On November 23, the 2018 China · Changning Shunan Bamboo Sea Hot Air Balloon "Liya Upstream City" Sky Flight Month event was officially launched on Zhuhai Avenue in Changning Town, Changning County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province. The event was co-hosted by the Yibin Municipal Education and Sports Bureau, Yibin Municipal Tourism Development Commission, People’s Government of Changning County, and the Administrative Bureau of Shunan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area in Yibin, and organized by Yibin Shunan Bamboo Sea Tourism Development Co., Ltd., the Publicity Department of the CPC Changning County Committee, Changning County Education, Sports, Culture and Broadcasting Bureau, Changning County Tourism Development Bureau, with operational support provided by Beijing Shizhi Landscape Culture Communication Co., Ltd.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Jia Lihua, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Changning County Committee and County Governor of Changning, presided over the event and introduced the attending leaders and guests. Speeches were delivered by Mr. Dong Maocheng, Secretary of the CPC Changning County Committee, and Ms. Li Jianrou, Olympic short-track speed skating world champion. Twelve dignitaries, including Ms. Li Min, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yibin Municipal Committee and Director of the Publicity Department, Professor Luo Yuansong, former President of Yibin University, Mr. Shuai Yin, Director of Yibin Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, News and Publication, Mr. Xiong Longfang, Deputy Director of Yibin Municipal Tourism Development Commission, Mr. Xiao Anxiang, Deputy Director of Yibin Municipal Education and Sports Bureau, Olympic champion Li Jianrou, Mr. Liu Dakai, Chairman of Beijing Shizhi Landscape Culture Communication Co., Ltd., Mr. Dong Maocheng, Secretary of the CPC Changning County Committee, Mr. Song Kaiyun, Director of the Changning County People's Congress Standing Committee, Mr. Zhou Xiaoping, Chairman of the Changning County CPPCC, Mr. Liu Yi, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Changning County Committee and Director of the Shunan Bamboo Sea Administration Bureau, jointly activated the launch ceremony by touching the screen, and the event was declared open by Ms. Li Min, Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Yibin Municipal Committee.
At the opening site, Olympic short-track speed skating world champion Li Jianrou and Xiong Cunya, recipient of the “Most Beautiful Changning Person” Altruism Award, jointly lit the first hot air balloon of the event, symbolizing the transmission of the noble spirit of sports akin to the Olympic flame. The soaring flames also ignited the enthusiasm of the local people, drawing continuous cheers and excitement from the crowd. Amidst the exhilarating and festive atmosphere, everyone enjoyed a marvelous and fantastical hot air balloon ignition performance.
In addition, a series of colorful cultural performances were arranged on-site, including the Sichuan-style percussion performance "Bamboo Sea Mung Bean Cake," the acrobatic show "Spirit of the Bamboo" which won a gold award at the Sichuan Acrobatics Competition, the pipa vocal performance "Flowers Bloom Beyond the Bamboo," as well as the Sichuan cart-light show "Bamboo Sister’s Wedding," which incorporated a hot air balloon wedding. These acts vividly showcased the unique charm of Changning’s local culture, seamlessly blending tradition with modernity, and culture with sports, presenting a multi-dimensional view of the strengths and characteristics of the Shunan Bamboo Sea in Changning.
As a large-scale outdoor activity integrating “culture, sports, and tourism,” hot air balloons have garnered significant attention and affection. It is understood that the 2018 China · Changning Shunan Bamboo Sea Liya Upstream City Hot Air Balloon Sky Flight Month is an exclusive IP event created by Changning County, and also a groundbreaking attempt by Shizhi Sports in the field of low-altitude tourism. With the theme “Dreams in the Sky · Soaring Over the Bamboo Sea,” the 14-day (two-week) event ran from November 23 to December 6, featuring 30 hot air balloons in performance. In addition to the balloon ignition ceremony at the opening site, the event will engage visitors (participants) through a variety of interactive and highly participatory hot air balloon tourism offerings, including fire-spouting parades, free flights, tethered experiences, balloon blessing activities, model aircraft shows, powered parachute displays, and more. Through these continuous, rare, and extraordinary activities, the event will fully highlight the urban brand of “The Most Beautiful Bamboo Sea, Wellness Changning,” allowing attendees to experience the vast beauty of the “myriad acres of bamboo sea and hundred-mile...” in a novel way.
To further enrich and optimize the experience for citizens and tourists, the event will also host two fun-filled and engaging hot air balloon parent-child outdoor experiences on November 25 and December 1 at the China Aviation Flight Camp in the Shunan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area. A range of family-friendly activities—including hot air balloon knowledge lectures, balloon rides, model instruction and on-site making, airborne mailbox paper plane competitions, creative balloon graffiti, flight hiking orienteering, and themed balloon markets—will allow participants to learn about the history and flight techniques of hot air balloons while promoting aviation knowledge. This enables visitors to gain a deeper appreciation of Changning’s charm while exploring the Shunan Bamboo Sea, experience the unique allure of aviation sports, and enjoy the endless fun brought by low-altitude tourism.
Additionally, this event is a top-tier, highly experiential and visually stunning national hot air balloon low-altitude tourism extravaganza. It will accelerate the development of Changning County’s sports tourism industry, better facilitate the integrated upgrade of sports and tourism endeavors in the Shunan Bamboo Sea Scenic Area, and comprehensively advance the creation of a “National All-for-One Tourism Demonstration Zone” and “Tianfu Tourism Famous County.” Gradually forming a new “sports + tourism” integrated development model in the Shunan Bamboo Sea of Changning, the event provides an exceptional platform for outdoor sports enthusiasts and tourists nationwide. While building the leisure scenic city of “China’s Bamboo Capital, the Most Beautiful Bamboo Sea,” it also establishes a unique international eco-bamboo cultural tourism destination, making “bamboo forests a beautiful sight in Sichuan’s rural landscapes”!