The 2022 China Zhinan Hill Red Leaf Festival kicked off last Saturday at Zhinan Village, Taihuyuan Town of Lin'an district, which was dubbed as "one of the most beautiful ancient villages in East China" and again ushered in its lively and joyous season of the year.

More than 100 international students from Zhejiang A&F University came to visit the village, adding to the activities some international elements, such as signing the contract of an International Education Base, exchanging International red leaf souvenirs and giving exotic cultural and artistic performances. Meanwhile, the launch of smart tourism programs at the scene making the village glow with a new futuristic vitality.

Only 80 kilometers away from Hangzhou city center, Zhinan Village is a charming place lined with rugged cottages. It has a long history and rich cultural heritage that can be dated back to more than 2,000 years ago.

Located at the foot of the eastern Tianmu Mountain, the village owns a heavenly lake view spanning 15 hectares and large areas of terraced fields. The village is surrounded by towering ancient trees with a forest coverage rate reaching more than 93%.

It's the perfect time of the year to appreciate the scenery of terraced fields and ancient trees dyed with patches of yellow, red and green, forming a delightful contrast against the black-and-white ancient village. Especially the overwhelming charm of ginkgo trees attracts tourists from all over the world to visit and linger around, making the village a popular place among shutterbugs.

"From now on, the whole village is merged with natural colors until the end of the month." Village tourist advisory center staff said.

In recent years, with the theme of "Red Leaf", Zhinan Village has been building a future countryside and elaborately creating a village scenic spot, and has become a beautiful benchmark of integrating culture and tourism in Lin'an. More than 70% of the villagers are engaged in tourism related industries, with 100 rural B&Bs and 60 privately-owned shops included.