In 2023, the first Laozi Mountain Guandan Tourism and Culture Festival was held, concurrently hosting the preliminary rounds of the “Huai Shang Ming Zhu Cup” Guandan Tournament from April 8th to 9th. This Guandan Tourism and Culture Festival received title sponsorship from the Huai Shang Ming Zhu Hot Spring Resort Village. It was guided by various departments including the Jiangsu Province Chess and Card Sports Management Center, the Jiangsu Province Guandan Sports Association. Co-organized by the Jiangsu Overseas Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Jiangsu Broadcasting and Television General Sports and Leisure Channel, and Huaian Guandan Federation, it also received support from the Laozi Mountain Tourism and Vacation Area Management Committee, Jiangsu Rich Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd., and sponsorships from Yanghe Shares Huaian Division and Huaian Taiyuan Food Co., Ltd.
The opening ceremony took place in the afternoon on the 8th. Hu Yanhui, Vice Chairman of the District Political Consultative Conference, delivered a welcoming speech. Over 200 participants, including representatives from Guandan associations from countries like Russia, Canada, Australia, as well as various Guandan associations and clubs from Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Guandan enthusiasts, attended the event. This Guandan Culture Festival, held in the only administrative area in China named after “Laozi,” Laozi Mountain Town, provided a platform for overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and Guandan enthusiasts to engage in intelligent exchanges and emotional interactions. It aimed to promote the popularization of the Guandan sport and enhance the level of Guandan competition.