China’s Pengzhou Adopts “Pengzhou Lifestyle” to Define Its Urban Identity

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CHENGDU, China, Nov. 27, 2025 – The Global Panda Partners Conference 2025 was held in Chengdu, China, from November 20 to 22. This event was organized by the Xinhua News Agency Sichuan Branch, Xinhua News & Information Center, China Wildlife Conservation Association, China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda, and Chengdu Media Group. At the conference’s primary forum, the China Tourism Academy (Data Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism) unveiled its research report, ‘Innovative Models for Cultural and Tourism Integration in 2025’. Pengzhou, a city in Sichuan Province, garnered significant praise for its outstanding achievements in cultural and tourism integration, ecological preservation, and urban growth. Consequently, it was named one of the ‘Top Ten Innovative Models for Cultural and Tourism Integration in 2025’, distinguishing itself among cities across the nation.

Located north of Chengdu, within the Giant Panda National Park, Pengzhou leverages its abundant ecological resources to foster the integrated growth of agriculture, commerce, culture, tourism, and sports. This effort has cultivated a unique ‘Pengzhou Lifestyle’ brand, shaping the city’s distinct identity.

The report, which examines how tourism enhances quality of life, stimulates economic growth, cultivates cultural identity, influences China’s international perception, and encourages cross-cultural understanding, highly commended Pengzhou’s strategy. The ‘Pengzhou Model’ is particularly lauded for its focus on a lifestyle appealing to both locals and tourists, underpinned by an innovative development framework showcasing ‘three-dimensional landscapes and four signature IPs’. Key projects, such as the Longxingji Historical and Cultural Block and the Intangible Cultural Heritage Pocket Park, merge public amenities, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) experiences, and commercial vibrancy. Capitalizing on its unique local assets, Pengzhou has developed four distinctive IPs: ‘Tianfu Medicine Market’, ‘Longmen Off-Roading’, ‘Tianpeng Peony’, and ‘Vegetable-Inspired Living’. Additionally, the city successfully achieved the inclusion of the Jianjiang Weir on the World Heritage Irrigation Structures (WHIS) list.

In recent years, Pengzhou has actively pursued the comprehensive integration of agriculture, commerce, culture, tourism, and sports, driven by its ambition to be ‘a premier urban destination for modern consumption and integrated travel-living experiences’. To bolster its contemporary tourism infrastructure, the city earned recognition as one of China’s inaugural ‘High-Quality Outdoor Sports Destinations’. It has consistently broadened its array of sports events, such as the Chengdu Trail Powered by TSAIGU and the National Slackline Championship, attracting global participants. Furthermore, Pengzhou intends to develop a 545-km-long ‘Longmen Trail’, supported by various outdoor sports initiatives, to cultivate a diverse industrial ecosystem. For enhancing Sino-foreign cultural dialogues, the city utilizes venues like the Bailu Music Tourist Attraction for significant events, including the Bailu Sino-French Classical Music Festival and the Chengdu International Sister Cities Youth Music Festival. It also partners with China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. on programs like the Chengdu-Chongqing International Theatre Festival, aiming to boost its international cultural standing through artistic and musical endeavors.

Between January and October 2025, Pengzhou recorded 18.991 million visitors and accrued 11.609 billion yuan in total tourism revenue. This impressive performance underscores the city’s consistent transformation from merely having ‘ecological appeal’ to demonstrating significant ‘development value’.

Source: Xinhua News Agency Sichuan Branch

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