The recent announcement of the "Top 10 Most Beautiful Mountain Villas in China" by the China Urban Research Institute has crowned Shanxi Hongdou Gorge Aolai Mountain Villa at the top of the list. This accolade marks Aolai Mountain Villa as the only winner from Shanxi, setting a new benchmark for cultural and tourism development in the province.

The selection process focused on "exploring unique cultural and tourism resources and empowering rural vitalization", with hundreds of mountain villas nationwide vying for the title. Following on-site inspections, expert evaluations, and public voting, Aolai Mountain Villa emerged victorious.

Wang Haige, founder of the Aolai Mountain Villa. [Photo provided to goshanxi.com.cn]

According to the judges, this recognition highlights Aolai Mountain Villa's excellence in ecological preservation, cultural heritage, and innovative services, providing a "Shanxi model" for rural tourism development nationwide. This achievement not only propels Shanxi's cultural and tourism industry onto the international stage but also fosters local economic growth and rural vitalization.

Located in the 5A-rated scenic area of Taihang Mountains Grand Canyon's Hongdou Gorge, Aolai Mountain Villa spans over 800 mu (53 hectares) with a forest coverage rate exceeding 90 percent. The area boasts high levels of negative oxygen ions, making it a natural oxygen bar, and is home to over 1,000 rare Chinese yew trees and more than 330 plant species, forming a natural botanical museum. Natural attractions such as Heilong Pool and Zituan Mountain also offer picturesque views throughout the year.

The Jing Hao Palace at the villa. [Photo provided to goshanxi.com.cn]

Originally established as an art academy commemorating Jing Hao, the pioneer of Chinese landscape painting, the villa carries forward a millennia-old cultural legacy. The integration of calligraphy and painting elements into the villa's architectural style and decorative details showcases its profound cultural heritage. The immersive "Walking in Landscape Paintings" experience allows visitors to follow artists in sketching the stunning Taihang scenery, participate in intangible cultural heritage activities, and connect with historical traditions. 

Achieving a deep integration of "culture and tourism + technology", Aollywood Short Drama Film Base and Taihang Mountains Sketch Base at the villa attract numerous film stars and directors. The renowned actress Siqin Gaowa celebrated her 60th anniversary in the entertainment industry with a symposium held here on May 17. She remarked that the beauty of the villa is captivating; beyond the majestic Taihang Mountains, she experienced the charm of artistic gatherings and digital technology, expressing her desire to return for more creative inspiration in the future. Director Huo Meng was also impressed by the natural scenery and artistic atmosphere, and after tasting the local Shanxi cuisine, he found himself wanting more.

Constellation-themed rooms in the shape of yurts. [Photo provided to goshanxi.com.cn]

Aollywood Short Drama Film Base is Shanxi's first metaverse filming space, creating an ecosystem that fosters the coordinated development of film shooting, short video production, animation, gaming, and cultural education industries. Shanghai-based travel blogger Chen Ming, after experiencing the metaverse filming space, marveled, "There are no monotonous ancient-style streets here. Instead, the essence of the Jing Hao painting school is combined with metaverse technology, bringing landscape paintings to life. This provides a 'Shanxi model' for rural tourism." Hollywood Grammy Award winner Simon Franglen, upon visiting the villa, also praised the scenery, saying, "The landscape here reminds me of Pandora from Avatar."

Aolai Mountain Villa promotes a slow-paced lifestyle through the combination of "Culture & Tourism + Wellness", with its "Starlight Forest" inviting numerous artists to plant trees and leave their handprints. To meet the sketching needs of art schools, the villa plans to integrate unused courtyards in surrounding villages to further create the Taihang Mountains Sketch Base. This initiative aims to establish a virtuous cycle of "cultural empowerment – industrial income increase – rural vitalization".

A noodle shop at the villa. [Photo provided to goshanxi.com.cn]

The villa's "Culture & Tourism + Sports" model also promotes the development of rock climbing. Aollywood has secured the Asian hosting rights for the World Intelligent Rock Climbing Competition, built vertical tracks on the canyon cliffs, and launched a series of rock climbing promotion activities.

The transformation of Aolai Mountain Villa demonstrates that when cultural confidence meets innovative courage, even remote mountain valleys can amaze the world. This villa, which is growing simultaneously in the metaverse and reality, not only provides a vivid example of the transformation of resource-based regions but also heralds the limitless possibilities of Shanxi's resource transformation.