Rural tourism sheds light on ethnic diversity

The increase in tourism has significantly boosted exchanges and understanding among people of different ethnic groups, said Wu Shixiong, Party chief of the Yunnan Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission. "People can better understand and appreciate each other. And they can forge a stronger sense of being a part of the community of the Chinese nation."

Since 2016, more than 1,000 villages in the province, like Wengji, have focused on preserving their ethnic culture and developing tourism. Together, they've welcomed more than 1.16 billion tourists, Wu said.

He added that visitors have shown great interest in taking part in traditional ethnic festivals such as the water sprinkling festival of the Dai ethnic group and the torch festival of the Yi, Bai, Lisu, Naxi and Lahu ethnic groups.