Four villages in Tianjin, namely XiaoChuanfangyu Village in Jizhou District, Niuzhuangzi Village in Baodi District, Xiaoyan Village in Ninghe District and Cuizhuang Village in Binhai New Area, are listed in "Most beautiful recreational villages in China 2016", published by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The villages are a mixture of rural parks with cottages and distinctive features such as gourd-themed museums and jujube yards; together they attract many tourists and make the villages both beautiful and wealthy.

Gourd Village

Niuzhuangzi Village, located at Baodi District, is famous for its gourds. A gourd museum was opened in early October and the village intends to build other gourd-themed places including a gourd supermarket and a gourd farm where tourists, particularly children, can experience planting gourds and making the vegetable into food.

The gourd museum at Niuzhuangzi Village, Baodi District. [Ohto/enorth.com.cn]

Zhao Wei, a fourth generation inheritor of gourd craftsmanship, said the village started its gourd culture in the Ming dynasty. He hopes to integrate the intangible culture with a modern recreational agriculture lifestyle to promote the culture to more people.

Gourds grow in Niuzhuangzi Village. [Photo/enorth.com.cn]

He added that in the village, tourists can make gourd sculptures, paintings, and plates and bowls. More gourd-themed games will be organized in the future to help children learn about the culture.

Wine and Hulusi, a musical instrument, both made from gourds, are set for industrialization, as is gourd juice.