreneurs returning home,” “alumni returning to Hunan” and “Hunan expertise empowering Hunan,” and have developed a batch of demonstration projects for the return of Hunan entrepreneurs, such as Chuanshan Time Valley. We actively guide enterprises to go global together, conducting trade with more than 160 countries and regions, and have been listed among “China’s Top 100 Foreign Trade Cities” for consecutive years.

We believe that, supported by Hengyang’s locational and transport advantages and its open platforms, Hunan entrepreneurs will surely seize first-mover opportunities across broader fields and achieve even greater success.

Wild geese fly in formation; home is forever the partner walking alongside Hunan entrepreneurs.

“When a flock of geese soars high, the leading goose guides; where one goose leads, the rest follow.” The logic of Hunan entrepreneur development closely matches that of a wild goose formation: only when government and enterprises share the same heart and direction, resonating in unison, can we create the magnificent scene of a hundred boats racing and a thousand sails setting forth.

“Fish delight most in deep waters; geese know to return where the forest is lush.” We have always regarded serving Hunan entrepreneurs as our core responsibility, and are willing to be your most steadfast companion and most loyal partner — whether you are wanderers striving across the four seas or entrepreneurial elites rooted in native soil; whether you are seasoned business veterans who have cultivated industry for years, or young trailblazers riding the tide. Hengyang always keeps its arms open, quietly awaiting the geese’ return, and with a commitment that “a promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold” and that we will “persist until the work is done,” will escort every dream and bring every undertaking to fruition.

We will carry forward the “Four Commitments” spirit — “We do not come unless summoned, we come whenever summoned, we serve with care, and we do what we say” — continue the “enterprise Service Year” campaign, deepen our “career partner” relationship, and build a community of shared future in which Party committees, governments and enterprises advance together. We will fully establish the “Hengyang, Easy to Get Things Done” service brand, ensuring that Hunan entrepreneurs in Hengyang “get things done, attract the talent they need, earn the profits they seek, and are fully respected.”

“Free at the weekend? Come to Hengyang. Invest in Hengyang, and create new glory.” We warmly welcome Hunan entrepreneurs home, to embark together on a new journey of cooperation and write a new chapter of our era.

In golden autumn, when the osmanthus is in bloom, the Hengyang Culture and Tourism Promotion Event was held in Guilin on September 18 at the Guishan Huaxing Hotel. Culture and tourism officials, travel agency associations, key tour operators and media friends from both Guilin and Hengyang gathered together to renew the friendship between Hunan and Guangxi and explore cooperation in culture and tourism.

On this very day last year, the two sides held similar culture and tourism exchanges and matchmaking at the same venue. Reuniting this year, the friendship runs deeper and the cooperation is more substantive.

The event opened with a Hengyang tourism promotional video. On screen, the sea of clouds and sunrise over Mount Heng (Nanyue), the millennia-old cultural lineage of Shigu Academy, and the everyday vibrancy along the banks of the Xiangjiang River unfolded one by one, giving the guests present a more vivid and multi-dimensional impression of Hengyang — a national regional key city and provincial sub-center city with over 2,300 years of urban history.

Then, Hengyang's culture and tourism promoter took the stage to present the city’s tourism resources and the “Bringing Visitors to Hengyang” policy. From multiple dimensions — “landscape, culture, cuisine, transport and policy” — she guided the audience into a Hengyang that is “‘Xiang’-fully flavorful” — a city rich in the distinctive character of Hunan.

Mount Heng (Nanyue), the “Longevity Mountain” of China and the source of the fire seed, offers rare flowers in spring, a sea of clouds in summer, sunrise views in autumn and snow scenes in winter, with a deep heritage of blessing-seeking and wellness culture. Shigu Academy, with its millennia-old cultural lineage at the confluence of three rivers, fully displays the charm of a “city of mountains, rivers and islets.” New settings such as Baoweili, the Jianxiang Industrial Culture Block and Zhongshan North-South Road blend old affection with new trends; red-study resources such as the Southern Hunan Student Federation Memorial Hall and the Shuikoushan Workers' Movement Memorial Hall reveal Hengyang’s heroic character.

