Golden autumn September brings rolling rice waves and branches heavy with fruit, as the banks of the Shima River overflow with the joy of harvest.

In Cuiying Village, Xiaotang Town, Xinshao County — the hometown of Wang Shicun, known as China's "helicopter authority" — a two-track cultural and sports gala combining mass fitness, harvest celebration, aviation innovation, and cultural tourism is about to make a spectacular debut.

From September 26 to 27, the inaugural Shima River Rice-Fragrance Village Run and the Shaoyang Aviation Sports Culture Week, together with the Hunan Provincial Drone Soccer League (Shaoyang Station), will unfold in succession, injecting fresh vitality into Xinshao's rural revitalization through an innovative integrated model of "sports + aviation + cultural tourism + agriculture."

Event dates: September 26–27. Event location: Cuiying Village, Xiaotang Town, Xinshao County (hometown of Wang Shicun).

Chasing the Wind Through Rice Waves — Inaugural Shima River Rice-Fragrance Village Run

On September 26, the "Rice Waves Dancing, Running Sets Sail" inaugural Shima River Rice-Fragrance Village Run will fire its starting gun in Cuiying Village.

Cuiying Village is the ancestral home of Mr. Wang Shicun and has long been praised as the "Granary of Xinshao." In golden autumn, rice paddies stretch endlessly with rolling golden waves, while the Shima River meanders with emerald waters and lush green banks, fully showcasing the achievements of harmonious and beautiful rural construction.

This race features a meticulously designed 13.14-kilometer circular country course that links multiple harmonious and beautiful village demonstration sites including Cuiying Village and Xiaoshuimiao Village. The route runs along the river and beside the fields, with scenic views at every turn, allowing runners to immerse themselves in the beauty of harvest, ecology, and rural transformation as they run freely.

The event scale is approximately 200 participants, with 5 supply stations and 2 medical points along the route, equipped with professional timing and bag storage services, while security and volunteer teams remain on duty throughout to build a solid safety line.

The race innovatively integrates aviation culture, creating an immersive "earth + sky" scene unique to Xinshao. At the opening ceremony, two 3D aerobatic model aircraft will trail colorful ribbons soaring into the sky, while two butterfly-shaped drones accompany runners as they chase the wind forward — a rural racing venue meets technological skies, maximizing the atmosphere.

Celebrating harvest through running and promoting spirit through competition, the Rice-Fragrance Village Run is not only an important vehicle for bringing mass fitness down to the grassroots level, but also a living classroom for carrying forward Wang Shicun's spirit of aviation patriotism.

Dreaming Toward the Sky — Shaoyang Aviation Sports Culture Week

On September 27, the Shaoyang Aviation Sports Culture Week and the Hunan Provincial Drone Soccer League (Shaoyang Station) will continue the excitement, bringing a feast of aviation sports and science innovation education right to the doorstep of the public.

Provincial-level competition lands at the grassroots: The Hunan Provincial Drone Soccer League gathers multiple teams to compete on the same stage, with players skillfully maneuvering and precisely coordinating, demonstrating the technological and competitive nature of aviation sports while building a platform for aviation sports popularization and talent cultivation.

Stunning aerobatic performances take the stage: Various categories of model aircraft and drones will soar, circle, roll, dive, and fly in formation, with spectacular maneuvers performed in succession, allowing citizens and youth to experience aviation technology up close and feel the charm of the skies, igniting their dreams.

Targeted symposium provides precise empowerment: In parallel, a symposium on the construction of the Shima River Low-Altitude Cultural Tourism New Area will be held, where industry experts and government-enterprise representatives will discuss and offer suggestions on topics including new area planning, flight camp construction, general aviation talent cultivation, and low-altitude economy applications, laying out plans for Xinshao's low-altitude economic development.

Cultural and Sports Empowerment — Paving a New Track for Revitalization

The two-day events are linked in a dual-track manner and mutually empowering, representing a vivid practice of Xinshao's deep cultivation of distinctive cultural tourism IPs and innovative rural revitalization paths.

From the wave of mass fitness in the fields to the exploration of science and innovation in the skies, Xinshao persists in gathering popularity through culture and sports, shaping brands through technology, and promoting income growth through industry.

Going forward, Xinshao will continue to polish the Wang Shicun aviation culture IP, advance the construction of the Shima River Low-Altitude Cultural Tourism New Area, and develop new business formats such as flight camps, aviation study tours, low-altitude sightseeing, and smart agriculture. It will proactively connect with the Zhangjiajie–Langshan–Guilin international tourism golden route, building a new integrated development pattern of "low-altitude economy + sports + rural cultural tourism," allowing the spirit of aviation patriotism to take deep root in the countryside and making the cultural, sports, and science innovation industries a powerful driving force for harmonious and beautiful rural construction.

Chasing wind through rice waves to celebrate harvest, building dreams in the skies to start a new journey. From September 26 to 27, come to the golden fields and join the appointment with the blue sky, and together witness the brand-new picture of Xinshao's cultural and sports empowerment and science innovation-driven rural development!