A sea of blooming sunflowers in a rural village in southwest China's Sichuan Province is drawing many tourists to come and see the picturesque sight, adding brilliance to the tourism reboot amid the continued weakening of the COVID-19 threat in China.

With a history of more than 600 years, the Yishala Village in Panzhihua City of Sichuan Province started to build the flower sea measuring 126 mu (8.4 hectares) in May. The sea of flowers, including sunflowers, is now in full blossom, attracting large numbers of tourists.

Under the local government's stimulative policy of encouraging comprehensive development of agriculture, folk cultures and tourism, Yishala Village started the business of growing seasonal flowers with support funds to boost the tourism sector in 2014.

Every year when the blooming season of sunflowers arrives, around 18,000 tourists would come to take photos and enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.

"This year we have two stages for the event. The first stage is to visit the flower sea, followed by the second one, which is to celebrate the harvest, when we will invite tourists to come and pick sunflowers," said Mao Jianhua, a village official.

The Yishala Village with a history of over 600 years will on September 3 hold the second "Sunflower Festival," with an invitation to tourists to enjoy the flowers and experience the history and folk culture of the local ethnic minority groups.

(Cover image via VCG)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)