Take me home, county roads

One and a half yuan for three steamed stuffed buns. Two yuan for a bowl of hot and sour soup.

Fu, who traveled by motorcycle through places including Linzhou, said county-level destinations offer a compelling mix of distinctive culture, mountain scenery and architectural heritage.

Linzhou offers an attractive combination: the Red Flag Canal, built largely by hand by about 100,000 people in the 1960s and now a symbol of their determination; the dramatic Taihang landscape of gorges and cliffs; and the city's identity as China's "hometown of architecture".

"We didn't just pass through. We wanted to understand a place more deeply," Fu said.

"One evening we went out to eat and came across a street lined with mahjong parlors. Everyone was inside playing, and the whole pace of life and people's energy felt totally different. I was honestly envious.

"There was no rush, and no one had that tired, drained look you often see on people coming out of the subway after work. The street felt alive with the rich flavor and warmth of everyday life. People just seemed to eat well, play well and really enjoy themselves," he said.

Fu said it is rare to see unrenovated 1980s architecture these days. But in small county-level places, the past is still present, giving them a nostalgic feel.

Many of these places once boomed. Then their populations shrank, and the towns were not urbanized as quickly as the big cities.

Fu shipped his motorcycle to Zhengzhou, Henan province, in April before setting out with fellow riders on a weeklong journey through the Taihang range.

Linzhou was just one stop along the way. The trip ran from Zhengzhou to Handan, Hebei province, before the group returned to Beijing by rail.

Fu came away from the journey with some practical thoughts on county tourism.

His advice is straightforward: put traffic police at busy spots and build better hotels.

"County tourism depends on good accommodation. If people have a nice place to stay, they'll stay longer," he said.

Ma Yiliang, deputy director of the China Tourism Academy, said the growth of county travel reflects a desire for distinctive experiences.

"These days, travelers are increasingly drawn to county-level destinations, where tourism services are underdeveloped and the overall experience is far from polished. Visitors get the feeling that time stretches out, and they naturally slow down into a relaxed, unhurried state.

"At the same time, these counties retain more authentic spaces and traditions that haven't been over-commercialized, giving people a genuine sense of vitality," he said.

However, beyond brand building, more efforts should be made to improve public services and tourism quality so that tourists are attracted by the authentic appeal of county-level cultural tourism, Ma said.

Meanwhile, the business environment should be further improved to attract more market entities to develop local tourism at the county level, he added.

lihongyang@chinadaily.com.cn