Hengyang's cuisine is equally enticing — Hengyang fish rice noodles, Hengdong home-style dishes, Nanyue vegetarian cuisine and Hengyang barbecue, whose aromas spread far and wide. At present, the Hunan Football League (HNFL, or “Xiang Super League”) is in full swing, with the Hengyang team playing at home. “Tour Mount Nanyue and savor Hengyang cuisine by day; cheer for the Hengyang team by night” has become the most authentic Hengyang travel experience.

On transport, the high-speed rail from Guilin to Hengyang takes only 2 hours, or about 4 hours by car. The city has over 2,600 hotels and guesthouses, making it ideal for a short trip.

On policy, Hengyang has specially introduced six “Bringing Visitors to Hengyang” measures: rewards for organizing groups of 100 or more visitors for either one-day or multi-day tours; and transport subsidies for groups of 15 or more arriving on the same flight, or 100 or more on the same train.

The promoter sincerely invited Guilin tour operators to hold on-site exchanges and precise matchmaking with Hengyang tourism enterprises during the networking dinner.

During the exchange session, Guilin tour operator representatives, drawing on their frontline market experience, shared suggestions on tourism product design, mutual visitor exchange and route coordination. Both sides agreed that Guilin, as a world-class benchmark for landscape tourism, and Hengyang, as a culturally deep-rooted highland of Huxiang culture, are both important nodes on the Hunan-Guangxi culture and tourism corridor, with highly complementary resources and strong market linkages.

With the “Zhangjiajie–Langshan–Guilin” golden tourism route now written into the national 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Tourism Powerhouse, and with the cooperation platform established by the China-ASEAN Expo Tourism Exhibition, in-depth Hunan-Guangxi collaboration in culture and tourism has ushered in a new window of opportunity.

At the event, the Hengyang Tourism Association and the Guilin Travel Agency Association signed a cooperation agreement on mutual visitor exchange and joint tour routes between Hengyang and Guilin. Under the agreement's direction, the two sides will promote resource sharing, joint tour routes, mutual visitor exchange and joint market development, putting “Bringing Visitors to Hengyang” and “Bringing Visitors to Guilin” into practice.

From last year’s consensus reached at the Guishan Huaxing Hotel to this year’s refined, implemented policies and successfully signed agreements, Hengyang’s culture and tourism sector is advancing bilateral cooperation from intention to practice with better policies, better services and a better environment.

“Free at the weekend? Come to Hengyang. Busy or not — come to Hengyang anyway.” Hengyang’s culture and tourism sector sincerely invites friends from all walks of life in Guilin to visit Hengyang, experience Hengyang, promote Hengyang, deepen their engagement with Hengyang, and fall in love with Hengyang.

Departing from Guilin, it is a two-hour high-speed train ride: tour Mount Nanyue and taste Hengyang cuisine by day, cheer for the Hengyang team by night — a spontaneous Hunan-Guangxi journey awaits you!

Recently, the 2026 National Excellent Cases of Summer Leisure Tourism were officially released, with 45 cases making the list. Among them, Hunan Province's “Hengyang Hengshan Cool-Health Wellness Tour” was selected as an exemplary case in the category of “Characteristic Route Design for Summer Leisure Tourism.”

Stretching approximately 150 kilometers, this 4-day, 3-night itinerary connects over 10 premium cultural and tourism destinations. Integrating ecological summer retreats, red-themed study tours, forest wellness, and rural leisure, the route offers diverse experiences that cater to both team-building and educational programs, while also providing families with an immersive, fun-filled journey of “learning through play.”

Bamboo Sea Mountain Residence serves as the starting point. Nestled against the Hengshan Mountains and surrounded by lush bamboo groves, this natural oxygen bar with fresh, crisp air sets a rejuvenating tone for the entire wellness journey. 

The tour then proceeds to the Former Residence of Tang Qunying, where visitors pay tribute to the life of the “Foremost Female Soul” and draw inspiration from the revolutionary spirit of Chinese women. Next, at the Yuebei Red Scenic Area, travelers explore the site of Hunan's first peasant union, reliving the history of the workers’ and peasants’ revolution.

Recently, the Road Tourism Work Committee of the China Highway and Transportation Society announced the list of "Beautiful Highways of 2026," selecting 49 rural highway projects, 48 ordinary national and provincial trunk highway projects, and 46 expressway projects.

