The poetic fruits of success

The event also kicked off a three-day field trip for a group of well-known writers and poets from across the country to explore the rural areas of Huangyan.

Yi ethnic group poet Jidi Majia, also former vice-president of the China Writers Association, encourages poets and writers to capture touching daily moments of local people and personally experience the vitality of the countryside, where livelihoods and ecology have been remarkably improved.

"I hope that more literary works could be created to promote orange culture in Huangyan, further arousing people's love for nature and the pursuit of a natural lifestyle, and stimulating the inherent driving force of rural spiritual and cultural development," he says.

He also expresses his hope to develop the gathering into an international event. "There are many regions in the world that are known for producing citrus fruits, and there are also many poets and writers who have a spiritual connection with oranges, orange trees, orange blossoms, and orange groves. I believe that Huangyan has the potential to host an international poetry event with an orange theme."

Huangyan has been growing honey oranges for more than 1,700 years. It has been making efforts to leverage high-tech facilities and agricultural talents as key drivers for revitalizing and developing its orange cultivation. To this end, Huangyan has collaborated with the Huazhong Agricultural University, the citrus research institute in Southwest University, Zhejiang Citrus Research Institute, and Zhejiang University, with plans to bring in over 100 experts to work in Huangyan.