Foreign visitors experience rural life, play basketball in Lingui, Guilin

Recently, a series of activities had foreign visitors experiencing Chinese rural culture. One of them was the 2023 Guilin Lingui district's basketball tournament nicknamed Village BA, in Liangjiang town, Lingui district in Guilin.

On July 26th, more than 10 foreign visitors from countries along the Belt and Road such as Nigeria, Zambia, Laos, and Cambodia arrived in Liangjiang town to experience rural life. 

The foreign visitors arrives in Liangjiang town to experience rural life.

They visited the vast lotus ponds of Xinguo village, Liangjiang town, donning traditional Chinese Hanfu attire, strolling along the enchanting Zhuangjin Avenue. 

As if journeying through time, they found themselves immersed in the idyllic scenery of blooming lotus flowers, reminiscent of the verses penned in an ancient Chinese poem: "Amidst the sea of endless green lotus leaves, the lotus blossoms exude a remarkable vibrancy as they glisten in the sun's radiant reflection." 

In this picturesque setting, they embraced the beauty of the countryside and savored the essence of a contented life in China's rejuvenated rural landscapes.

During the rural picking activity, the visitors ventured into the fields to harvest vegetables and learn about the special delicacies of Liangjiang town. They learned the process of making Paoya (tossed duck) and rice noodles. 

Paoya got its name from the technique of tossing the duck meat in a bowl to ensure its full integration with the seasoning. Proudly introducing the local specialty, Liangjiang residents said, "Once you step out of Liangjiang, you won't find rice noodles as delicious as ours. Liangjiang rice noodles are known for their smooth, delicate texture and fresh, mild flavor, making them especially popular."

The international students play dragon dance at the "Village BA" basketball venue.

Finally, the visitors arrived at the "Village BA" venue in Liangjiang town. During halftime, international students from the Guilin University of Electronic Technology, who had previously won second place in the national university dragon dance competition, cheered with a vibrant dragon dance, eliciting awe from the audience. 

Amid the lively beats of African drums, the visitors and villagers kicked off a friendly match. The visitors played passionately on the basketball court.

After the game, a foreign teacher from Nigeria, who goes by his Chinese name Wang Zi, said that, "I'm delighted to be here in Liangjiang with the international students' dragon dance team and basketball team. Liangjiang is environmentally friendly, and the villagers are very hospitable. The sight of the vast lotus ponds and the scenery by the river are simply breathtaking." 

The visitors and villagers kick off a friendly match on the basketball court.

Liangjiang is located in the southwest of Lingui New District, Guilin, and is the site of the Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. It is a key town in the small area construction of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. 

In 2020, Liangjiang was awarded the honorary titles of "Guilin's Fifth Batch of Demonstration Towns for New Urbanization in 2020" and "Advanced Township in Poverty Alleviation and Development in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region."

Since its official start in mid-July, the Village BA tournament in Liangjiang has witnessed 18 teams competing fiercely on the court. Throughout this year, Lingui district has organized various sports events such as the Village BA and the Village Super in multiple towns, promoting the deep integration of national fitness and public health, injecting new momentum into the comprehensive advancement of rural revitalization.