Despite the cold climate, people from all over the country are keen on "City Wall Tourism" in Datong, Shanxi province, as a result of the city-wall management office’s advocacy.

A spokesperson of the office said they have been devoted to attracting more tourists and presenting the unique charm of city wall through a number of measures. This includes placing specialist staff in Xi’an, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Inner Mongolia and Shanghai to get more visibility, launch image-building campaigns in Yangtze River Delta and Chu Chiang Delta (with over 90,000 brochures given out in total), and consulting with experts on tourism and culture about festival activities.

There are unique resources on the city wall that appeal to many people. There are around 40 sets of ancient devices for attack and defense in wartime, such as two Hong Yi cannons, Chao chariot, wooden beams and other weapons that we could only see on screen. "These weapons indicate the time-honored history of Datong Ming city wall," said a tourist.

In addition, the grand International Sculpture Biennale Exhibition spiced up tourism in Datong. "Appreciating sculptures in Datong can be another highlight in introducing Datong to people from other places," suggested a Datong citizen.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw