An Austrian journalist tries spinning a yarn at the Blue Calico Museum. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Journalists from Austria visited Nantong, Jiangsu province, on Oct 16 to explore its culture and rapid development during the ''China Up Close'' tour.

"This is my first time in Nantong, and I'm fascinated by its history," Austrian journalist Martin Sörös commented after learning about the dyeing techniques of Nantong's intangible cultural heritage blue calico cloth.

Austrian journalists pose for a photo with practitioners of blue calico dyeing at the Blue Calico Museum. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

At the Blue Calico Museum, they listened to practitioners explain the historical origins and stories behind the art form and even tried their own hands at the craft under expert guidance.

Kathrin Gulnerits, editor-in-chief of the Austrian magazine NEWS chose the "mouse" pattern for her creation, saying, "This is an excellent experience, and I want to bring this unique gift back to Austria."

At Nantong Museum, the first public museum founded independently by Zhang Jian (1853-1926) in 1905, the journalists learned about the remarkable life of Zhang. Austrian journalist Sörös showed a strong interest in the historical and cultural aspects of China such as the importance of the ancient salt industry and the evolution of marriage customs, exclaiming, "Nantong's charm is off the charts!"

On the same day, they also visited Stiwa (Nantong) Automation Machinery Manufacturing and the China-Austria Sutong Ecological Park, a collaborative eco-demonstration park built by China and Austria, serving as Nantong's first national-level international cooperation platform.