Foreign guests explore heartland of China

Hannah Lund from the US state of Minnesota is impressed by Shanxi province's tourist attractions during a trip there.

Hannah Lund, 26, from the US state of Minnesota, says she learned about the program through WeChat, and was impressed by the province's tourist attractions.

Lund, who has visited 21 provinces in China, had not been to Shanxi before.

Zhangbi ancient fortress, especially an underground military defense tunnel, impressed her most, she says.

The fortress, also known as Zhangbi village, was built based on Chinese astrology. Its buildings were used for military, religious, and residential purposes, and some relics date back to more than 1,000 years ago.

For Lund, the trip was also about studying the merchants of Shanxi and their place in history, including looking at the merchants' homes, built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Maksim Belov, 31, says he was keen to take part in something through which he could learn about China.

Belov, a Russian who works in the media and has lived in China for eight years, says: "I liked Mianshan. I could feel the energy of nature �� I was able to understand the spirit of China."