One of the park's most popular projects is a recounting of the life of Warring States Period (475-221 BC) poet Qu Yuan, whose verses are an icon of Chu culture.

Yang Fan, director of Jingzhou Cultural and Tourism Bureau, says that a decade ago she could never have imagined that people in such a comparatively small city would spend hours lining up for museums and cultural programs.

She says that Jingzhou held a Chu culture festival last year, which attracted many visitors and which will be held once every two years from now on. It is also building a new archaeological heritage park on the site of the former Chu state capital. In addition, there are lots of workshops named after craftsmen who are inheritors of traditional skills from ancient times, and performers, visitors and locals wearing Chu-style costumes are a common sight on the street.

"As we sit on a rich mine of culture, we're making an effort to present more high-quality projects to satisfy growing cultural demands," Yang Fan says.

Contact the writer at [email protected]