The world is changing fast, but you can learn it at a slower pace.
You're listening to Special English.
Here's the news. A new reservation free policy has led to a significant increase in visitors at the Guangzhou museum Museum of Art, art enthusiasts can now enjoy spontaneous trips to various exhibitions without the need for prior reservations.
Since last month, the Guangzhou Museum of Art has allowed entry without any reservations, provided the visitors pass the security checks.
Additionally, the museum has extended its hours until the end of this month, offering a cool, art -filled summer experience.
Likewise, the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen also announced the full elimination of its reservation policies for 133 sites in the city.
Museums and historical sites have recently become popular tourism choices in China.
Data from the National Cultural Heritage Administration showed that museums in China hosted more than 40 ,000 exhibitions and 380 ,000 educational activities last year, attracting record 1 .29 billion visitors.
To better serve visitors, the administration recently recommended that museums extend their opening hours and eliminate the reservation policies.
In response, numerous museums including the Capital Museum, Sun Xingdua Museum, Shanghai Museum and and Guangzhou Museum of Art have extended their hours and introduced various visitor -friendly programs including night -time visits and immersive experiences to enhance the accessibility and and appeal of Chinese cultural heritage.
Data shows a significant increase in tourists after the elimination of the reservation policies.
According to the online travel service provider, Chunar, the search volume for tickets to visit Beijing's scenic spots has nearly tripled since the capital city eliminated its reservation policies for all tourist attractions, except for the Palace Museum and the National Museum of China.
China has 59 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including 40 cultural heritage sites.
The lifting of the reservation policies has offered foreign visitors interested in Chinese culture, new choices besides natural sceneries and foodie tours, particularly following the 144 -hour visa -free transit policy that facilitates entry into China.
According to the online travel service provider, C -Trip, domestic inbound travel orders in the first half of this year increased by more than 1 .6 times year -on -year.
A survey conducted by the China Tourism Academy on inbound tourist satisfaction indicates over 60 percent of respondents sighted experiencing the Chinese culture as the primary reason for their travel to China.
This is Special English in the Tranquil village of Shang Wang You nestled in the outskirts of Beijing's Huai Rol District, a burgeoning trend has transformed the once quiet hamlet into a bustling destination.
Amid verdant mountains and serene waters the emergence of rural coffee houses has drawn hundreds of city -dwellers seeking respite from the urban hustle and bustle.
The small village with a permanent population of about 100 people now features three coffee shops.
For example, a cafe called Huyin alone attracts more than 50 customers per day for the village during weekends.
Wang Shui Yong, a local official, notes that the village has never seen such a flurry of activity over the past decades like it does now, with cars coming and going, causing even traffic jams.
Hegyin Cafe, about 50 kilometers from Beijing's city center, is perched next to a lake and surrounded by mountains.
Wei Ming, owner of the coffee shop, recalls that when he first visited the Xiang headquarters Yu Village three years ago.
He had immediately decided to establish a rural retreat there, mainly because of its unique geographical and ecological environments.
Similar sentiments were echoed by the owner of Menluo Cafe, which is only 200 meters away from Heyen Cafe.
During this year's Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the Menluo Cafe generated revenue of over 70 ,000 yuan.
in just three days, nearly 10 ,000 U .S.
dollars. As China's coffee consumption market continues to expand, people are gradually shifting towards a more diversified coffee experience.
Beyond just the caffeine boost for fast -paced urban lives, more Chinese people now prefer a cup of coffee in rural settings.
infused with new vitality and charm by coffeehouses nestled amidst idyllic landscapes.
These ventures, spearheaded by young entrepreneurs like Wei, have revitalized not only their own businesses, but also the village.
village, the local official Wang Shui Yong notes that the popularity of the village's coffee houses has invigorated local economies by bolstering sales of agricultural products and the business of rural accommodations and eateries.
The coffee shops in the village of Shanghuangyu are among some 70 rural cafes located throughout the Huai Rol District in Beijing.
rural cafes have also sprung up nationwide, including Anji County in East China's Zhejiang Province and Chongqing Municipality in the southwest region.
You're listening to Special English A new high -speed railway has begun trial operation linking two economic heavyweights of Hangzhou and Wenzhou cities in East China's Yangxi River Delta region.
Extending 260 km, the railway with a designed speed of 350 km per hour has nine stations, offering a rapid transit solution along the route, threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu, and Wuanzhou in the Delta area, which is among the most economically vibrant regions in China.