Six highways in Hunan were included: S51 Nanyue Expressway, Chenyang Highway in Beihu District, Chenzhou City, Jicha Section of G65 Baomao Expressway, Dayue Section of G56 Hangrui Expressway, Changde Section of G5513 Changzhang Expressway, and Ruchen Section of G76 Xiarong Expressway.

S51 Nanyue Expressway

S51 Nanyue Expressway spans 37.318 kilometers, featuring a dual-carriageway with four lanes and a designed speed of 120 km/h. Starting from Shigu in the south and ending at Mount Hengshan (Nanyue) in the north, it serves not only as a vital connecting line between the G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway and the G72 Quannan Expressway, but also as a demonstration section for the province's integrated transportation and tourism development. Since opening over a decade ago, the route has linked high-quality tourism resources—such as Mount Hengshan, the Former Residence of Luo Ronghuan, the Mausoleum of Emperor Yan, Taoyuan Cave, and Jinggangshan—into a cohesive travel itinerary, transforming tourist behavior from "worshipping on the mountain and leaving immediately" to "staying overnight, touring around, and taking a longer journey."

Furthermore, the overall MQI (Maintenance Quality Index) of the entire route has remained above 96.4, with 100% of the road sections rated as excellent. The RQI (Riding Quality Index) has consistently stayed above 94, balancing aesthetics with driving comfort. The greening design is tailored to local soil and water conditions, adopting a tiered combination of trees, shrubs, and herbs. A layered green belt has been formed within 30 meters on both sides of the road, creating a driving environment where the scenery shifts with every step. In 2025, the Xuanzhou Toll Station opened, forming an efficient entrance and exit matrix with the Shigu Toll Station and the Nanyue Toll Station.

After nearly a month of closure for quality improvement and renovation, the Nanyue Time City 1944 Scenic Area reopened free of charge on July 25. This marks the site's transformation and upgrading from a traditional sightseeing scenic area to an open resort integrating arts, recreation, catering, high-end accommodation, and cultural creation and film industries.

The renovation was advanced around five major sectors—chain brands, intangible cultural heritage and cultural creation, specialty dining, nighttime entertainment, and outdoor recreation. The area has established a new curator-led block, innovatively introducing a creator model and regularly hosting activities such as art performances, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and parent-child interactive opportunities, to create an immersive block featuring "a unique theme in every shop and a fresh experience at every turn." The site has built an all-day consumption environment of "daytime recreation, nighttime carnival." It has brought together local flavors and diverse specialty dining; laid out leisure sports formats including outdoor swimming, indoor play areas, and a riding ranch; and expanded nighttime consumption scenes such as bars, beer gardens, and retro dance halls, offering a rich and varied experience to visitors of all ages.

The accommodation facilities continue to improve. Following the opening of the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Legend Nanyue at the resort on July 19, the Howard Johnson Club Hotel officially signed an agreement to establish a presence. A tiered accommodation cluster is taking shape, ranging from high-end resort hotels to youth hostels. Meanwhile, the Time City Short Drama Studio has attracted over 10 film and TV production teams, gradually forming an integrated culture-tourism and film-television model. The area also offers one-stop vintage-style photography services, enriching visitors' holiday experiences.

Themed "Rebuilding the Rhythm of Life in the Mountains," the Hengshan Time Summer Arts Festival was launched simultaneously, with a series of events through August 30.

On the morning of July 17, inside the Hengyang Sports Center, banners fluttered in the wind and rallying drums beat loudly. With the 2026 Hunan Super League (Xiangchao) set to kick off, the city of Hengyang held a grand send-off ceremony for its representing team in the highest-profile manner. Zhu Jian, Secretary of the CPC Hengyang Municipal Committee, presented the flag to the team. Liu Zhongjie, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Hengyang Municipal Committee and Mayor of Hengyang, delivered a speech. Liu Zhengxing, Director of the Standing Committee of the Hengyang Municipal People's Congress, and Wu Shuguang, Chairman of the Hengyang Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, attended the event.

At the stadium, players of Team Hengyang, clad in their unified jerseys, stood in high spirits and neat formation. From the passionate fan section came tidal waves of cheers, with flags dancing above the stands—turning the venue into a sea of fervor. Zhu Jian, Liu Zhongjie, and other leaders walked onto the field to exchange greetings with the players, coaches, and representatives from the Hengyang Football Association Fan Branch, who had spent months in preparation and were primed for competition, offering them words of encouragement.

