Foreign Guests Explore Heartland of China

When Aidana Mukhametgaliyeva saw a notice in China Daily offering writers and photographers the chance to visit Shanxi province, she had no hesitation in applying to go.

Mukhametgaliyeva, 21, from Kazakhstan, who is studying at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, had never been to Shanxi. The capital, Taiyuan, is little more than three hours by high-speed train from Beijing.

"Shanxi is a good place to visit, especially if you live in a big city such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou," she said as she returned from the trip, which ran from June 15 to 19.

"I think it's one of the must-see places in China."

In organizing the trip, China Daily and Shanxi Tourism Bureau sought non-Chinese good at writing and photography who would visit and report on some of the province's many places of interest. Fourteen people were chosen this time. It is the fourth time such trips have been organized since last year.

Among the itineraries were Pingyao ancient town, Mianshan Mountain, and well-preserved courtyards of rich merchants in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Hannah Lund, 26, from the US state of Minnesota, says she learned about the program through WeChat, and was impressed by the province's tourist attractions.

Lund, who has visited 21 provinces in China, had not been to Shanxi before.

Zhangbi ancient fortress, especially an underground military defense tunnel, impressed her most, she says.

The fortress, also known as Zhangbi village, was built based on Chinese astrology. Its buildings were used for military, religious, and residential purposes, and some relics date back to more than 1,000 years ago.

For Lund, the trip was also about studying the merchants of Shanxi and their place in history, including looking at the merchants' homes, built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Maksim Belov, 31, says he was keen to take part in something through which he could learn about China.

Belov, a Russian who works in the media and has lived in China for eight years, says: "I liked Mianshan. I could feel the energy of nature �� I was able to understand the spirit of China."