Abundant resources

Shandong is home to 622 A-level scenic spots along the Yellow River, accounting for half of the total in the province, including the Caozhou Flower Garden in Heze's Mudan district, as well as the Aishan Mountain scenic area and the "Ejiao World" experience workshop in Liaocheng's Dong'e county.

Peonies bloom in April in Heze. [Photo/Caoxian news]

Relying on its unique natural endowment of wormwood, the plant used to cure malaria patients, Aishan village has accelerated the integrated development of the "planting, processing, and service" model for the wormwood industry. Local villagers have also developed businesses, such as farmhouses and homestays, to speed up rural tourism.

Walking into the "Ejiao World" experience workshop, visitors can learn about the production process of Ejiao, a gelatin used in traditional Chinese medicine, from boiling to laying and cutting to packaging. The site is the first ejiao-themed tourist attraction in China that combines industrial tourism with healthcare, science, interactions, and entertainment.

Rebirth of cultural heritage

Yellow River culture is a product of the material and spiritual advancement of the people living by the river throughout time, reflecting their long-term social practices, which have become profound cultural heritage items, as well as inspirations for local artistic creations and handicrafts.

Folklore performances at a century-old street in Lijin county, Dongying [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Lyu Opera, a unique genre of the Chinese art form, is rooted in Dongying's Shijia village. Wang Lingling, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage item, said that Dongying has established a center for the protection, inheritance, and development of Lyu Opera.

In Nanling village in Dongying's Lijin county, a century-old street lies on the north bank of the Yellow River and boasts a series of intangible cultural heritage items, such as ancient yangqin, a hammered dulcimer, Nanling tofu, as well as Beiling meatballs.