In early autumn, Fusong boasts clear skies, light clouds, and the fragrance of ginseng fruits. Everywhere—from the ridges of the Changbai Mountains, the Shengdi Bridge, to the Forest Sea Inn—you can feel the tranquility and coolness of the post-summer 22-degree weather.
On August 19, the much-anticipated Jilin · Fusong “Luneng Shengdi Cup” 2018 Changbai Mountain International Half Marathon commenced gloriously at Changbai Mountain Luneng Shengdi. Marathon lovers from 10 countries including France, Spain, and Egypt, as well as from 13 provinces and cities nationwide and within Fusong, expressed their interpretation of the sport with passion, speed, and perspiration, fully immersing themselves in Fusong’s beauty of greenery, ecology, and culture.
In the morning, the Changbai Mountain Luneng Shengdi Sports Center was bustling with people and adorned with colorful flags. Athletes, staff, and volunteers gathered from all directions, turning the venue into a sea of joy. Accompanied by the dynamic music “Travel with the Marathon,” a rich variety of cultural performances and warm-up exercises heralded the start of the marathon.
Wang Haiying, Deputy Secretary of the Fusong County Party Committee and County Magistrate, Sun Huabang, Chairman of the Fusong County CPPCC, Li Hongyan, Deputy Director of the Baishan City Sports Bureau, Wang Xindong, Chairman and Party Committee Secretary of Jilin Luneng Manjiang Eco-Tourism Development Co., Ltd., Wang Chaofan, General Manager and Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Jilin Luneng Manjiang Eco-Tourism Development Co., Ltd., Feng Zhigang, Chairman of Shanghai Zhiyou Hui Pao Sports Development Co., Ltd., along with deputy county-level and above leaders from the Fusong County Party Committee, County People's Congress, County Government, and County CPPCC, attended the opening ceremony. Zhou Jie, Vice County Magistrate of Fusong, presided over the ceremony.
According to the organizing committee, this event was hosted by the People’s Government of Fusong County, organized by the Fusong County Culture, Radio, Television, News, and Publishing Bureau, operated and promoted by Shanghai Zhiyou Hui Pao Sports Development Co., Ltd., and exclusively sponsored by Jilin Luneng Manjiang Eco-Tourism Development Co., Ltd. The competition included a half marathon (21.0975 km), as well as mini marathons of 5 km and 10 km. Both the starting and finishing points were located at Changbai Mountain Luneng Shengdi.
As is well known, Fusong County is situated in the heart of the Changbai Mountains and the upper reaches of the Songhua River. Blessed with beautiful scenery and abundant resources, a century of development has forged a uniquely charming urban character and accumulated a profound historical culture. Covering an area of 6,159 square kilometers with a forest coverage rate of 87.6%, the county hosts one national-level tourist resort and six key A-level scenic spots. It is renowned as the “Hometown of Chinese Ginseng,” “Hometown of Chinese Blueberries,” “Hometown of Chinese Linden Honey,” and “Chinese Mineral Water City,” as well as a National Tourism Standardization Demonstration County. It has also earned titles such as “One of China’s Top 100 Cities for Deep Breathing,” “China’s Most Investment-Potential Characteristic Charming Demonstration County,” and “China’s Most Investment-Potential Tourism Destination.”
In recent years, Fusong County has adhered to a development strategy of “ecology-based governance, green prosperity, and industry-driven strength.” Leveraging its unique natural resources, convenient geographical advantages, and distinctive cultural heritage, the county has fully utilized the comprehensive driving forces of sports, culture, and tourism to promote the integrated development of sports culture and the tourism industry. This has injected strong momentum into the in-depth implementation of the “25101000” project and the comprehensive construction of a happy, harmonious, and beautiful Fusong.
At the opening ceremony, Wang Haiying, Deputy Secretary of the Fusong County Party Committee and County Magistrate, delivered an enthusiastic speech. She noted that in recent years, Fusong has fully implemented the national strategy for public fitness, integrating sports, culture, and tourism, leading to the vigorous and parallel development of various undertakings. Hosting this international half marathon in Fusong is not only a review of the achievements in the county’s sports endeavors but also a concentrated showcase of Fusong’s urban charm and influence.
▲Wang Haiying, Deputy Secretary of the Fusong County Party Committee and County Magistrate
Wang Haiying stated that they will spare no effort to provide the best services for the event. She hopes that the athletes participating in this race will demonstrate style, level, and friendship through perseverance and sweat, and fully enjoy the passion in the vast forest sea while experiencing the unique pristine beauty of Changbai Mountain.
▲Wang Chaofan, General Manager and Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Jilin Luneng Manjiang Eco-Tourism Development Co., Ltd.
Wang Chaofan, General Manager and Deputy Party Committee Secretary of Jilin Luneng Manjiang Eco-Tourism Development Co., Ltd., delivered a congratulatory speech. He expressed hope that the successful hosting of this event would better showcase to friends across the country the beautiful natural scenery, rich cultural atmosphere, and distinctive resort experiences of Changbai Mountain Luneng Shengdi. Taking this event as an opportunity, Changbai Mountain Luneng Shengdi will further plan the development of sports tourism at a new starting point, aiming to create an international eco-tourism resort demonstration zone and deliver a wonderful resort experience for domestic and international tourists.