Zhu Jian stated that the Municipal Party Committee, the Municipal Government, and the people of the city will always serve as the unwavering backing of the Hengyang Xiangchao team. He wished the team a flying start and victory in every match, urging them to demonstrate the soaring fighting spirit of Hengyang's people on the league stage and achieve excellent results.

In his address, Liu Zhongjie remarked that after a year-long hiatus, the Xiangchao League—eagerly anticipated by the entire city—is about to kick off. He expressed hope that the coaching staff and athletes will give their all, fine-tuning their physical conditioning and competitive form to peak levels, to deliver top-tier performances and strive for great honors. He called on them to vigorously uphold Hengyang's spirit of "striving for excellence, tackling tough challenges, united in hard work, and never giving up"—to fight for the honor of their hometown and bring glory to the city. By showcasing exemplary sportsmanship, he said, the team will project the image of a civilized city and attract more friends to "come visit Hengyang if you're free on the weekend."

Subsequently, Zhu Jian handed the bright red team flag to player representative Liu Peilin. As the flag was waved in the wind, the venue erupted in warm applause.

"Fair play, fight bravely! Sweep aside all rivals, meet at the summit!" All coaches and players took a solemn oath. Their resounding pledge—weighty and powerful—fully demonstrated the firm determination of Hengyang's footballers to compete with unity, civility, and an unyielding drive for excellence.

It is reported that the Hengyang representative team has completed an intensive pre-season training camp. On July 26, they will host their opening match against Shaoyang. Fans across the city are eagerly awaiting the spectacular debut of this formidable squad.

Vice Mayor Xie Hong presided over the flag-presentation ceremony. Municipal leaders Zhou Yumei and Chen Liyang also attended.

Against a backdrop of clear blue skies in recent days, a photographer captured a stunning shot of Yuelu Mountain and Zhurong Peak framed together in a single view. In the image, the two renowned mountains reach across the geographical divide to meet each other's gaze, composing a breathtaking tableau where the ancient and modern blend seamlessly, and mountains, rivers, and city coexist in harmony.

Indeed, such cross-frame vistas are not unique to this year. Back in the height of summer last July, numerous netizens also photographed the striking convergence of Changsha's skyline and the Hengyang mountain range.

Confronted with these rare visual spectacles, locals busied themselves "counting peaks" while marveling aloud: "I swear my eyesight just leveled up!" and "Is the air visibility seriously off the charts?" 

In truth, the reason residents can effortlessly unlock these extraordinary cross-city panoramic views spanning over a hundred kilometers through their camera lenses lies directly in the consistently excellent air quality and exceptional atmospheric visibility.

With the 2026 Xiangchao League (Hunan Super Football League) kicking off, the city is riding the wave of this major sporting event to roll out two premium cultural tourism routes. Starting from the Municipal Sports Center, these itineraries integrate historical landmarks, trendy neighborhoods, and vibrant nighttime destinations—offering match-going visitors the chance to experience the best of Yancheng (Wild Goose City) in a single day.

Route 1: Historic City & Yanfeng Nightlife Tour

Hengyang Sports Center → Baoweili Cultural & Creative Block → Jianxiang Industrial Culture Block → Shigu Academy → Huiyan Peak Scenic Area (Yancheng Star Ferris Wheel) → Shifu Road Food Culture Block

This route weaves together the old town's historic charm with Yanfeng's booming night economy. By day, explore cultural sites and former residences. At dusk, climb the peak for panoramic views over the Xiang River. As night falls, dive into authentic local street life and culinary delights. The result is a perfect balance of activity and relaxation.

Baoweili Cultural & Creative Block.

Jianxiang Industrial Culture Block.

Shigu Academy.

Huiyan Peak Scenic Area (Yancheng Star Ferris Wheel).

Shifu Road Food Culture Block.

