The lush landscapes of Wangxia village in Hainan’s Changjiang Li Autonomous County transformed into an environmental celebration hub as the province launched an extensive rainforest-themed festival on November 29, 2025. This multi-faceted event, spanning the entire month of December, showcases 23 distinct activities spanning public welfare initiatives, educational programs, competitive events, and academic exchanges.
The inauguration ceremony, orchestrated under the theme ‘Dreaming Rainforest,’ presented an immersive live performance harmoniously integrated within the natural environment. This artistic presentation highlighted the region’s extraordinary biodiversity while offering glimpses into the cultural traditions of the Li ethnic community. A particularly notable performance, ‘Echoes of the Apes,’ drew inspiration from the critically endangered Hainan gibbon, symbolizing one of China’s most remarkable conservation success stories. Through dedicated protection efforts, the gibbon population has now reached 42 individuals across seven distinct groups.
The event’s design philosophy emphasized environmental respect through minimal intervention principles. Organizers utilized exclusively eco-friendly materials and implemented reversible stage constructions to ensure zero permanent impact on the delicate ecosystem.
On December 1st, the Olympic Champion public sports experience activated the Tropical Rainforest National Park Tourist Highway. Sporting legends Zhang Hui (short track speed skating), Yang Xiuli (judo), and Guo Weiyang (gymnastics) volunteered as national park ambassadors, leading approximately 1,000 participants through a 10-kilometer recreational walk amidst breathtaking rainforest scenery.
Simultaneously, the ‘Changjiang Cup’ Ten-Mile Gallery Rock Climbing Competition commenced, attracting around 60 elite climbers nationwide. Athletes competed across youth, men’s, and women’s categories on the region’s spectacular natural rock formations, demonstrating the successful integration of adventure sports with ecological tourism.
The academic component featured the 2025 International Symposium on Tropical Rainforest National Park, convening from December 1-2. This gathering recognized significant achievements in gibbon conservation and ecosystem service enhancements while facilitating knowledge exchange on forest management, national park operations, and climate change adaptation strategies.