PAGE 20 CHINA DAILY EUROPEAN WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 Hainan special Li and Miao heritage adds to Hainan’s allure ETHNIC MINORITIES SHARE THEIR TRADITIONAL LIFESTYLES WITH RESORT’S MANY VISITORS

By XU JINGXI AND HUANG morning before any tourists arrive. YIMING As darkness falls, Su enjoys the tran- quility with two good friends who she The unique cultures and arts of eth- invited to live with her after her hus- nic minorities on the island province band passed away four years ago. of Hainan add to the Chinese beach The zone was upgraded to a national destination’s charm for foreign tour- 5A-level scenic spot earlier this month, ists, especially those from Europe. becoming the country’s fi rst 5A-level Last year, 660,000 inbound over- scenic spot for folk customs. seas tourists visited Hainan island. As A group of Russian painters vis- well as enjoying the sun, beaches and ited the Binlang valley in March and water sports, they also explored the were captivated by the original cul- time-honored customs and arts of the ture of the Li people and their mys- Li and Miao ethnic groups. terious totem art. The Russian art- The Li people, the indigenous ists described the tourism zone as a inhabitants of Hainan island, are “natural treasurehouse very suitable proud of their traditions, and the for creating art”. ethnic group’s traditional textile tech- To attract more foreign visitors to niques were added to the UNESCO list appreciate Hainan island’s natural of Intangible Cultural Heritage items and cultural beauty, the provincial in 2009. government provides inbound over- Woven of fi ber made from the fruit PHOTOS BY HUANG YIMING / CHINA DAILY seas tourist groups from 26 countries of kapok trees, Li brocade is one of Top: A traditional bamboo dance of the with visa-free entry. the country’s earliest known textiles. Li ethnic group. Fourteen European countries are It is said that spinner Huang Daopo on the list, including Russia, Germany, (1245-1330), known as the mother of Left: Women of the Li ethnic group the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Chinese textile technology, learned to display traditional brocade techniques Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Swit- weave from the Li people in Hainan at the Binlang Valley Cultural Tourism zerland, Austria, Finland, Denmark, and she is said to have improved the Zone. The Li ethnic group’s traditional Norway and Ukraine. loom they used. She later introduced textile techniques were added to the With the exception of Russia and their handiwork to central China. UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Germany, tourist groups that consist Besides their textile arts, the Li Heritage items in 2009. at least fi ve members from the other people have a legacy of other intan- European countries on the list are gible cultural heritage that has been allowed a visa-free stay in Hainan of preserved over their more than up to 15 days. 3,000-year-long stay on the island, The visa policy is even more relaxed such as making cloth from tree bark for tourist groups from Russia and and the bamboo dance. peoples and better display them to the cuisines of the two ethnic groups. ists from home and abroad last year. Germany. The maximum allowable The Miao people are the second- tourists from home and abroad. Some of the elderly people who Constant streams of visitors may stay for these nationals is 21 days and largest ethnic minority group in Hain- The Binlang Valley Cultural Tour- lived in the Li village stayed on when have brought bustle into the villagers’ groups from the two countries need an. They moved to the island more ism Zone features the Li and Miao it was turned into a scenic spot. They peaceful life, but the villagers have also only include two people to qualify. than 400 years ago. Miao women are culture. Built in 1998, the zone was reside in boat-shaped houses, weav- benefi ted from the local government’s In total, 46,522 foreigners visited good at singing and handiwork, espe- developed from a Li village called Gan- ing Li brocade and playing traditional tourism development. Hainan on visa-free stays in 2014, cially cross-stitching exquisite pat- shi into a vast scenic area where tour- musical instruments, still living as Su Yingli, a 63-year-old Li woman mainly from Russia, the Republic of terns on brocade. ists can visit the homes of Li and Miao their ancestors did and showcasing who lives in the valley, leases her house Korea and Kazakhstan. Many scenic spots have been people, browse exhibitions of intan- their traditional culture. to the tourism zone for a monthly rent established in Hainan to preserve gible cultural heritage, watch singing The Binlang Valley scenic spot of nearly 2,000 yuan ($312). She still Contact the writers through the cultural gems of the Li and Miao and dancing performances and enjoy received more than 980,000 tour- lives in her house, cleaning it each [email protected] Island succeeds in boosting global profi le

By XU JINGXI AND HUANG YIMING under-12 girls championship in Gothen- Hainan culture made its fi rst appearance burg, Sweden in July 17, making history. in London, the global capital of cultural By hosting international events and The education department of Hainan creative industries, in September 2014 at showcasing its local culture and art over- government signed a deal with real estate Hainan Culture Week. Ninety British busi- seas, Hainan island has given a boost to its giant Evergrande Group, the owner of Chi- nesses discussed the possibility of coopera- global profi le in recent years. nese Super League champion Guangzhou tion with 12 enterprises from Hainan. As China’s only tropical island, Hainan Evergrande, on Aug 19 to establish a foun- The documentary Meeting Hainan Peo- is blessed with big waves and moderate dation to support the development of cam- ple won an award at the China Internation- CHEN KANG / FOR CHINA DAILY temperatures even in winter, attracting pus soccer in Hainan. al Film Festival London in December and An under-12 soccer team of Li and Miao ethnic girls from the surfers from all over the world. Riyue (Sun The tropical island is the main winter has been aired in more than 90 countries Qiongzhong autonomous prefecture trains in Haikou. Moon) Bay in Wanning on the island’s training base for Chinese soccer teams and regions. southeastern coast is praised as the coun- because of its warm weather. It features Ian Wright, a well-known host try’s best surf spot and the city has hosted It may also be the “hottest” place in the of travel shows on the Discovery channel. an annual international surfi ng festival world in winter when beauties from around He cycled around Hainan Island in 22 days, since 2010. the globe gather in Sanya, Hainan, to com- making video diaries of the people he met It caught media attention in January pete for the Miss World crown. and the local customs. when 66 professional short-board female Sanya has hosted the Miss World Final “Hainan culture went global through surfers from 14 countries and regions fi ve times since 2003 and will host the pag- the documentary. It has shown the island’s gathered at the bay to compete for a world eant fi nal again in December. Three billion cultural soft power and promoted the com- championship title. people around the world watch the event munication and exchanges between dif- Soccer is another sport that has drawn on television, making it a strong showcase ferent countries and nations,” said Meng world attention to Hainan. for the island’s scenery and culture. Mian, a counselor at the Chinese embassy A team comprising girls of the Li and The provincial government of Hainan in Britain. The Miss World Organization and the Beauty Crown Hotel Miao ethnic groups from the Qiongzhong is active and creative in its overseas pro- Management Group signed a cooperation agreement this month, autonomous prefecture in central Hainan motions to introduce the island’s unique Contact the writers through xujingxi@ announcing the hotel will host the Miss World 2015 fi nal in beat a Swedish team 4:3 to win the world culture and arts to the world. chinadaily.com.cn December.