A delegation to discover Shanxi's charm visited Yushe county from Dec 8 to 14. Organized by the Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences, they had also visited such counties as Pingyao, Lingshi and Xinjiang and explored stories about Yu Chenglong, a model official in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), who was born in Shanxi province.

The trip, known as Discovering Shanxi, started on Sept 12. Held in cooperation with Shanxi Evening News, it is designed to investigate and promote Shanxi's history, scenic spots and folk customs.

"Shanxi is the cradle of Chinese culture but many of Shanxi's unique cultural gems are little known, even among locals," said Zhang Jianwu, initiator of the investigation trip and director of the Center of International Academic Exchanges of the Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences.

"The trip seeks to promote the province, enhance its popularity, and improve its vitality and competitiveness."

Later in the trip, the organizers will promote Shanxi's charm through news media, videos, movies, books, exhibitions and products. Hou Xiaobin, a researcher at the Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences, said, "The trip seeks to discover the charm of Shanxi, improve the influence of Shanxi culture and enhance Shanxi people's confidence in the culture".

Edited by Michael Thai