Autumn paints Zhijin in rich hues, while the cave harbours myriad wonders. Against the backdrop of hundreds‑of‑millions‑year‑old karst caverns, melodies resound in the golden‑autumn season. Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark launches the grand "Listening to Zhijindong Cave · Charm in Golden Autumn" Geoscience Popularization and Cultural Festival, with a wealth of splendid events unfolding inside the subterranean wonderland.
On the morning of September 26, the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra presented soul‑stirring musical performances amid the ancient karst landscape. As bows glided across strings, melodious notes reverberated deep underground, with the hundreds‑of‑millions‑year‑old geological marvel serving as a magnificent natural stage. Flowing music breathed fresh vitality into the age‑old mountains. Set within an amphitheatre shaped by mountains and nature itself, the performance drew crowds of visitors, who stopped to listen and captured the moment with their cameras.
Subsequently, a signing ceremony themed "Exploring Pathways for the Development and Conservation of Cave Resources" was held at Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark, bringing together experts and scholars from multiple geological research institutions.
A thematic salon entitled "Conservation and Development of Tourist‑oriented Caves from the Perspective of Zhijindong Cave" took place on‑site. Experts and scholars from the Institute of Karst Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources, Hubei Institute of Geological Sciences and other institutions gathered to conduct in‑depth discussions on geological heritage conservation, sustainable cultural‑tourism development, and the building of science‑popularization and study‑tour systems. Drawing on hands‑on research experience, they offered suggestions for the long‑term conservation and high‑quality development of this geological heritage.
Representatives from three parties — Guizhou Zhijindong Cave Tourism Development Co., Ltd., Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources and Hubei Institute of Geological Sciences — then stepped onto the stage to formally sign the Strategic Cooperation Agreement on Conserving Hundred‑million‑year‑old Wonders for Zhijindong Cave Geological Heritage.
Going forward, all parties will uphold the priority of conservation and translate consensus reached in the discussions into concrete actions. Long‑term cooperation will be carried out in building joint scientific‑research platforms, translating research achievements, and exchanging professionals. Leveraging solid research capacity, the partners will explore new paths for the win‑win coexistence of geological conservation, scientific research and cultural‑tourism development, so as to jointly safeguard this precious karst treasure.
In the afternoon, the 3rd Zhijin Rural Armwrestling Open got underway. Nearly‑a‑hundred arm‑wrestling enthusiasts from across China gathered at Zhijindong Cave for fierce strength competitions, staging a spectacular clash of human power against stunning mountain‑and‑water scenery. Combining high‑intensity athletic contests with breathtaking karst cave landscapes, the event practises the new cultural‑tourism concept of “Travelling Along with Sports Events”. Sports competitions draw crowds while cultural‑tourism scenarios boost vitality, effectively enriching county‑level holiday cultural‑tourism offerings and stimulating new consumption momentum for grassroots culture and sports.
