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Culture center adds sparkle to Wucun's attractions

2017-12-05Source: China Daily   

A new culture center is adding charm to Wucun's agrarian allure of green fields and white-walled farmhouses with black-shingled rooftops.

The center opened in July and offers parent-child experiences, featuring baking, Lego blocks, art, catering and rock climbing.

The center also offers children a chance to play the games and enjoy toys that their parents or even grandparents were familiar with.

"The center has spiced up what Wucun already has and attracted more visitors," says Zhong Ying, an official from Wucun.

It has become a hit in Zhejiang's tourism hot spot - the Wuzhen water town.

Wucun opened to the public at the start of 2016 and aims to offer pastoral charm to visitors.

The village is nestled up against the ancient Grand Canal that connects Beijing to Zhejiang's provincial capital, Hangzhou.

"Family visitors are the major force, and parents want their children to experience the old-fashioned farming life," says Zhong.

A month-long children's festival was staged in Wucun in August and drew big crowds.

The number of visitors grew by 150 percent in August compared with July.

The guests had fun planting and harvesting vegetables, fishing in the pond, picking fruits from the trees and living in traditional rural courtyards during the festival.

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Western pastry baking and art projects, such as crochet and plaiting rattan, are most popular at the culture center, says Zhong.

"Those activities are highly interactive and bring parents and their children closer to each other," she adds.

Most of the classes are booked during tourism season, and each of them usually lasts from 45 to 60 minutes and can accommodate 20 people.

Travelers from Shanghai, Zhejiang's capital Hangzhou often visit during weekends.

There are a variety of programs to satisfy different demands.

Athletic types can enjoy programs featuring archery and badminton.

Meanwhile, calisthenics, short jogs, group dancing and tai chi sessions are also available.

Cyclists can rent bikes to ride around the village's perimeter, while cultural types can play xiangqi (Chinese chess), take handicraft lessons and learn how to perform with waist drums, which local people traditionally do to celebrate bumper harvests.

There are old-film screenings, reading activities and bonfire parties on offer.

For nature lovers, there's lobster-fishing, harvesting crops and learning to cook dishes like local farmers.

For now, Wucun has 180 rooms and can house roughly 300 people.

Packages cost from 780 yuan ($130) per night per head on week days, and cover meals, accommodation, local transportation and interactive activities.

The price goes up to 980 yuan on weekends.

Accommodation bookings are above 80 percent during the summer vacation and go up to 100 percent during the National Day and the Spring Festival holidays.

The village has seen many guests return.

"We've also seen many who extend their stays," says Zhong.

"A few parents who came during the National Day holiday week (in October) befriended us on WeChat (Chinese app) and asked us if paddy harvest and water-chestnut digging is available so they can visit again".





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