The Charm of Guantao, the Pearl of the Canal

Taoshan nurtures beauty, and Weishui fosters spirituality. The Guantao section of the Grand Canal began in the Sui Dynasty, flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties, declined in the Yuan Dynasty, and was revived in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with a total length of 40.5 kilometers. The Weiyun River, closely related to Guantao, is an important part of the Guantao section of the Grand Canal. Guantao County "was born by the river and prospered because of the river," exuding an unending vitality. In recent years, Guantao County has focused on the development of agricultural modernization, leveraging local endowments, deeply exploring grain resources, and fully developing the grain painting industry, planning and constructing a uniquely characteristic Grain Painting Town. Grain Painting Town is located in the western part of Guantao County, 3 kilometers from the county seat, with a planned area of 3.7 square kilometers. The century-old houses and wells, ancient stone mills and grinders... In Grain Painting Town, old objects full of a sense of age and rich regional characteristics can be seen everywhere, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia. Under the skillful hands of the grain painting girls, various grains such as millet, sesame, grass seeds, and grains are transformed into various forms of paintings, becoming artworks and a prominent local symbol. Here, the original appearance of rural buildings and the original production and lifestyle of villagers are preserved, while modern elements compatible with rural characteristics are added, achieving a perfect combination of rusticity and fashion. To date, Grain Painting Town has become a national AAAA-level tourist attraction integrating ecological sightseeing, vacation, and leisure, with 11 grain painting enterprises, 4 grain painting studios, 1 art workshop, the first grain painting school in the country, and the first grain painting research institute in the country. In addition, it has attracted painters from places like Songzhuang in Beijing to set up more than 20 art studios for oil painting, lacquer painting, landscape painting, and other types of art. Grain Painting Town, along with surrounding attractions such as the Education Town, Cucumber Town, Peng'ai Town, and Princess Lake Park, forms a connected rural tourism and study tour route, boosting consumption in Guantao County's catering, accommodation, and shopping sectors, receiving over a million tourists annually, and showing strong momentum in rural tourism. Today, this small town flowing on the canal has achieved industrial prosperity, ecological beauty, thriving tourism, and wealth for its people. Guantao, emerging from its profound history, is now showcasing a vibrant new look.