Route 2: Zhengxiang Trends & Suburban ICH Experience

Hengyang Sports Center → Rongguan Le Street → Hongyang Plaza Zhengxiang YEAH Night Market → Hengshan Du · Xiangjiang Ferry Folk Culture Impression Experience Base → Nanyue Li → Zhurong Fire-Exploring Space Experience Hall → Time City · 1944

The journey opens with Zhengxiang's trendy nightlife scene, then extends to Hengshan Du for riverside folk customs and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) craftsmanship. It culminates in the Nanyue area, where visitors can immerse themselves in traditional Chinese aesthetics, space science education, and cutting-edge cultural experiences. The route delivers a seamless blend of past and present with a rich, layered itinerary.

Rongguan Le Street.

Hongyang Plaza Zhengxiang YEAH Night Market.

Hengshan Du · Xiangjiang Ferry Folk Culture Impression Experience Base 

Nanyue Li.

 Zhurong Fire-Exploring Space Experience Hall.

Time City · 1944.

Special Offer for Match Ticket Holders

During the Xiangchao season, visitors presenting a valid game ticket can unlock exclusive cultural tourism discounts. Note: These offers cannot be combined with other ongoing promotions. Specific reservation details are available in advance via official platforms.

Beyond the matches, take your time to wander through Hengyang's streets, alleys, and scenic landscapes—and feel the vibrant new energy of this historic city for yourself.

Recently, the daily non-stop flight between Changsha and Kuala Lumpur operated by Malaysia Airlines officially commenced service. The TP228 Tourism Alliance organized over 30 leading local travel agencies to take this route to Hunan, launching a province-wide familiarization (FAM) trip. The delegation made a special stop in Nanyue to conduct an on-site inspection of core cultural and tourism resources, paving the way for developing the Malaysian outbound market to the region.

The group visited Wanshou Square, Nanyue Grand Temple, and Nanyue Li, immersing themselves in the "unique beauty among the Five Great Mountains" and the millennia-old blessing and longevity culture. The agents meticulously reviewed the entire tourism chain—including touring routes, blessing experiences, accommodation and dining facilities, and inbound reception services. They captured footage of ancient temple architecture and intangible cultural heritage folk customs, documenting photo-worthy spots, wellness and leisure programs, and signature vegetarian delicacies tailored to Southeast Asian travelers.

Malaysian travel agents highlighted that the country's large ethnic Chinese population fuels robust demand for traditional Chinese blessing culture and landscape-and-heritage tourism. Nanyue—where Buddhism and Taoism coexist—boasts profound longevity heritage and a pristine ecological environment, aligning perfectly with Malaysian tourists' travel preferences. In recent years, inbound tourism from Southeast Asia has surged, positioning Malaysia as a priority emerging source market for Nanyue.

This FAM trip coincided with the inauguration of the direct air route, establishing an aerial corridor for bilateral tourism cooperation. Moving forward, Nanyue will optimize its reception services for international visitors, introduce preferential policies tailored to the Southeast Asian market, deepen institutional ties with the Malaysian travel industry, and scale up its inbound tourism market.

On June 12 (local time), the 3rd "Red Flag Cup" Frankfurt International Dragon Boat Festival officially opened along the banks of the River Main in Germany, drawing teams and guests from China, Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, and other countries and regions.

Under the overall planning and meticulous guidance of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Hunan Provincial Committee and the Hengyang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, Hengyang served as the Guest City of Honor. It presented a curated showcase of its distinctive cultural arts and tourism resources. Highlights included the Qiyang Opera Picking Cherries, the ethnic dance The Wine-Serving Dance, and a medley of folk songs featuring Little Back Basket. Additionally, a dedicated Hengyang exhibition zone was set up to display Hunan tourism photography, municipal-level intangible cultural heritage items, Nan Yue tourism resources, and clock-themed cultural creative products from Chuanshan Time Valley.

Zhou Yumei, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hengyang Municipal Party Committee and Head of the Publicity Department, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. She introduced Hengyang’s profound historical and cultural heritage as well as its regional advantages in transportation and industry. Citing the sports diplomacy story of table tennis star Fan Zhendong playing for a German club, she extended a warm invitation to friends from all sectors in Germany to visit Hengyang and explore new space for cooperation. Huang Yiyang, Consul General of China in Frankfurt, and Gao Feng, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, spoke highly of Hengyang’s cultural presentations. Huang noted that Hengyang’s distinctive performances enriched the event’s substance and fostered mutual learning between civilizations, while Gao expressed his hope that Hengyang would continue to leverage international platforms to tell its urban story well and enhance people-to-people connectivity between China and the world.

