Zhouzhi Building a 'Meet-the-World Lounge' Through Ecology and Culture

From October 20th to 21st, spouses of ambassadors to China from 13 countries, including Turkmenistan, Jordan, Bahrain, Comoros, Yemen, Samoa, Malta, Ethiopia, Turkey, Belgium, Morocco, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan, visited Zhouzhi County, Xi'an. At the invitation of the activity "A Date with Zhouzhi to Experience the Qinling Mountains", they started a two-day cultural exploration tour.

At the Qinling Four Rare Animals Science Park, Qizai, the world's only captive brown panda, emerged as the most beloved ambassador of goodwill. Its adorable appearance instantly bridged the gap between different cultures. Ms. Pan Huanghe, spouse of the ambassador of Belgian to China, said emotionally, "These cute animals are not only treasures of nature but also friendly ambassadors connecting the emotions of people from different countries." The park's comprehensive wildlife protection system showed the spouses of the ambassadors to China China's solid efforts in ecological protection.

As the birthplace of Taoist culture, the Ancient Tower Temple in Zhongnan Mountain provided the spouses of ambassadors to China with a profound cultural experience. Under the thousand-year-old ancient tree, they learned the hold fist salute and perceived the philosophical wisdom of "the Tao way follows nature". Ms. Claire Georgia Mariner, spouse of the ambassador of Samoa to China, said, "Here I gradually realized that the core of Taoist culture is to establish a harmonious relationship with nature, understand nature, love nature, and coexist harmoniously with nature."

Entering the Qinling National Botanical Garden, the world's largest botanical garden in terms of planned area amazed visitors with its rich biodiversity. It is worth mentioning that the Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve has been included in both the "World Network of Biosphere Reserves" and the "IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas". These two international recognitions not only affirm Zhouzhi's achievements in ecological protection but also highlight its international influence in safeguarding the ecological barrier of the Qinling Mountains and practicing the concept of green development. Ms. Rezan Ünal, spouse of the ambassador of Turkey to China, exclaimed, "The ecological protection here is exceptionally well done, showing us China’s respect and cherishment of nature."

In the kiwi orchard of Zhouyi Village, Ms. Cha An, spouse of the ambassador of Comoros to China, sincerely remarked, "It turns out that this sweet fruit benefits from the excellent ecological environment of the Qinling Mountains." The kiwi industry in Zhouzhi spans 432,000 mu, with a comprehensive output value exceeding 10 billion yuan, boosting the income of 320,000 local residents. This small fruit not only brings sweetness to the taste buds but also represents a vivid practice of industrial revitalization driving rural revitalization.

Zhouyuan Road, known as the "most beautiful scenic ring road in the Qinling Mountains", perfectly blends natural landscapes with cultural features. Along this picturesque road, the spouses of the ambassadors to China arrived in Luoyu Town, where they sat together to share their experiences and impressions of Zhouzhi. Many expressed their hope to engage in more collaborations with Zhouzhi in the future, allowing more people to learn about this beautiful place.

From the charm of pandas to the profound philosophies of Taoism, from the sweetness of fruits to the hope at the end of the road, Zhouzhi, with its profound ecological heritage and cultural confidence, has successfully built itself as a "Meet-the-World Lounge" for telling China’s stories. Here, China’s stories are transformed into perceptible ecological practices and philosophical reflections, showcasing a green, open, and inclusive China to the world through multidimensional storytelling. In its unique way, Zhouzhi is inviting the world to listen to the echoes of the Qinling Mountains and jointly create a better future through mutual learning among civilizations.