Sichuan Nanchong: Hosts the 2nd "March 3rd • Climbing West Hill" International Mountain Climbing Festival

On March 31 (the third day of the third lunar month), the 2nd "March 3rd • Climbing West Hill" International Mountain Climbing Festival, themed "Peak Gathering of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) • Guarding the Green," was held at West Hill Square. The event was organized by the People-to-People Friendship Association of Nanchong City, Sichuan Province, the Trade Union of Shunqing District, and the Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau of Shunqing District, among others. It aimed to promote Chinese culture and international exchanges through mountain climbing, integrating intangible cultural heritage (ICH), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) experiences, and fitness for all, further expanding Nanchong's opening up to the outside world.

Leaders including Yang [surname], President of the People-to-People Friendship Association of Nanchong City, She Long, Member of the Standing Committee of the Shunqing District Committee and Minister of Publicity, and Zhang Yiping, Deputy District Head of Shunqing, attended the launch ceremony. Nearly a thousand citizens and over a hundred international students and foreign representatives from Southwest University for Nationalities, North Sichuan Medical College, and Nanchong Vocational and Technical College participated in the event.

"This event has allowed us to experience the beautiful scenery and profound historical culture of West Hill in Nanchong. We hope to gain happiness and friendship through this activity," said Ming Zhu (Chinese name), a representative of international students from Uzbekistan at Southwest University for Nationalities.

After the launch ceremony, the leaders joined the climbing team and set off on the West Hill circular greenway accompanied by the spring breeze. Participants were in high spirits, chatting as they walked, holding colorful team flags, and enjoying the beautiful spring scenery along the way. They formed a splendid and eye-catching scene in the spring.

The climbing route was 4 kilometers long, starting from West Hill Square and ending at Kaihan Tower Square. Along the way, there were special sections for ICH displays, TCM health experiences, and fun interactive games. The ICH exhibition area featured skills such as Shu embroidery, guqin (ancient zither), and traditional incense making, as well as local delicacies like Shunqing rice noodles and Yang's duck from Yangjialian, showcasing the cultural heritage of Nanchong. The TCM experience area invited experts from the Fourth People's Hospital of Nanchong and Wenchuan County Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital to provide free services such as acupuncture, AI pulse diagnosis, and Qiang ethnic medical therapies. Citizens could taste health tea, participate in Baduanjin (a traditional Chinese fitness exercise) lessons, and experience the charm of traditional medicine on site. (By Yi Qinghai and Tang Min)