Jin Hui, a deputy of the Shandong Provincial People's Congress, suggests improving the Friendly Shandong tourism brand by incorporating Confucian culture. [Photo/SdChina]

Jin Hui, a deputy of the Shandong Provincial People's Congress and head of the Jin Hui traditional culture development foundation in Qufu, Jining, is championing the deep integration of Confucian culture with tourism to define the Friendly Shandong brand.

During the provincial two sessions, she proposed a multidimensional development model blending culture, technology, education, and tourism. Her suggestions include expanding digital applications at sites like the Nishan Sacred Land and Confucius Museum, creating refined study tour routes, and establishing a cross-departmental cultural protection mechanism. She advocates for making the Lu State Ancient City a core zone for connecting heritage sites, transforming Confucian culture into Shandong's most distinctive tourism IP.

In addition to policy proposals, Jin also focuses on practical initiatives. To address the gap between traditions and modern life, she launched a public welfare platform for education. Its innovative digital classroom for traditional Chinese culture has incorporated etiquette and the reading of classics into the curriculums of 15 schools in Qufu, and benefiting approximately 150,000 students and teachers.

To boost tourism, Jin has helped plan immersive experiences like script-based tours and hanfu costume parades, increasing visitor stay duration in areas like Luyuan village. "The core of cultural tourism is turning history into interactive, tangible experiences," she said. Her work aims to ensure the millennia-old Confucian spirit becomes a vibrant, felt presence for every visitor.