As sunlight spills over the Tianmu Mountain range and illuminates the small city of Guangde in southeastern Anhui, steam rises at the intersection of Yingchun Street and Sui'an Road.

More than a hundred kilometers away, Zhejiang's Anji County awakens from its morning mist at the "Cloud Grassland." On the terrace of the "Deep Blue Plan" café, young people sip coffee while gazing at the mining pit lake of "Little Iceland."

One is the only county-level city in Anhui bordering Jiangsu and Zhejiang; the other is a paragon of Zhejiang, the birthplace of the Two Mountains Theory. Though separated by distance, these two small cities, with their interconnected landscapes and cultures, have joined hands in an era of integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta, composing a unique cultural and tourism "Tale of Two Cities."

Behind the Buzz

The ecological foundation for upholding the Two Mountains Theory

A single post on social media, proclaiming "The wind from Zhejiang E blows all the way to Guangde," sparked a trend that has garnered hundreds of millions of views online. Nestled in the southeast of Anhui, Guangde found itself thrust into the spotlight almost overnight. A steaming pot, a cup of milk tea, a piece of walnut cake—this simple "Three Must-haves" has transformed this small city into a spontaneous weekend getaway for young people from across the Yangtze River Delta. 

On the surface, this appears to be a victory of geographical advantage. When you unfold a map of the Yangtze River Delta, Guangde's uniqueness is immediately clear: as the only county-level city in Anhui that borders both Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, it sits at the geometric center of the region. Since the Shanghai-Suzhou-Huzhou high-speed railway began operation, it takes just 22 minutes to travel from Guangde to Huzhou, and its two-hour transportation circle covers major cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Hefei. Being "just a short drive away" perfectly matches the consumption needs of urban dwellers seeking a getaway that requires "no time off from work and no elaborate planning."

However, a geographical advantage is nothing new, and the opening of a high-speed railway is not yesterday's news. Why has the spotlight converged on this particular time and place? Behind this seemingly sudden surge of popularity lies an inevitable logic.

What has truly enabled Guangde to handle this overwhelming wave of attention is the ecological confidence accumulated over years of practicing the Two Mountains Theory. It is the quality of the city, nurtured by a people-centered development philosophy.

From the sustained efforts to protect blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil, ensuring the perpetual presence of green mountains and flowing rivers; to the meticulous planning of all-for-one tourism, connecting scattered scenic spots like pearls on a string; from the preservation and enhancement of traditional villages, retaining their nostalgic charm; to the human-centered improvement of public service facilities, making visitors feel convenience and comfort... It is these silent, accumulative efforts that are the fundamental reason why visitors "don't want to leave upon arrival, and always want to come back."

A short one-hour drive south leads to Anji in Zhejiang, the birthplace and long-time practitioner of the Two Mountains Theory. As a core area strongly influenced by the Hangzhou metropolitan circle, Anji has long transcended its traditional identity as a mere county town. 

Take the "Deep Blue Plan" project in Hongmiao Village, Meixi Town, for example. Built on the site of a quarry abandoned for over a decade, Anji fully leveraged the unique landscape of the pit. By preserving the original natural scenery, they constructed over 50 attractions, including viewing platforms, an "Instagram-worthy" wall, and a "Ruins Rose" garden. This transformed the area into a leisure tourism destination integrating cafes, markets, and fruit-picking experiences.

Through quarry ecological restoration and innovative benefit-sharing models that convert resources into shares, Anji has turned an abandoned quarry into a viral sensation. This initiative has both restored the local environment and boosted the incomes of surrounding villagers. Since its launch, the project has attracted over 120 young entrepreneurs. In 2024 alone, it welcomed approximately 450,000 visitors, generated over 20 million yuan in revenue, contributed more than 2 million yuan annually to the village collective's income, and provided jobs for over 30 local villagers.

By 2025, Anji has set a clear goal of becoming a "year-round, all-season, all-weather tourism destination," focusing on high-quality integrated development of culture and sports tourism. From the ski resorts on the "Cloud Grassland" to the quarry café at "Deep Blue Plan" and the luxury campsite at "Tent Camp," Anji has spent two decades transforming its "clear waters and lush mountains" into invaluable assets.

Two small cities, one shared path. Guangde broke through with the inviting, lively atmosphere of its "stew pot + milk tea + walnut cake," while Anji won people over with the artistic flair of its "quarry + coffee." Their methods differ, but the core is the same: the key to a county's cultural tourism success lies in the comforting warmth of daily life and the moment a landscape is truly seen anew.

The Path to Lasting Popularity

It was the precision of governance that elevated this "cultural tourism popularity"

"Guangde is popular now, we're thrilled – please take a seat and wait." This simple note, affixed to benches spontaneously placed by local citizens near the queuing area at a milk tea shop on Yingchun Street, has been dubbed by visitors as Guangde's "fourth must-haves" – the genuine warmth of the entire city.

Facing this overwhelming surge of attention, Guangde demonstrated a people-centered approach to governance. The transportation department quickly launched a free "Three Must-haves" tourist shuttle bus, connecting the high-speed rail station with the core commercial areas and scenic spots, effectively solving the "last mile" problem for visitors. Public parking lots were opened to out-of-town vehicles free of charge, with government offices taking the lead in freeing up spaces. Citizens spontaneously suggested, "Don't drive unless necessary," ceding the streets to tourists. Restaurants collectively committed to using fresh ingredients, cooking only upon ordering, and avoiding pre-made dishes, while a "quick compensation" mechanism for consumer complaints was simultaneously implemented.

