BEIJING, Jan. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestled in the picturesque mountains of Tengchong, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, Simola Wa village is a 500-year-old settlement of the Wa ethnic group, seemingly untouched by the clamor of urban life.
Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to the small village of some 300 population ahead of that year's Spring Festival in January 2020, showing a keen interest in local festive traditions. At a village square, Xi beat a wooden Wa drum three times in accordance with local customs to wish for bumper harvest, peace, and prosperity, the Xinhua New Agency reported.
Simola, which translates to "a place of happiness" in the local dialect, truly lived up to its name for Li Fashun, a villager in his 40s. The day of Xi's visit to his home became one of the happiest moments in his life.
On that warm winter day, Li and his family were busy preparing rice cakes, known as "da mi ba ba" in Chinese, a local delicacy meant to welcome guests and share with friends and family. Just as they were immersed in their culinary preparations, news arrived that Xi would be visiting their home, prompting Li to quickly rise and head to the door to greet him.
As Li's wife Yang Caiqin recalled, Xi sit down with them in a warm and friendly manner, asking questions about their family's situation. "From our parents' healthcare to the kids' education, President Xi shows great care for us," Yang told the Global Times.
What made this encounter even more memorable to the Li family, was the moment when Xi joined them in making rice cakes. Li explained that, in Simola, these cakes are a traditional delicacy enjoyed during festivals, often adorned with auspicious Chinese characters such as fu (fortune), xi (happiness), and shou (longevity), to convey sincere blessings. That sunny afternoon, in Li's sunlit courtyard, Xi used molds to craft two rice cakes, each beautifully stamped with the characters fu and xi.
"That day was as sweet as rice cakes," Li said.
Enjoying the festive customs of the ethnic minorities with President Xi has since become the most cherished memory for local Wa people. Moreover, they were deeply inspired by Xi's remarks during his visit there, which emphasized the determination to boost rural industries, as well as the rural economy, to "allow even more villagers to work near home, increase their income, and lead better lives."
After achieving comprehensive poverty alleviation in 2019, the village has focused on developing a tourism industry that highlights its rich ethnic culture and local customs. They established a tourism cooperative, allowing the benefits to be shared among all villagers. The village welcomed over 400,000 visitors in 2023, and the average net income per person reached 22,000 yuan ($3,027) that year, having doubled since 2019, according to data from Tengchong government.
Li opened a restaurant in 2020, welcoming a flock of tourists to enjoy local cuisines and experience rice cake making. According to Li, the restaurant generates an annual income of 140,000 yuan to 150,000 yuan, providing them with improved living conditions and a happier life.
Li looks forward to the day when Xi will visit Simola again. "I hope to show him around the village to see all these wonderful developments happening here," he told the Global Times.
Lacquerware: Culture in hands
Located in North China's Shanxi Province, Pingyao is one of the best-preserved ancient walled cities in the country and a UNESCO world heritage site. Its rich and well preserved historical relics, along with its profound cultural heritage, draw countless tourists eager to explore its timeless charm.
In January 2022, just before the Spring Festival, President Xi embarked on an inspection tour of Shanxi, where he toured the ancient town. Xi visited the ancient architectural sites there, and shopped cooked beef and vinegar as festive purchases for his family. He also visited a lacquerware shop and demanded cultural treasures such as the traditional lacquering skill be better protected.
Lacquerware is an essential item for local people during traditional events such as weddings, and also serves as a decorative piece that enhances the festive atmosphere during the holidays. Gray stone pathways wind through the streets of Pingyao, and it is along one of these paths that Wang Huiming's lacquerware store is located.
Wang vividly recalled the excitement he felt on that snowy day when Xi walked into his shop.
"President Xi asked me in detail about the craftsmanship, history, pricing, and marketing of lacquerware," Wang told the Global Times. "The president also carefully looked at many of the lacquerware items in my store, ranging from jewelry boxes, chests of drawers, to exquisite artworks."
At Pingyao, Xi called for increased efforts to conserve the country's cultural heritage and protect "the valuable treasure left to us by our ancestors," according to Xinhua.
Xi's words resonated deeply with local intangible cultural heritage practitioners, including 51-year-old Wang, who has dedicated himself to mastering the art of Pingyao's "push-light lacquerware" since he was 15, working for decades to pass down and promote this precious artistic tradition.
"We will continue to innovate while honoring and inheriting our traditions, breathing new life into our ancient cultural heritage in this modern era," Wang told the Global Times.
For local officials in Pingyao, Xi's remarks have also inspired them to diligently safeguard the invaluable heritage left by ancestors, and to foster a high-quality development of cultural tourism, so as to allow more visitors to better feel the appeal of this 2,800-year-old city.
In recent years, Pingyao government has made comprehensive efforts to promote the revitalization and sustainable use of this ancient city. Initiatives, such as the restoration of ancient architectural structures and infrastructure upgrades, have resulted in a flourishing cultural tourism economy. In 2024, Pingyao welcomed 10.12 million visits and generated ticket revenues of 134 million yuan, reflecting a growth rate of 11.72 percent comparing to 2023, according to data from the local cultural and tourism authority.
Reunion: Safe and pleasant trips
Chinese New Year's Eve and Spring Festival are traditional festivals of the Chinese nation and days for families to reunite and ring in the Lunar New Year, Xi said in a video speech in January 2023, ahead of that year's Spring Festival. "My biggest wish is that all of us will have a happy Lunar New Year," he said.
As the Spring Festival approaches, train stations and airports across China are bustling with passengers carrying their luggage, eager to reunite with their families.
A cultural phenomenon with Chinese characteristics appears - Chunyun, or the Spring Festival Travel Rush. As a large-scale population migration rarely seen in the world, Chunyun carries countless wanderers' longing for home and hope for reunion. It is not only a reflection of family affection and belonging in traditional Chinese culture, but also a mirror of social and economic development.
Whether passengers enjoy a safe and comfortable journey during Chunyun is something that Xi cares about very much. In January 2023, the president spoke with travelers and railway staff at Zhengzhou East Station via video link, and extended his festival greetings to them.
Xi asked the passengers if they were heading back home for family reunions or out traveling and reminded them of safety awareness during their trips. He urged efforts to ensure safe and sound trips for the people and smooth and orderly flows of essential supplies.
Behind the safe and sound trip are numerous hardworking transportation staff who stick to post during festivals.
Zhang Hua, for instance, has been working at Zhengzhou East Station for 12 years. On that day, she represented her colleagues in the video link briefing to Xi regarding their work during Chunyun. "At the end, I promise we will do our best to ensure travelers have safe and pleasant journeys," Zhang recalled.
Zhang was excited about the experience of speaking with Xi, albeit virtually. "As a frontline passenger transport staffer, I feel greatly inspired, as well as a profound sense of responsibility and honor," she told the Global Times. "President Xi's remarks have motivated us to maintain high standards in our work, and wholeheartedly safeguard the travel experience for our passengers."
As a key hub in China's railway network, Zhengzhou East Station connects numerous major destinations across the country. This bustling station is expected to serve approximately 23.31 million passengers during the 40-day Chunyun this year, a 5.5 percent increase year-on-year.
The rolling wheels of luggage carts emit a crisp sound, like a warm welcome from home to travelers returning. Year after year, a moving picture of family love and hometown nostalgia is painted across China's vast transportation network. For most Chinese people, family reunion is not only an essential Spring Festival custom, but also a simple yet beautiful hope deeply rooted in their hearts.
