Moroccan visitor Aimma (right) during a tour of Xujia village in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
East China's Shandong province is trying to attract more tourists from home and abroad by using its ancient villages to tell vivid stories of rural China.
In the county-level city of Zhaoyuan, the local government of Zhangxing town is using the centuries-old village of Xujia, the birthplace of Longkou vermicelli cuisine, to promote tourism and boost rural living standards.
A Moroccan visitor, Aimma, recently toured the 500-year-old village, experiencing the best-preserved ancient village scenery in the Jiaodong region.
According to villager Xu Yongpu, Xujia is famous throughout China as an example of a well-preserved traditional village. The settlement boasts well-arranged ancient architectural complexes, the most noteworthy of which is the Xu Tianhua Courtyard.
