Nanxun district in Huzhou recently issued a document on district-level requirements for the construction and evaluation of healthy villages and towns, the first of its kind in China.

The document was drafted by the Nanxun Patriotic Health Campaign Committee under the guidance of the Nanxun Bureau of Health and approved by the Nanxun Bureau of Market Supervision.

It will be formally implemented in the district in December 2019.

The requirements cover six major aspects of the construction of healthy villages and towns – healthy environment, culture, public services, residents, industry and society.

"Healthy villages and towns are the upgraded versions of sanitary villages and towns. Only those which already have national or provincial sanitary titles can apply for the healthy titles," said an official in the bureau of health.

The official added that Nanxun will give full play to existed healthy resources in the district under the guidance of the requirements.

Three national sanitary towns and 10 provincial sanitary villages are planning to apply for the healthy titles.

Shanlian town, the birthplace of the Huzhou ink brush, is among them.

The town has invested over 140,000 yuan ($19,900) into building a healthy theme park equipped with sports and exercise facilities, a health exhibition corridor, and a courtyard for staff members of the Nanxun Red Cross Society to teach first aid skills to locals.

Shanlian will work to implement intelligent garbage sorting and promote healthy living in the future, said a high-ranking official in the town.