Tourism changing face and fortunes of an ancient town in Guizhou province

History has always been kind to Qingyan.

The ancient town located 29 km from the capital Guiyang, Guizhou province, was originally built to transfer military messages during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was also the command post of the Red Army during the Long March (1934-1935).

But its next legacy looks set to be a beacon for Guizhou's tourism ambitions as it helps to turn the poverty-stricken province into a holiday paradise.