Shangjie Village

　　    Up close, ancient dwellings are scattered in an orderly fashion, with lotus ponds in front of and behind the houses—lotuses that rise unstained from the mud and bloom crimson in the sun. Swaying gently in the breeze, they display graceful postures that are simply intoxicating. From afar, the village is embraced by green mountains and clear waters, with undulating peaks lush and vibrant, ancient trees set off by bamboo groves, and the air fragrant with fruits and melons. The breathtaking scenery is so enchanting that one can easily lose track of time and find it hard to leave.

　　    The village is surrounded by dark green mountains, with a straight road cutting across the front. By the roadside, a clear stream babbles gently. Most of the buildings in the village are traditional small courtyard homes. Lotus flowers are planted all around the ponds, fields, and courtyards.

　　    In recent years, Gongqiao Town has adhered to green development, continuously adjusting and optimizing its agricultural structure, with an emphasis on developing efficient ecological agriculture. Gradually, it has formed a distinctive agricultural sector dominated by lotus seeds. Gongqiao lotus seeds are natural and eco-friendly “green food.” In recent years, leveraging its ecological advantages, Gongqiao Town has vigorously promoted “ecotourism,” successfully hosting the “Lotus Festival” for two consecutive years. The event attracted tourists from Sanming, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Fuzhou, and other areas, generating over 10 million yuan in lotus seed product sales, drawing more than 100,000 visitors, and achieving tourism revenue exceeding 10 million yuan.

　　    The Jiaoshan Lotus Seed Professional Cooperative has capitalized on the platform of ecotourism by adopting unified seedling supply, unified management, and unified sales, leading to rapid growth and expansion of the lotus seed industry. It has also registered the “Fushangjie” lotus seed brand, further broadening sales channels. The cooperative actively develops various ways to consume lotus seeds—such as eating them raw, steaming lotus pods, making lotus seed juice, lotus seed soup, and lotus seed porridge—to guide consumer interest, effectively integrating agriculture with tourism.

　　    Source: Fujian Provincial Tourism Development Commission