Concurrent events included the international dragon boat races, an Asian food bazaar, and cultural performances from various countries, with the Hengyang exhibition remaining open throughout. Moving forward, Hengyang will leverage its cultural and industrial strengths to actively participate in global exchanges, further burnish the "Yancheng" (Wild Goose City) brand, and promote deeper and more substantive cooperation between China and Europe across all fields.

On June 19, Leiyang City launched its 2026 Our Festival: Dragon Boat Festival campaign alongside a special live-streamed event themed Championing My Hometown's Intangible Cultural Heritage Treasures.

Offline, a family folk-custom experience zone invited volunteers to walk parents and children through the festival's origins and traditional customs. Together, families folded zongzi, crafted aromatic sachets, and got up close with—and hands-on in—Cai Lun's ancient papermaking techniques. Certified ICH bearers stir-fried Leiyang's signature Wushi tea on-site, as visitors savored rice dumplings alongside cups of the medicinal brew, fully immersed in the charm of Dragon Boat heritage.

The online broadcast, staged live from the scenic grounds of the Cai Lun Memorial Park (a National 4A Tourist Attraction), featured hosts showcasing local ICH products including Zhuhai Wushi tea, Zhang Fei hujiu (fermented rice wine), Leiyang guapi (dried sweet potato starch sheets), and Xiatang sesame cakes. They narrated the deep history behind each craft and the personal stories of the artisans preserving them—broadening sales channels, raising consumer awareness, and advancing the cause of ICH protection.

By linking online and offline platforms and blending culture-tourism, festive events, and e-commerce into one integrated model, the campaign delivered an immersive Dragon Boat Festival experience for all participants while driving tangible sales of heritage products—advancing both cultural continuity and local industrial growth.

Over the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the tourist service plaza at Mount Heng's Nanyue area launched a three-day Dragon Boat Festival-themed bazaar. Breaking from the past, this event brought millennia of folk tradition vividly to life—using immersive traditional-Chinese-style garden activities, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) handicraft workshops, and interactive blessing rituals to give the ancient festival a fresh new twist at the foot of the sacred mountain.

Stepping into the market, visitors found over 30 distinctive stalls lining the plaza. A dazzling array of Dragon Boat Festival creative merchandise, traditionally crafted zongzi (rice dumplings), and vintage-style tea snacks filled the eye. Soft traditional Chinese melodies drifted through the air as tourists browsed the stalls, sampled delicacies, and admired folk artifacts—as if stepping back in time to an ancient street market.

Beyond the shopping spree, folk-custom experiences added an extra layer of delight. Classic games like touhu (pitch-pot) and she wudu (shooting the five poisonous creatures) allowed visitors to learn about age-old customs of warding off plague and praying for blessings on the "Day of the Five Poisons." At booths for bamboo-woven mugwort crafts and ICH sun-printing (shailan), crowds tried their hands at making things themselves—experiencing the quiet dedication of heritage artisans stitch by stitch, weave by weave. Traditional Dragon Boat customs are thus blending into modern life with a decidedly trendy twist.

Through this bazaar, Mount Heng's Nanyue scenic area didn't just let visitors celebrate the festival immersively—it breathed new life into millennia of traditional culture amid the lively, down-to-earth atmosphere of a bustling market, adding yet another surge of Guofeng ("national style") fever to Hengyang's cultural tourism landscape.

At the State Council Information Office press conference on July 14, the Ministry of Natural Resources singled out Dongzhou Island in Hengyang as a flagship example to endorse and showcase Hunan's pioneering reforms in the bundled supply of natural resource assets.

Dongzhou Island—site of the historic "Peach Blossom Waves of Dongzhou," one of Hengyang's Eight Great Sights, and home to the century-old Chuanshan Academy—spans just 324 mu. Yet for years the island suffered from a tangled web of fragmented, siloed management: land administered by one agency, forests by another, waterways by a third, and heritage sites by yet another. Each department guarded its own narrow patch, leaving no one capable of realizing the island's full holistic value.

