Voice
Telling the stories of Hainan to the outside world
By Nicki Johnson  ·  2021-08-02  ·   Source: NO.31 AUGUST 7, 2021
Nicki Johnson tries on a Li outfit at the Baihualing Rainforest and Cultural Scenic Spot in Hainan Province on July 19 (COURTESY PHOTO)

It's been little over a year since the master plan for the Hainan Free Trade Port was released, and all across the province, the effects of bold new policies are taking shape in the form of key industrial parks brimming with business headquarters, research facilities, specialized medical centers, and innovation centers.

New businesses are opening their doors every day in Hainan, taking advantage of the great tax rates and amazing opportunities. Even in the smallest, remotest island villages, a sweeping transformation has taken hold, linking rural farmers and their fresh, healthy tropical produce with the global market. And giving artisans who create traditional Hainan handicrafts, such as intricate Li brocades, carefully carved coconuts, colorful Miao embroidery, and entertaining wooden puppets, an elevated platform to showcase their art to the world.

Telling stories about Hainan has been a passion of mine since my husband and I first set foot on the island in 2005. Over the years, as we visited many fascinating local destinations, we would tell our friends and family all about our exciting discoveries, from mouthwatering local specialty meals like savory salt baked chicken and unusual dishes like pungent fish tea, to the best hiking trails crisscrossing dense rainforest jungles and the beautiful waterfalls we found.

After serving as the editor of Hainan's official tourism website, Explore Hainan, for several years, which allowed me to share the wonders of this southernmost Chinese province with a much larger audience, I founded the Bright Island Culture Communication Co. in January 2020 in order to continue the important work of telling the stories of Hainan to the world.

Sometimes, I find that materials that were originally created with the audience from Chinese mainland in mind need a little tweak here and there to better resonate with the Western observer. For example, I often suggest removing the overused, tired description of Hainan as the "Hawaii of China" and replacing it in a way that allows Hainan to shine in her own right, as it ought to.

After all, both Hawaii and Hainan do feature endless sandy beaches, ice-cold coconuts, and freshly caught seafood, but only in Hainan can you meet a Li woman with tribal tattoos on her face, or hear the harmonic music of the Danjia fishing people, who traditionally live on their fishing boats from birth to death.

Only here can you catch a glimpse of the elusive Hainan gibbons as they swing through the jungle, or learn how to make three color rice with vegetable dyes harvested from the island's remote mountain rain forests. Hainan has so much more to offer than simply swimming and sunshine, although of course it has that in abundance too.

Soon, I hope, all the people of the world will have the opportunity to see it for themselves, and begin telling their very own Hainan stories. 

(Print Edition Title: Getting the Word Out)

The author is an American who has lived in Hainan for 16 years

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

Comments to taoxing@bjreview.com

China
Opinion
World
Business
Lifestyle
Video
Multimedia
 
China Focus
Documents
Special Reports
 
About Us
Contact Us
Advertise with Us
Subscribe
Partners: China.org.cn   |   China Today   |   China Pictorial   |   People's Daily Online   |   Women of China   |   Xinhua News Agency   |   China Daily
CGTN   |   China Tibet Online   |   China Radio International   |   Global Times   |   Qiushi Journal
Copyright Beijing Review All rights reserved 京ICP备08005356号 京公网安备110102005860