▲Zhou Jie, Vice County Magistrate of Fusong
Green waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and so are icy snowscapes. As the host of this event—Changbai Mountain Luneng Shengdi—is an international-level ice and snow tourism project developed by the Fusong County Party Committee and County Government. Located in Manjiang Town, Fusong County, it lies to the east of the Changbai Mountains at the confluence of three rivers. Built against the mountains and by the water, it centers on the concept of ecological symbiosis, interpreting the three major cultural elements of Changbai: “ice and snow,” “folklore,” and “forest.” It constructs three major functional theme areas: seasonal sports, the original Changbai countryside, and the voice of the forest. It is a meticulously developed international-level eco-tourism resort demonstration zone integrating leisure, entertainment, ecological protection, and cultural tourism. The already operational hotels—Wangchangbai Boutique Hotel, Maplewood Cabin Hotel, and Changbai Mountain Original Countryside Inn—boast unique architectural features that break away from monotonous tourism lodging models, upgrading the concept of ice and snow resorts.
At 9:00 a.m., Wang Haiying announced the start of the race, and all guests sounded the starting horn as the 2018 Changbai Mountain International Half Marathon officially began. Over 8,000 participants stepped confidently onto the track, embarking on a green running journey. Full of vigor and high morale, they ran with all their might toward their dreams. The wide track and comfortable natural environment left a deep impression on the participants, who praised Fusong’s natural scenery. Xiao Jing, a participant from Tianjin, said the surrounding green mountains, clear waters, and blooming flowers made for a captivating landscape. “The scenery along the way was stunning and breathtaking!”
On the track, athletes were full of passion and fought hard; outside the track, spectators were enthusiastic and cheered loudly. In their own ways, they fully enjoyed the endless fun brought by this sporting event and also demonstrated the city image of Fusong with civility and enthusiasm. Zhang Haiyan from Fusong continuously took photos with her phone and waved the red flag in her hand to cheer on the runners. “It’s my first time participating in such a grand marathon in my hometown. I’m very excited and proud. I hope the athletes give their best and achieve great results.”
The busy figures of volunteers shuttling around and their beaming smiles reflected the extraordinary charm of the marathon, forming another beautiful sight along the track. During the race, participants could receive energy supplies such as drinking water and beverages at any refreshment station. Volunteers carefully opened the bottle caps for the athletes, maintained smiles throughout, and cheered them on.
During the event, the organizing committee also set up medical stations and arranged for ambulances to follow along, providing medical services at any time. Security personnel and facilities were deployed to ensure the safe operation of the event. The traffic management department implemented humanized temporary traffic control adjustments to minimize the impact on travel. Staff in security, traffic, medical care, communications, and other sectors worked silently behind the scenes, providing comprehensive support and services to the athletes, becoming a “plus point” in the hearts of many participants.
Where there is sports, there is happiness; where there is joy, there is beauty. After fierce competition, the men’s champion of the half marathon was awarded to Tai Yunlong from Liaoning with a time of 1 hour, 14 minutes, and 13 seconds. The women’s champion was Hao Xiaofan from Jiangsu, who finished in 1 hour, 26 minutes, and 10 seconds. The top ten male and female finishers in the half marathon all received prizes and medals. Leaders present awarded prizes to the winning athletes and the top six male and female half marathon finishers from Fusong.
In recent years, the Fusong County Party Committee and County Government have placed great emphasis on the development of cultural and sports undertakings. They have successively hosted a series of high-end events and activities such as the National Hiking Conference Changbai Mountain Station, the National Cross-Country Skiing Championships, and the FIS Cross-Country Skiing China Tour. These have turned Fusong’s green waters and lush mountains, as well as its icy snowscapes, into grand stages for athletes, allowing participants to maximally experience regional cultural characteristics and fully appreciate the charm of sports. Taking this event as an opportunity, Fusong will once again ignite a wave of national fitness, making sports and fitness a lifestyle and a vital choice for health among the people of the ginseng homeland.
The hosting of this event has not only promoted the vigorous development of mass sports and national fitness activities in Fusong. It has also drawn more attention to Fusong through the marathon, helping people learn about the area. Through sports, participants experienced the unique charm of Changbai Mountain’s natural scenery and the profound cultural heritage of the region, further advancing the integration and mutual progress of sports, culture, and tourism, and continuously enhancing Fusong’s visibility and influence both domestically and internationally.
Running through the ginseng homeland of Fusong, every place is a view. Demonstrating the vitality of sports with passion and speed, interpreting the spirit of Fusong in the new era through action, and measuring the charm of rural revitalization in Fusong with every step... Although this event has concluded, the vitality brought by the marathon will surely become a new driving force for Fusong’s accelerated progress.
Reporter: Sun Dan, He Shaodong, Xu Yongwei
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