Legend breathes new life into Shandong village

The sixth Meng Jiangnv Culture and Art Festival is held in November in Wangzhuang village, Laiwu district. [Photo by Zhao Luming for chinadaily.com.cn]

The recently-concluded sixth Meng Jiangnv Culture and Art Festival has caused Wangzhuang village in Chayekou town, Jinan city, Shandong province, to go viral.

One of the most widespread legends in China, Meng Jiangnv's story is a heart-breaking tragedy telling of Meng Jiangnv's separation from her husband during the construction of the Great Wall.

In 2014, the legend was listed among the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage items. The following year, the town established a Meng Jiangnv-themed folklore museum and initiated the annual Meng Jiangnv Culture and Art Festival. This festival showcases folk art performances, painting exhibitions, and Meng Jiangnv-themed hand-painted comic strips.

A landscape painting is showcased at the sixth Meng Jiangnv Culture and Art Festival. [Photo by Zhao Luming for chinadaily.com.cn]

Building upon the success of the festival, Chayekou has in recent years continued exploring and protecting local culture, establishing a culture research center for cultural discovery and historical material collection.

The town has also leveraged the appeal of its five ancient villages to promote rural tourism. The Taiwan Rural Tourism Association was engaged to curate a development plan for these villages, with 98 million yuan ($13.73 million) allocated for infrastructure development.

The five villages now boast seven boutique homestays, five handicraft shops, a folk culture exhibition courtyard, and a teahouse. (Edited by Gong Jun)