Jiayang Train Leverages TV Fame to Attract Spring Visitors

As the popularity of 'China Travel with Chinese Films' continues to rise, an increasing number of tourists are being drawn to Leshan City in southwest China's Sichuan Province. Here, they can indulge in a cinematic spring aboard the charming Jiayang steam train.

In the early spring months, the narrow-gauge train makes its way through sprawling fields adorned with golden rapeseed flowers, signaling the onset of the tourism peak. Captivated by its nostalgic appeal and stunning scenery, visitors from both near and far are embarking on what is endearingly known as 'the train to spring' for exploration and photography.

The Jiayang steam train has earned its place as a favored filming site for a variety of films, television dramas, and documentaries, notably including the Chinese production 'Dream Train.' Its charm has also attracted international attention, featuring in documentaries by major broadcasting networks like BBC and NHK, highlighting the vast railway landscapes across the Chinese mainland seen through the lens of steam locomotives.

Currently, the Jiayang line stands as one of the few remaining operational narrow-gauge steam passenger railways in the world. It continues to uphold traditional manual operations from times past, such as coal shoveling, hand braking, and manual track switching. Often regarded as a 'living fossil of the Industrial Revolution,' this train interlaces industrial heritage with the pastoral beauty of spring, thus becoming a highly sought-after cultural tourism spot where vintage nostalgia harmoniously meets romantic blooming scenery.