More than 3,000 people from different parts of southwestern China's Guizhou province paraded the streets of Guiyang, its capital city, on the eve of China Tourism Day, which falls on Sunday.
In Southwest China's hinterland, there is a small city in Sichuan province called Meishan. Literary giants "Three Sus" once lived here, namely the father Su Xun and his two sons Su Shi and Su Zhe.
Throughout many centuries of history, the Grand Canal of China that traverses north and south has nurtured countless towns and villages along its path. These ancient towns, preserved through the ages thanks to their symbiotic relationship with the canal, stand as the finest witnesses and custodians of civilization.
In China, the dragon has special and enduring cultural connotations. With this year marking the Year of Dragon, the fifth animal in the traditional Chinese zodiac, there are dragon decorations everywhere. In fact, the first dragon images were being made about 8,000 years ago. Since then, a dazzling number of exquisite artifacts have been created using this motif.