China's first bird-themed cultural tourism project takes flight

In a groundbreaking move for China's cultural tourism landscape,"The Rendezvous of Birds" has emerged as the country's first bird-themed cultural tourism project.

Partnering with Puy du Fou, one of the world's largest and most celebrated historical and cultural performance theme parks, Yaohu Town in Yixing, Jiangsu province, has become a vibrant symbol of Sino-French cultural exchange.

Directed by Fan Yue, a core creative member of the 2008 Beijing Olympics ceremonies, the project features a stunning display of birds of prey soaring through Yixing's green valleys.

A total of 258 birds of prey from France, including falcons, gyrfalcons, red kites, black kites, vultures, and white storks, representing 14 species, perform in low-altitude displays over Yaohu Town, offering close encounters with visitors.

Fan describes the project as "a rendezvous of nature and life initiated by birds", where participants engage in an emotional exchange led by nature.

"In this project, birds take center stage," says Liu Xiaojian, vice-president of Yaohu Town.

"We sit quietly amid the mountains and rivers, looking up to see hundreds of birds flying overhead," says Liu. "They are so close that, although we cannot touch them, we can clearly see each birds' features and even make eye contact with them."

"What kind of feeling is this? Truly wonderful," he says.

From conception to launch, "The Rendezvous of Birds" took six years and cost 300 million yuan ($44 million).

According to Liu, the town's development philosophy aligns deeply with Puy du Fou's mission to "evoke emotional resonance through historical and cultural performances".

The project also utilizes local materials, transforming clay into sculpted concrete structures that retain the texture of pottery, and creating a "land sculpture" that emerges from the bamboo forest valley.

The aviaries are enveloped in bamboo-weaved surfaces, blending perfectly with the bamboo sea, achieving harmony between architecture and the natural environment.

According to Liu, the project is a unique blend of nature and art, integrating scientific education into cultural tourism.

He emphasizes that in today's experience economy, tourists are seeking more than just superficial sightseeing. They desire deep, immersive experiences that allow them to "live elsewhere", even if temporarily.

Rather than replicating the fireworks of ancient towns or the carnival atmosphere of theme parks, Yaohu Town aims to transition culture from a "static display" to a "dynamic experience".

The town has transformed Yixing's "mountains, water, pottery, bamboo, and tea" from static resources into participatory events and consumable products.

Initiatives such as the Zisha (Yixing Clay) Pottery Workshop and Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshop turn cultural experiences into tangible consumer behaviors, enhancing the visitor experience.

By the end of 2024, Yaohu Town, with an investment of 13 billion yuan, officially opened its doors. The following year, the town welcomed 2.8 million tourists and achieved a revenue of 410 million yuan.

Yixing's location in the Yangtze River Delta, with easy access from cities like Nanjing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Suzhou in Jiangsu province, and Shanghai, coupled with a thriving economy and expanding cultural tourism market, bodes well for the town's future.

The influx of visitors is translating into significant economic benefits, directly creating over 3,000 jobs and indirectly supporting over 10,000 local residents.

Thanks to the town's popularity, local products like Yixing black tea, Zisha pottery, and bamboo shoots have seen annual sales increase by 210 percent.

Liu says, "For Yaohu Town, I see it not as a tourist attraction but as an imprint of birds on clay, emphasizing the integration of nature and culture. It represents a new model that contemporary cultural tourism endeavors to explore."

The town also plans to further develop natural science scenarios based on "The Rendezvous of Birds".