Participants attend the opening ceremony of the first International Traditional Wushu Culture Festival in Lijiang on Sept 27.

Participants perform at the first International Traditional Wushu Culture Festival in Lijiang, which aimed to promote traditional Chinese martial arts.

Organizers of the first International Traditional Wushu Culture Festival in Lijiang expected the five-day event would raise awareness of Lijiang as a tourism destination.

About 2,000 contestants of 87 teams from China and countries such as the United States, Russia and France took part in the first International Traditional Wushu Culture Festival which was held in Lijiang, in southwest China’s Yunnan province, from Sept 27 to Oct 1.

Zhang Weiguo, vice mayor of Lijiang city, attended the opening ceremony and warmly welcomed the contestants, referees and martial arts enthusiasts.

Zhang said that traditional martial arts are a treasure of China's cultural heritage, and the martial arts culture festival will help raise awareness of Lijiang as a cultural tourism destination.

Zhang also said he hoped the event would promote communication between contestants from different countries, further pushing forward the development of Chinese martial arts.

Lijiang is famous for its scenery, including the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and many ethnic minorities, such as the Dongba culture of the Naxi people. The Old Town of Lijang and the Three Parallel Rivers are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Edited by Niva Whyman