Wang Chang with the Railway Subsidery of the Zhejiang Development and Planning Institute says that the railway project is a national pilot of mixed ownership reform of introducing social capital to the railway construction.
region. The Inter -city Railway is hooked with the High -Speed Railway Network in the Delta region.
Rich tourism resources, including Hangzhou, as well as Xinhua Mountain and Nanxi River, are connected to the line.
Wang notes that the project is of great significance for facilitating the public travel and promoting higher -quality integrated development of the Yangtze River delta.
This is special English.
In China, several cities are qualified to claim the title of Venice of the Orient.
For example, Suzhou in Jiangsu Province and Xiaoxing in Zhejiang Province, both located located in eastern China along the Yangtze River delta are prime candidates.
Naturally, in terms of the rich water resources and the complexity of the river systems, both Both cities deserve such a title, and many towns and cities located in the same geographical region with that of Suzhou and Xiaoxing are equally qualified of such a title.
for the area they belong to Jiangnan is always referred to by the Chinese people with the suffix of water -towns.
The area varies in size according to different references.
The smaller one refers to the area around the Taihu lake, specifically including the southern Jiangsu province, the northern Zhejiang province, and the municipality of Shanghai.
The larger one could expand to the southeastern Anhui province and northeastern Jiangxi province.
To most Chinese people, the mention of Jiangnan immediately conjures up vivid images, misty rivers and lakes adorned with green trees, exquisitely designed houses and pavilions set against stunning scenery, elegant and graceful beauties, and scholarly gentlemen alongside talented young individuals.
While these may be stereotypical impressions, they are rooted in reality.
As widely known, the cradle of the Chinese civilization was traditionally located farther north, along the Yellow river rather than the Yangtze River, where many prehistoric civilizations appeared.
Many dynasties settled their capitals in the north, leading central and northern China to become regions of a thriving economy and prosperous culture.
However, starting from the Western Jin Dynasty about 1800 years ago, the North became embroiled in countless wars and battles which started the first round of large -scale north to south migration in China.
The migration culminated with the southern Song dynasty relocating its capital from a city adjacent to the Yellow River to Hangzhou, another important city in the Jiangnan area today.
Since then, Jiangnan entered its golden age due to the influx of talented people and literati as well as its economic advantages.
Since we've known about the history of Qiangnan, it's easier to understand its integration of the central plains' culture coming from North China and the Wuyue culture, its original local way of life.
With such a feature of mixed cultures, it becomes more profound with the ability to withstand the tests of time.
Another statistic offers a different angle of the thriving local culture in the Jiangnan An area according to data from Chan Shielong, an official in the late Qing Dynasty, among the total of 130 top scholars produced in that timeframe.
time. More than half of them came from the Yangtze River Delta, which belongs to Jiangnang.
Cities and towns are also hailed as cultural hubs, with some having enjoyed the fame of thriving cultures for centuries.
Sujo and Hangjo are always considered the most representative Jiangnan cities to both Chinese and foreign visitors.
In Chinese there is even a proverb saying, up in the skies there is heaven down on earth there is Suzhou and Hangzhou to express the love to ward these two cities that boast rich natural and cultural landscapes let's end the journey on Jiangnan with a famous poem composed by Bai Zhu Yi, a renowned poet from the Tang dynasty.
Fair Southern Shore, with scenes I adore.
At sunrise, riverside flowers redder than fire.
In spring, green waves grow as blue as sapphire, which I can't but admire.
Here listening to special English That's the end of this edition of special English.
To recap, I'm going to read one of the news items again at normal speed.
Please listen carefully.
A new high -speed railway has begun trial operation linking two economic heavyweights of Hangzhou and Wenzhou cities in east China's Yangtze River Delta region.
Extending 260 km, the railway with a design speed of 350 km per hour has nine stations, offering a rapid transit solution along the route, threading the economic hubs of Hangzhou, Yiwu, and Wenzhou in the delta area, which is among the most economically vibrant regions in China.
Wang Chang, with the railway subsidiary of the Zhejiang Development and Planning Institute, says that the railway project is a national pilot of mixed ownership reform of introducing social capital to the railway construction.
The Inter -City Railway is hooked with the high -speed railway network in the delta region.
rich tourism resources including Hangzhou as well as Xianhua Mountain and Nanxi river are connected to the line.
Wang notes that the project is of great significance for facilitating the public travel and promoting higher quality integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.
This is the end of today's program.
I hope you'll join us everyday to learn English at a slower pace.
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