Flower Road weaves beauty, culture and better lives in Gansu

Flower Road, a 137-kilometer self-driving tourism route in Gansu province, connects 21 Tibetan villages, eight ecological gems, and three corridors showcasing intangible cultural heritage.

Located in Zhouqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, the road gets its name from a local Tibetan tradition in which women wear flowers in their hair, a custom that expresses respect for nature and hopes for a better life.

Flower Road is more than a scenic route. For years, poor road conditions kept many visitors away from the mountains, while communities behind the mountains had fewer opportunities to develop. After sections of the route were repaired and upgraded, travel conditions improved, and visitor numbers rose.

The changes are now reaching local businesses. Restaurants are welcoming more customers, homestays are receiving visitors from across China, and some businesses have added new jobs.

Qin Wenxing, owner of Zanhua Caiyang Homestay, said he expects that Flower Road will continue to thrive and help homestays along the route, as well as local farmers, increase their incomes.

"Before this road was built, the overall development level of the five townships behind the mountains was five to 10 years behind that of the townships in front of the mountains," said Yang Hao, deputy director of Zhouqu county's culture, sports, radio, television and tourism bureau, adding that the road has helped local products move beyond the mountains to markets and consumers across the country.

Wu Yuexuan contributed to the story.