On the afternoon of April 30, more than 20 elite international track and field athletes participating in the 2025 Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala—titled “Rising Higher, Shining Brighter in Keqiao”—visited Keqiao Ancient Town for an immersive experience of the cultural heritage of the “International Textile Capital.”

That afternoon, the athletes boarded a painted boat from the west pier of Guazhu Lake and traveled along the thousand-year-old Grand Canal into the town. At Wukuan Courtyard, they observed the dyeing process of blue calico and watched as indigo gradually spread across cotton fabric, evoking the poetic charm of Jiangnan over the centuries. At the Intangible Cultural Heritage Post Office, they “sent” Keqiao to the world and felt the historical pulse of this textile hub through its interwoven threads.