by Xinhua writer Bai Xu
TAIYUAN, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- My journey to Shanxi on Oct. 1, the first day of the week-long National Day holiday, started in the early hours because the train tickets with more convenient departure times had already sold out.
Located in northern China, Shanxi Province is renowned for its ancient architecture and is home to over 28,000 ancient structures. Its popularity has been boosted recently by the phenomenal video game "Black Myth: Wukong," which is based on the Chinese classic novel "Journey to the West."
It was 1:30 a.m. and there were perhaps even more people at the Beijing Fengtai Railway Station than during daytime on normal days. Some of them were returning home, while others were hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Monkey King.
The top attraction in Shanxi this time was definitely the Xiaoxitian Temple -- or the Little Western Paradise Temple -- in Xixian County, featuring stunning 400-year-old suspended sculptures which was one of the key filming locations of the game.
I had seen images on social media showing the very long queue outside the temple in the mornings, with visitors arriving before dawn. We arrived at the famous tourist spot just after 8 a.m., but there were already hundreds of people waiting.
Volunteers had placed stools along the route for elderly people to take a rest. They were also offering free drinks like chrysanthemum tea and plum soup, as well as slices of yuluxiang pear -- a local specialty -- to quench the thirst of visitors.
As many tourists waited for hours to get in, a stage was set up on which local residents together with county officials performed to entertain them. There were even middle school students lining up to greet visitors, saying, "Welcome to our county."
"Which grade are you in?" I asked a girl. "Grade 10," she replied, beaming. Although they looked a bit shy, I could see pride on the young faces.
Nestling in the mountains and boasting a population of around 90,000, the county seemed like a relative who is not affluent but would give everything to ensure that visitors have a great time.
According to Bu Ting, with the county's publicity authorities, the previously obscure attraction received 91,000 visitors during the holiday, about the size of its population. In comparison, the total visitor number last year was 133,600.
"As you can see, the infrastructure in the county is no good," he said. "After this tourist boom, we would like to use the income to upgrade the infrastructure here, including the road leading to Xiaoxitian."
Meanwhile, local residents have also benefited from the boom.
Su Aihao, 37, was among dozens of vendors selling yuluxiang pears by the exit of the Xiaoxitian Temple, together with her disabled husband Jia Lilong who was in a wheelchair. They have about 20 mu (about 1.3 hectares) of orchard, and three children to support.
"Many of the visitors added my WeChat account so that I could sell to them online later," she said. With her income growing, she plans to start live-streaming, and to open her own shop if possible.
"Xixian County is a better known place now and hopefully more people will be interested in our products," Su added.
Xixian is not alone. In fact, during the National Day holiday the entire Shanxi Province was packed with enthusiastic visitors.
To improve their traveling experience, Peng Jia, with the municipal management authorities of Shanxi's capital Taiyuan, said they spent half a year cleaning up the streets and upgrading the facilities near the railway station. "I have formed this habit that whenever I see a cigarette butt or scrap of paper, I pick it up instinctively and throw it into the bin," she said.
The city's tidiness today is in sharp contrast with its condition 23 years ago, when I visited the coal-rich province for the first time. The place was heavily polluted, and the collar of my shirt became dirty within a couple of days.
There are multiple factors behind its transformation, including industrial upgrading and a change in people's mindset. Who knows what Xixian County will be like in a few years from now?
Since last year, similar tourist booms have been seen in Zibo in east China's Shandong Province, Harbin in Heilongjiang of northeast China, and Tianshui in the northern Gansu Province.
Together, they have showcased the development of China.
My friend Wang Hui is a senior reporter with the TV station in Shanxi's city of Jinzhong, which administers several tourism counties, including the famous Pingyao. Talking about the tourist booms, he said they are the result of the accumulation of effort over time.
"It requires both the preparation of tourist resources, which many places do possess, and the improvement of the local management level," he said.
"Through the tourist booms, many less-known places have gained popularity and Chinese tourists have come to know their country better. At the same time, the booms give opportunities for the places to develop," Wang continued.
"How long do you think the tourist boom could last?" Su Aihao, the pear vendor, asked me.
I am not sure about the answer. It might be just a short period. However, I think the magic of the Monkey King will be long-lasting.
(Xinhua reporter Xie Yuan contributed to the story.) ■