Hometown guide gives lake tours in E China

Tourists take photos of Hu Wei, a local guide, on Sept 24, 2012, in Qiyuanshan town of Xiuning county, East China's Anhui province. [Photo/Nie Ligao/chinadaily.com.cn]

He calls himself the king of the 5-square-kilometer man-made Yunyan Lake, a scenic spot located deep inside Qiyuan Mountain, about 26 kilometers southwest of the world-famous Huangshan Mountain in East China's Anhui province.

Hu Wei, a 29-year-old local, wears many hats, as CEO, patrol and tour guide at this spot.

"As most people here, I rely on the land I have. But it's been nearly five years since I took over this job from my father in 2007, and I have an affection for this region, where our ancestors were and offspring will live," he said.

He gets access to national and world news on the Internet. "I'd like to rename it Diaoyu Island," he told tourists, pointing at a sandbank in the middle of the lake. 

The young man also patrols the area three or four times every week, to make sure there are no pollutants or other hazards. "As the water source of the local people living around here, we must protect it first, while we explore it as a tourist destination."

In order to keep the high quality of the waters, he recommended that a local tourist company introduce fish. "We need to develop our beautiful hometown and attract more tourists here, so locals can earn more by offering related services, such as food and accommodation," Hu said.

Yunyan Lake is a scenic spot located deep inside Qiyuan Mountain, about 26 kilometers southwest of the world-famous Huangshan Mountain in East China's Anhui province. [Photo/Nie Ligao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Hu joked that he won't change places even with the governor of Anhui province, because he enjoys his days so much. "Facing great pressures, citizens from big cities need this place to relax," he said.

He said he has applied to be a member of the Communist Party of China. "Only in a better position can I serve my hometown and our people in this region better."

In order to introduce the poems etched onto the surface of rocks, the middle-school graduate studies ancient books on his own. He pointed at a Chinese character and explained that "this character is ren (human in English) but the writer's style makes it look like xin (heart in English)."

When asked about his next job plan, he said he hopes he can ask for more official funding to improve the tourist area.

And he hopes his future children can continue to live in this place and be happy. "Definitely, I think our hometown is more beautiful than any big city I have seen."