Key Takeaways:
- Weixin rural revitalisation in Yunnan has combined red tourism, ecological protection and sports events to boost visitor numbers and household incomes.
- Major investments have upgraded sites, created jobs and established new businesses, with several areas now rated 3A attractions.
- Projects include restored heritage sites, mountain bike trails, eco‑pathways and flower bases that offer sustainable income and environmental recovery.
Weixin County in Zhaotong, Yunnan, has deepened local implementation of the “Ten Million Project” model, marrying red tourism, ecological restoration and community enterprise to expand incomes and attract visitors. Local officials report thousands of visitors, dozens of new businesses and steady gains for participating households since the programme scaled up in recent years.
Weixin rural revitalisation transforms heritage sites and livelihoods
Authorities in Weixin have renovated historic locations associated with the Long March and developed them into an integrated network of attractions. The county repaired the old meeting site at Shikang community, added interpretation halls and a learning centre, and staged more than 200 red‑education events that have turned residents into volunteer guides and local promoters of party history.
An investment of roughly CNY 26 million funded a 3A tourist attraction that links red education, study tours and leisure offerings. Facilities include an 8 km trail and three parking areas. A mixed operation model combining professional management, collective organisations and household participation created 26 self‑run homestays and a 320 mu pick‑your‑own orchard. The site has welcomed more than 30,000 visitors and helped 82 farming households increase annual incomes by over CNY 30,000 each.
In the county seat, a large panoramic screen and an 11 km circular footpath have strengthened night‑time and study‑tour appeal. The project refurbished more than 110 residences and added hotels and educational bases to broaden the visitor economy. Educational programmes such as red‑footprint tours and farming experiences have received over 35,000 students and teachers. The combined company‑collective‑household model provides over 200 jobs and raises household incomes through land leases and employment.
In remote villages, sport and cultural events have overcome transport and isolation constraints. The Houfang area of Shuanghe Miao and Yi Township built a 9 km mountain bike course with 18 supporting sport and cultural facilities. The venue now hosts regular uphill races and hosts traditional festivals that draw tourists to experience local customs, crafts and cuisine. Restoration work preserved 42 wooden homes with carved window frames while improving modern amenities for visitors.
Environmental rehabilitation has also been a priority. In Guantianba, authorities tackled pollution left by small distilleries and concentrated livestock by removing 59 pens and three factories and installing five kilometres of sewage piping. With CNY 1.4 million in targeted assistance, 40 farmhouses were upgraded and 65 attractive courtyards were created. A 100‑mu flower base now employs 140 people and supports new catering, lodging and boutique agriculture businesses.
Red education sites such as the Waterfield Flowerhouse have been restored as immersive training centres. The venue receives some 45,000 party education trainees annually and links with surrounding villages through murals and interpretive trails. These initiatives have helped incubate 19 enterprises, promote more than 4,000 mu of speciality planting and draw in excess of 200,000 visitors across the local network in a typical year.
Infrastructure improvements such as an 8.1 km tourism road have connected scattered settlements and enabled private investment in tourism complexes. Villagers have taken equity stakes by contributing land or homes, spawning new enterprises like local coffee brands and small hospitality ventures. In many places the average household has seen annual gains directly tied to tourism and service‑sector work.
Weixin’s approach combines heritage conservation, sport and culture, ecological protection and enterprise support to create diversified livelihoods while protecting the environment. Local officials say the integrated model offers a demonstrable route to sustainable rural development and a replicable template for other counties aiming to turn historical and natural assets into steady income streams.
