Unveiling the bold side of China in Tongren

On the streets of Zhongnanmen, an ancient town in Tongren city, Guizhou province, the atmosphere grows livelier as the sun sets.

Situated where the Wujiang River meets two others, Zhongnanmen has been a prosperous center of eastern Guizhou since the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). This unique advantage has made it a cultural melting pot, home to traditions such as Nuoxi, a thousand-year-old local folk opera popular in southern China.

On March 29, international content creators and media professionals participating in the 2026 China Storyteller Partnerships visited Zhongnanmen. A Nuoxi-inspired performance captured their attention as soon as they passed through the gate, revealing a different side of China: raw, bold, and adventurous.