Quzhou, a city with a rich cultural heritage and beautiful scenery in central Zhejiang, welcomed its first batch of Malaysian tourists this year on Sept 14.

The tourists visited the Temple of Southern Confucianism, the holy land of Confucius in the south, and received a copy of The Analects as a gift from the Quzhou culture and tourism bureau. They also witnessed a rehearsal for the enlightenment ceremony.

The tourists were amazed by the Longyou Grottoes, an underground wonder built by the ancients, and the Xianxia Ancient Path, a historical trade route that connected Quzhou with Fujian province. They also enjoyed local delicacies, such as "three heads and one palm", which refers to spicy dishes made of rabbit, duck, and fish head, as well as duck palm.

They also explored attractions such as Shuitingmen Historical and Cultural Block and Nianbadu Ancient Town.

Ms Hou, a Malaysian tourist, said, "The cultural atmosphere here is different from Malaysia, and I look forward to the rest of the trip."

The city took advantage of the Hangzhou Asian Games to attract international tourists. In addition to Malaysian tourists, there will also be tourists from Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Malaysian tourists take a selfie at the Temple of Southern Confucianism in Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/qz123.com]