County eyes prosperity through tourism

A chance to experience life in a military castle built nearly 550 years ago, an excursion to rugged mountain vistas high up in the pristine air and a glimpse of a vibrant county striving to break free of poverty.

This is what Huichang, in Jiangxi province, promises visitors - a haven for curious tourists who are tired of the crowds.

It is said that the county got its name in AD 982 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), when an ancient brick bearing the characters for hui chang, which literally means "will prosper", was unearthed while digging a well.

The county sits at the confluence of two waterways that go on to form the Gan River, a principal southern tributary of the Yangtze River and the lifeline of Jiangxi province.

In ancient times, people from northern China used these rivers to travel or migrate as far as Junmenling in southern Huichang county, a mountainous town that serves as a gateway to the neighboring Fujian and Guangdong provinces in South China.

At least 95 percent of Huichang's population come from the Hakka ethnic group - one of the highest concentrations in the country.