In 2023, seizing the momentum of Hunan's Third Provincial Tourism Development Conference, Hengyang designated Dongzhou Island as a pilot site for the bundled-supply reform. Authorities mapped every parcel of the island's 324 mu of land, 13 kilometers of Xiangjiang River shoreline, and 18 cultural-tourism attractions—clarifying ownership and taking stock of existing conditions. The government front-loaded 530 million yuan to upgrade the assets. Then, in 2024, three distinct rights were bundled into a single public offering: state-owned construction land use rights covering 82.02 mu, island-wide cultural and tourism operating rights, and Xiangjiang River cruise sightseeing rights. The package went for 615 million yuan.

Once the winning bidder took possession, development moved quickly. A 4-kilometer perimeter fountain system now lights up the Xiangjiang riverfront at night. The Digital Chuanshan Academy uses AR and VR to bring the century-old institution vividly to life. The Mango Happy Forest draws waves of families, while 36 faux-antique buildings have been reimagined as Suzhou Bay Old Street. Crucially, the project mandates that at least 50 percent of the island remain free and open to all, with no gated toll zones—preserving the deeply rooted public-service character of Dongzhou Island as a civic park.

The impact was swift. By May of this year, the island had welcomed 3.725 million visitors, peaking at 80,000 in a single day. Total revenue hit 10.45 million yuan, catalyzing over 2 billion yuan in ancillary spending across the surrounding area. Greenery now covers 240,000 square meters; Xiangjiang River water quality holds steady at Class II; 1,200 mu of wetland have been restored; and the island has earned designation as a National 4A Tourist Attraction.

This model—using bundled multi-rights supply to break down siloed resource management—was named by the Ministry of Natural Resources this year among its Typical Cases for Realizing Ecological Product Value. Hunan has since established China's first provincial-level ten-department coordination mechanism. Across the province, 28 bundled-supply projects have closed, generating total proceeds of 8.031 billion yuan.

     Over the "May Day" mini-holiday, Hengyang City recorded a total passenger throughput of 1.0525 million person-times. On May 6, reporters learned from the Municipal Transportation Bureau that during this year's holiday period, the city's transportation system successfully completed all operational support tasks, safely handling 1.0525 million passengers with overall stable and orderly traffic operations.

    This year’s "May Day" period saw Hengyang launch a series of cultural and tourism events, attracting visitors from all directions to check in, fueling a continued boom in the cultural tourism market and a concentrated release of public travel demand. According to statistics from the Municipal Transportation Bureau, the total passenger volume during the holiday reached 1.0525 million person-times. Among these, high-speed rail travel accounted for a significant share, with 473,400 passengers; conventional railways handled 330,600 passengers; road coach services transported 228,000 passengers; civil aviation handled 12,900 passenger arrivals and departures; and waterway transport carried 7,500 passengers.

    To ensure the safe and convenient travel of the public, the city's transportation departments continuously intensified road patrols and emergency duty efforts. Traffic law enforcement agencies maintained strict oversight of key vehicles—specifically "three types of passenger vehicles and hazardous materials transports"—and carried out ongoing special inspections and rectifications to eliminate safety hazards promptly. Meanwhile, detailed diversion plans were formulated in advance for areas with heavy traffic flow, such as expressway service areas and popular scenic spots, ensuring efficient operation of the road network and safeguarding the public’s journey to their "poetry and distant horizons."

   The Second Nanyue Temple Fair Shehuo Festival kicked off at the Nanyueli Temple Fair Cultural Food Street in Hengyang City. The seven-day folk cultural carnival will run through January 1, 2026, presenting residents and visitors with a New Year cultural tourism feast that blends traditional charm with modern vitality. 

   This year's Shehuo Festival centers on two themes: "Staging Shehuo Folk Performances" and "Visiting the Temple Fair." While deeply exploring the thousand-year-old temple fair culture of Nanyue, the event innovatively incorporates trendy elements beloved by younger generations.

   During the event, visitors can not only enjoy intangible cultural heritage performances such as stilt walking, dragon and lion dances, fire tiger dances, and fireworks puppet shows, but also participate in interactive activities like the "A Thousand-Lantern Parade," "Three Gods of Fortune, Prosperity and Longevity Bringing Auspiciousness," and "Street Exploration." Tourists can also join in a dance around the bonfire and a party blending traditional Chinese elements with electronic music. On New Year's Eve, festivities will continue until midnight, including ceremonial events like a thousand people releasing wish balloons, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere to welcome the new year.