Even more touching were the details of this city-wide mobilization. Facing the pressure of real-time passenger flow surges in the core commercial areas, Guangde coordinated resources across the city to recruit volunteers, providing round-the-clock services in areas like Yingchun Street and Sui'an Road. The milk tea chain Come Wonka dispatched over 200 employees from its provincial outlets to provide support, while the Zhan Ji  bakery ran its factories 24 hours a day to meet demand. The telecommunications department installed 12 signal base stations in key areas to ensure smooth communication for visitors, and the power supply company formed a dedicated team to enhance electrical safety inspections. Through a series of actions, Guangde demonstrated to its visitors a commitment to transforming sudden popularity into lasting appeal with utmost sincerity.

In Anji, this culture of "pampering visitors" has long been woven into the fabric of daily governance, extending into more market-oriented and forward-thinking approaches. Beyond continuously introducing new attractions, Anji excels at converting the instantaneous influx from events like sports competitions and music festivals into sustained cultural and tourism consumption. During the summer of 2025, the "Cloud Grassland" opened its "Martial Fantasy Town", and the "Fantasy Jialebi" theme park was upgraded into a venue with regular performances. The creation of these new immersive experiences not only enriched the visitor experience but also revitalized the nighttime tourism scene. During the CUT-CUT Music Festival held in November of the same year, 25 branded hotels, 18 renowned scenic spots, and several cultural venues across the county collaborated to offer special discounts, effectively turning the music festival ticket into a "county-wide tourism pass." This initiative enabled 20,000 music fans to generate approximately 16 million yuan in comprehensive consumption over just two days.

Meanwhile, Anji's vision for "keeping visitors" has extended to the international stage. In 2025, Anji was designated as a provincial-level pilot county for innovative development of inbound tourism, establishing a special fund of 2 million yuan and introducing market incentive policies and support measures for inbound travel. The first batch of 100 hotels were simultaneously listed on international booking platforms, facilitating reservations for overseas tourists. Aiming to become an "international rural reception center," Anji systematically promoted one-stop value-added services such as "quick check-in," "easy payment," and "discounted tours," adding 27 foreign currency POS machines and 5 foreign exchange service points, while launching a national pilot program for "e-Pass" identity verification for overseas visitors.

Two small cities: one creates a model of "retaining visitors with warmth" through the genuine care of its citizens and the efficiency of its government; the other explores a path of "retaining visitors with value" through branded events and an international perspective. With a mutual commitment to winning hearts and retaining customers, they have each found their own rhythm.

Shared Beauty, Harmonious Growth

A Duet of Two Cities in the Tide of Yangtze River Delta Integration

After its surge in popularity, Guangde did not rest on the fleeting carnival of the "Three Must-haves". A "hand-painted travel map," available for free at restaurants and homestays, quietly began guiding visitors from a hurried checklist of sights toward deeper, more immersive experiences. The vast expanse of bamboo groves at Jishan, the breathtaking craftsmanship of Taiji Cave, and the misty expanse of Luhu Lake were gently woven together by the stroke of a brush.

Even more ambitious plans were unfolding behind the scenes. Since the signing of the Shanghai-Anhui joint construction agreement for the Yangtze River Delta (Guangde) Health and Wellness Base in September 2024, a total of 41 health and wellness projects have been attracted, with an estimated total investment of approximately 2.41 billion yuan. A number of projects are now being accelerated, including the Luhu Lake Bamboo Sea Tourist Resort, the Yizhu Valley Senior Care Service Center, the Wuliangxi Cultural Tourism Belt, the Hehe Ecological Park, and the Ganxi Health and Wellness Demonstration Village. Guangde has clearly stated its goal: "Strive to achieve a magnificent transformation from 'experiencing three must-haves' to 'revitalizing an entire city'." 

Not far away in Anji, the development of the industrial chain began earlier and has progressed further. In 2025, Anji is coordinating the advancement of over 70 various leisure tourism projects, with an annual investment exceeding 4.5 billion yuan. From skiing to paragliding, from rafting to rock climbing, from trail running to low-altitude flying – a spatial layout integrating "water, land, and air" activities is becoming increasingly clear. The Huangpu River Source Outdoor Sports and Leisure Circle, the Dayu Village International Mountain Tourism Circle, the Changshuo Hometown Cultural Health and Wellness Circle... These distinctly themed tourism "circles" are weaving Anji's all-for-one tourism resources into a cohesive and expansive network.

A drive south from downtown Guangde reaches Anji's border in just one hour. Connected by mountains and rivers, and sharing similar culinary traditions, these two cities offer two contrasting models for county-level cultural tourism in the Yangtze River Delta. Guangde broke through with "food plus tourism," attracting visitors with the inviting warmth of everyday life. Anji forged its soul with "ecology plus tourism," building lasting value through brand strength. Behind these two distinct paths lies a shared commitment: a vivid practice of the philosophy that "clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," and an unwavering pursuit of a people-centered development approach.

Facing increasingly fierce regional competition, each city also contemplates its own future. How can new frontiers in cultural tourism be explored? How can the dividends of transient popularity be transformed into lasting developmental momentum? These very questions open up a vast horizon of imaginative possibilities for their coordinated growth.

The story of Guangde and Anji is but one brilliant note in the symphony of countless inspiring tales emerging from the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. It tells us this: when random traffic meets inevitable accumulation, when geographical advantage resonates with a steadfast commitment to values, a small city can indeed write its own chapter in the narrative of our times.

And the enduring theme of this chapter is the unbroken expanse of clear waters and lush mountains, and the unwavering commitment to the well-being of the people. It echoes and resounds between these two small cities, across the landscapes of the Yangtze River Delta, promising to linger for a long time to come.

Source: anhuinews.com