The Laoniuwan section of the Yellow River. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Li Wenqing, a resident of the Laoniwan Yellow River Grand Canyon Tourist Area in Qingshuihe county, Hohhot, capital city of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is upgrading his rural home.

In response to the area's upgrade to a national 5A-level scenic spot, Li has invested over 60,000 yuan ($8307) into this renovation. "Our five-star rural guesthouse, recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, aims to set high standards in guest services," Li stated.

Having experienced seaside rooms, one might wonder what a "river-view cave dwelling" looks like. The Wenqing Rural Guesthouse is built into the mountainside, overlooking the area where the Great Wall and the Yellow River "shake hands". Below the iron fence serving as a protective barrier is a steep cliff, followed by the gentler flow of the river, obstructed by the Wanjiazhai Reservoir. 

The rural guesthouse facing the Laoniuwan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Inner Mongolia boasts over 7,500 kilometers of the Great Wall, ranking first in both length and historical span nationwide. The Yellow River spans 843.5 kilometers within Inner Mongolia, representing the core area of the Yellow River's "V-shaped bend." In December 1987, the Qingshuihe Ming Great Wall in Hohhot was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The Laoniwan Yellow River Grand Canyon Tourist Area, enhanced by the presence of the Great Wall, attracted 302,000 visitors in 2023, thus generating 103 million yuan in tourism revenue.

Sun Yongli, deputy director of the culture, tourism, and sports bureau of Qingshuihe county, highlighted the development of five cultural and tourism routes, including the Yellow River natural eco-tour and the Great Wall red spirit inheritance tour. These routes were established to transform Qingshuihe into a renowned tourist destination.