Discover China's poetry this China Tourism Day

On May 19, the nation marks the 16th China Tourism Day – a landmark date honoring the legendary 17th-century geographer Xu Xiake, who began his monumental travels on this exact day in 1613. Centuries later, that same spirit of adventure lives on.

This year, under the theme "Enjoying Quality Tourism, Exploring Beautiful Landscapes," China has opened its doors wider than ever. With streamlined visa-free policies, expanded transit options, and thousands of festive events, early summer presents the ultimate window for global travelers to experience the country's boundless warmth and poetic charm.

Away from the neon-lit megacities, a seasonal paradise awaits. Immerse yourself in the living poetry of China's diverse terrains: hike through the snowy peaks of Daocheng Yading, nestled in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the "last pure land on earth;" drift across the mystic plateau waters of Lugu Lake straddling the border of Sichuan and Yunnan in the southwest; marvel at the shimmering, water-flooded mirrors of the Longji Rice Terraces in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region; witness the magical, bioluminescent "Blue Tears" illuminating the shores of Pingtan Island off the coast of southeast China's Fujian Province; or lose yourself in the boundless emerald horizons of the Hulunbuir Grassland, stretching across Inner Mongolia in northern China.