Published: Fall 2022
Author: Zhang Xue
Since 2008, Taishun County, Wenzhou City, has been protecting covered bridges and establishing homestays to promote the revitalization of the local rural tourism economy.
Located in the southwest of Wenzhou, Taishun is an ancient county with beautifully intricate covered bridges. There are currently 33 well-preserved covered bridges in Taishun, 15 of which have been protected by the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Taishun County Scenic Tourism Administration after severe damage.
The Beijian bridge's palace-style eaves and dragon decoration on the ridge contribute to its Chinese cultural characteristics.After preservation, cultural promotion and tourism development, it has become the representative of Taishun's covered bridges, Saturday, Nov.12, 2022. [Photo/Zhang Xue]
Taishun County explored the commercial value of covered bridges and constructed resorts near the covered bridges and other historic buildings to boost local tourism.
"The garden walkway, ecological landscape avenue, and main entrance of the covered bridges cultural park are popular tourist destinations. Last year, over 1.3 million tourists visited," said Yu Feng, one of the directors of the covered bridges cultural park.
With the growing popularity of covered bridges, Taishun County attracted tourists and many villagers who had left their homes. Villagers returning to their hometowns refurbish and rent their courtyards to generate income. Returning to their hometowns to engage in tourism and establish businesses has become a new option for Taishun County villagers.
There are also business people from other counties in Wenzhou who come to Sixi Town to run homestays. Li Xinchang is one of them. He is from Pingcheng County and formerly ran an unsuccessful hotpot business. After seeing the tourism boom in Taishun County, he decided to invest in homestays. "With local government support, I invested over 6 million yuan in converting a dilapidated house into a high-end homestay," Li said.
In terms of design, contemporary homestays not only meet occupants' needs but also prioritize nature integration. The homestay is concealed from the environment, allowing visitors to experience Taishun's beauty immersively, Saturday, Nov.12, 2022. [Photo/Zhang Xue]
However, non-locals must buy land for manufacturing, making running homestays difficult. Tourism has boosted economic growth and housing prices. Taishun County's 1000-square meter homestay costs five million," said Pingcheng County investor Gong Shidao, who gave up the homestay renovation project due to high costs.
Today, Taishun has become one of the most effective counties in rural revitalization in China. On the way to promoting the covered bridges, the local tourism and homestay economy will continue to flourish.
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