China's scenic spots buzz with activity during Labor Day holiday

Tourist destinations across China witnessed a surge in visitors during the Labor Day holiday, offering a diverse range of experiences to enrich travelers' journeys.

Among the spots is Hengshan Mountain and Hanging Temple in Datong City, north China's Shanxi Province, which has seen a peak in visitor numbers on Thursday, the first day of Labor Day holiday.

To manage the large crowds, the scenic area required tourists to book time slot in advance and extended its opening hours by one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.

"It's truly spectacular. I'm amazed at the wisdom of the ancients in building this temple," said a visitor.

To protect the wooden structure of the Hanging Temple, daily visitor numbers are capped at 3,260, and tickets for the holiday were sold out.

In Henan Province, the Mount Laojun scenic area in Luoyang City recorded nearly 30,000 visitors on Thursday.

While enjoying the scenery, visitors enjoyed traditional Chinese performances and participated in interactive activities like making lacquer fans.

"When the fan comes out of the water, the colors are so beautiful, like an ink painting. I've only seen it in videos before, and being able to experience it here is amazing," said Dong Feifei, a tourist.

"The scenery was breathtaking along the way I climbed up. I also went to see the performance. The performers were so graceful," said Li Jiaxue, another visitor.

In Shuanghe town of southwest China's Sichuan Province, hundreds of cold rice cakes in flavors like brown sugar, watermelon, and pineapple were lined up on a hundred-meter-long table, tempting a thousand visitors to savor the traditional treats and experience the charm of local culture.

The Shuanghe cold rice cakes, with a history of over 120 years, are renowned for their chewy texture and smooth taste.

In Hunan Province, the Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park attracted both domestic and international tourists with its stunning natural scenery.

As night fell, the mountainside was illuminated with colorful lights, transforming the 999 steps into a shimmering bridge to "Heaven," which made the Heaven's Gate, a water-eroded cave, more majestic.

"I really like the view. Because you can see the hole is very big and all the lights are very amazing. It's really beautiful," said Clara, a visitor from France.

China's scenic spots buzz with activity during Labor Day holiday

Green and smart home supplies are in the spotlight at the second phase of the 139th China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, which opened on Thursday in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong in south China.

For the first time, this phase of the Canton Fair has set up a fashion accessories zone, displaying everything from dazzling jewelry crafted with modern techniques to intangible cultural heritage skills passed down through generations.

One company is displaying its copper products which blend traditional culture with the Chinese trendy elements.

"All our products are made of pure copper, using techniques of ancient bronze wares. For overseas markets, our primary goal is to promote China's traditional culture to the world," said the exhibitor.

The bamboo and wooden home goods zone is another new section, where many companies are presenting new competitive advantages of green technologies and eco-friendly materials.

At the event, exhibitors have brought a range of novel products, like AI-powered swimming pools and chemical dosing systems, as well as smart grilling devices, drawing many buyers.

"This underwater treadmill features AI-powered water quality monitoring, capable of tracking water quality and equipment usage for buyers worldwide," said an exhibitor.

"Most of our visitors are from Europe, plus some inquiries from guests of the Middle East, also guests from Poland and Africa. It feels like a promising start," said another exhibitor.

The second phase, centered on quality home living, spans an area of 515,000 square meters with 25,000 booths.

It highlights three major sections, household goods and accessories, home decor, and building materials and furniture, along with four newly established special zones for fashion accessories, bamboo and wooden tableware, and other categories.

During the second phase, about 200 leading procurement companies including Tesco from Britain and Carrefour from France, have organized buyer delegations to attend, and over 70 overseas chambers of commerce have organized group visits.

Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running comprehensive international trade event in China and has been hailed as a barometer of China's foreign trade.

Canton Fair spotlights smart, green home supplies