North China's Shanxi province drew many Chinese and foreign visitors at the 19th Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) World Culture Carnival that kicked off on April 27.

At Shanxi's exhibition area, many visitors were attracted by over 20 kinds of specialty food, 60 kinds of cultural products, and an immersive virtual reality tour. Additionally, Shanxi's art groups performed instrumental music, dances and songs at the carnival ceremony, showcasing the province's rich culture.

Notably, a promoter of Guangling paper-cutting in Shanxi showcased paper-cutting techniques and explained its historical and cultural significance on-site. A 22-year-old student from Ukraine, whose Chinese name is Li Xiaolong, marveled at the technique's creativity and 3,000-year history and expressed a desire to visit Shanxi to explore its culture and history.

With the theme – "break the time bonds, waltz the world at BLCU", the carnival featured five exhibition areas, including a Chinese culture exhibition, a five-continent culture exhibition, and an interactive treasure hunt area. The cultural customs of various countries were fully showcased through activities involving sharing food, painting by hand, and stamping passports.

"BLCU is a new platform for comprehensively showcasing and promoting Shanxi," said Wu Liang, deputy director of the Shanxi Investment Promotion Bureau. "I hope this event can attract more investors to Shanxi and create a new blueprint for high-quality development in the province."

Visitors admire Datong copper hotpot at the 19th BLCU World Culture Carnival. [Photo/Shanxi Economic Daily]