Standing before a Chinese artisan in Yuncheng county, East China's Shandong province, Afghan visitor Rafiqee Noorllah felt overwhelmed.

When he received a scroll from Ju Guangshan, a national-calligrapher and master of "flower-and-bird calligraphy" in Yuncheng, Noorllah embraced it like a trophy: "My Chinese name has become a painting! Characters are art and wisdom at once," he said.

Noorllah was among a group of 29 tourists from 15 partner countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, who toured the county under the prefecture-level city of Heze on Nov 13.

Hailing from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and other nations, they participated in the "Walk through Shandong and Feel Heze" tour, exploring the city's signature flower — the Chinese peony.

The trip began at the Yuncheng County Museum, where visitors were introduced to Tai chi in this "hometown of martial arts" — silk-soft circles that hide steel-strong intent.

Suddenly, gongs and drums exploded into life as kaleidoscopic "dragons" and "lions" leapt forward, bowing and bristling beside life-size heroes from The Outlaws of the Marsh saga.

Uddin Md Farrukh from Bangladesh expressed his joy at experiencing Chinese culture firsthand.