Discovering Pingxiang: Experiencing the Heart of Jiangxi Province

As a relative newcomer to China, I'm eager to explore cities beyond my new home in Beijing whenever I get the chance, regardless of how much I know about the area. So, when I was invited to visit Pingxiang in Jiangxi Province, I readily agreed. I embarked on the journey with no prior knowledge or expectations, but any expectations I might have had would have been greatly surpassed. I left Pingxiang with new friends, memorable stories, fresh perspectives, and... a bright red sunburn. But first, let’s talk about how I arrived.

Arrival in Pingxiang: First Impressions

On May 28, after a relatively short and comfortable flight, we arrived in Changsha. From there, we boarded a shuttle bus to our destination: Nanzheng Street, Anyuan District, Pingxiang. After sampling the local cuisine, with my stomach full and my mind open, I set out to explore this historic street. To my surprise, it was bustling with locals on a Tuesday evening, all of whom seemed excited to see us. I couldn't help but find this excitement infectious.

At the start of a long line of stalls was a Pingxiang wood carving stand, neighboring an Anyuan sugar painting stand. An elegant elderly lady operated the latter, where I watched her masterfully create a dragon using nothing but melted sugar and a ladle. A local handed me a sugar-art rabbit, and I savored the sweet treat before we entered the Phantom Shadow Puppet Theater. Here, I experienced my second taste of Pingxiang’s intangible cultural heritage. We watched the puppets sing and dance, portraying a love story.

After the show, I was invited onstage to beat the drum for the next play. To the amazement of the large crowd that suddenly surrounded the stage, they cheered me on as I played the drum like I had done it many times before. Little did they know, I am a drummer in a band in Beijing—a fact I decided to keep to myself, letting them believe I was a gifted foreigner destined to join this establishment full-time.

Unexpected Entertainment: The Dating Show

As I left the theater and turned a corner, I saw a crowd of at least a couple hundred people gathered in front of a large stage in the center of town. Curious, I asked my new friend what was happening. She informed me that it was a dating show touring around China, inviting locals on stage to find their next romantic partner.

Standing out like a sore thumb, I was quickly dragged on stage to participate. I suspect this was more for their amusement than a genuine attempt to find me a girlfriend, but I decided to relish the absurdity and play along. I answered a series of questions about my ideal partner, providing the host with a list of my requirements. We waited for my dream woman to appear from the crowd, but after an awkward couple of minutes, I jokingly told the audience that I was becoming desperate and to forget about any previous standards I once had. This elicited a laugh from the elderly gentlemen at the front, which was all the validation I needed to leave the stage.

My first evening in Pingxiang was delightful, and a sign of things to come, extremely welcoming and friendly locals, good food, and an appreciation for rich cultural heritage. I went to bed that night looking forward to the days ahead.

Industrial Insights: A Day of Discovery

On the second day, our first full day in Pingxiang, we got to see more of the industrial side of the city, which was no less impressive. Our first stop was to Xiangdong District’s National Modern Agricultural Industrial Park. A state-of-the-art industrial park employing over 10,000 people working on seed production on a site that covers nearly 200,000 mu (approximately 13,333 hectares), accounting for more than 85% of the seed breeding area in Southern China, and about 20% of the annual national seed supply.

We then made a stop at Jiangkou Village, where I saw first-hand the impact of the “integrated village management for common prosperity” development plan, which saw the creation of industrial projects such as the 0799 Art District, the Cormorant and Yanyu Art Scenic Area, and Six Workshops of the Beautiful Village.  The village strikes the perfect balance of art, agriculture, and cultural tourism. The village collective income has soared from 50,000 yuan to over 500,000 yuan. The 0799 Art District has attracted over 30 well-known artists across the country to sign contracts and settle-in there. It was heart-warming for me to see artists being supported in such a way.

The second-to-last stop on our tour of Pingxiang’s industry was the Sleemon Smart Home Industrial Park. Founded in 1984, Sleemon Furniture Co., Ltd. has established itself as a leader in China’s sleep industry and is the largest mattress manufacturer in Asia. The company relocated to Pingxiang in 2021, investing 3 billion yuan into the park, which is evident from its state-of-the-art facilities. The pristine factory we visited houses advanced machinery and provides over 1,600 jobs for the local community.

I had the chance to test out a couple of their beds, which made me realize the severe lack of quality in my own. With this revelation in mind, I made sure to get some much-needed rest in my hotel bed, as I would need as much energy as possible for the following day.

The Climb to Wugong Mountain: An Unforgettable Experience

Thursday morning came, this was the day everyone was excited for—the day we were to climb to the top of Wugong Mountain. After a short bus ride to the foot of the mountain and a couple obligatory group photos, we set off on our climb. On the days leading up to our hike I tried to avoid any photographs or videos of what views the mountain could provide me, as I wanted to let the mountain blow me away (and it definitely did), but one thing everybody kept mentioning to me was how the high-altitude alpine meadows that could be found at a staggering 1,600-meter altitude were completely unique to this part of the world. The thought of seeing this for myself was more than enough motivation to start the climb.

The weather on this day, you could say, was less than favorable, I heard a few of the vloggers in our group were disappointed by the fog, which, would be very thick for the duration of our hike. While I understood this disappointment, I personally love the appearance of fog, I love how otherworldly it can feel at times, and I thought this fog would add to the heavenly, ethereal nature of the mountain's appearance.

Now, there is not much need to go into detail about what I saw on this trek, as I believe it is something everyone should experience for themselves, but I will speak on how I felt during our climb to the top.

The word that comes to mind is "whole." Yet no word can truly capture the significance of this mountain. I urge anyone reading this, if you can, to find a day to climb it yourself. The crisp air, the picturesque peaks, the smiles on strangers' faces, the clouds once above my head now draping themselves over the rocks in front of me—all these elements combined to give me a profound sense of wholeness. It was a clear reminder of the world’s enduring beauty, as striking on that day at Wugong Mountain as it has always been.

Despite the effort, I never ran out of energy. After a brief rest at the top, we jogged down to the cable car that took us back to the mountain's base. When we reached the bottom, I realized I had acquired a bright red sunburn. This couldn't wipe the smile off my face but instead added to the amusement of my Chinese companions, who watched me turn from milk-white to beet-red. After a few laughs, we boarded our trusty shuttle bus and headed back to our hotel. As I returned to my seat, I felt that the person who once sat there had been forever changed.

In Pingxiang I discovered a city rich in industry, breathtaking natural scenery, and exceptionally friendly people. During a brief speech I gave at a Chinese and foreign youth exchange forum, I shared this sentiment: “I will leave Pingxiang as a better, more complete person than when I arrived.” For me, there is no higher praise for a place you can visit.