Zhangzhou, a historic city in south China's Fujian Province with over 1,200 years of history, is captivating tourists during the May Day holiday with dazzling cultural performances, spotlighting its renowned glove puppetry.
This year's May Day holiday in China runs from Thursday to Monday, offering enthusiastic holidaymakers a five-day break to travel around or enjoy unique local events.
At the city square, a captivating stilt drama inspired by Ne Zha, the legendary Chinese figure with extraordinary powers, took center stage on the first day of the holiday. The performance featured a fascinating interplay between stilt walkers and glove puppet artists, enhanced by festive robot dogs adorned with traditional decorations, drawing crowds of enthusiastic visitors.
Zhangzhou's glove puppetry was recognized in 2006 as part of the first batch of China's national intangible cultural heritage protection list.
"It felt very novel and exciting. The interactive performances of Zhangzhou glove puppets and stilts were particularly contrasting, and the robot dog was very cute. I can feel that this city has rich cultural heritage," said tourist Li Huanglvchen.
In the ancient city puppet art performance hall, classic plays on folk tales and mythologies were performed on repeat, enchanting audiences with their charm. Outside, the streets came alive with successive displays of giant puppets and parades celebrating traditional intangible cultural heritage.
Adding to the vibrant scene, cultural and creative products infused with local cuisine and culture also captivated tourists.
"I just had a lot of delicious Zhangzhou snacks. I plan to wander around for a while, buy some delicious food and some dolls, and bring them back to share with my good friends," said tourist Luo Qiong.
Fujian's historic city attracts tourists with vibrant cultural shows during May Day holiday
Exclusive footage recorded by China Media Group (CMG) on Monday shows the wreckage of U.S. military aircraft left behind in the southern part of Iran's Isfahan province, following an American rescue operation in the area.
On April 3, a U.S. twin-seat fighter jet was shot down over Iran's Isfahan Province. Both crew members ejected and survived, according to U.S. officials, who said one was rescued shortly after the crash, while the other was not recovered until two days later.
Meanwhile, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the unified command of the Iranian armed forces said on Sunday that four U.S. military aircraft, including two C-130 Hercules military transport planes and two Black Hawk helicopters, had been shot down during the U.S. mission to rescue the pilot, according to the official news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
The aircraft were targeted during joint operations by the forces of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), army, voluntary Basij fighters and law enforcement in the south of central Isfahan Province, IRNA reported.
The two sides have offered conflicting accounts of the U.S. rescue operation and the downing of the aircraft.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that U.S. forces had rescued both, with no American casualties. One day later, he added that the second crew member was rescued with serious injuries.
U.S. sources said hundreds of U.S. special forces entered Iran overnight on Saturday to rescue the pilot. Two C-130 transport planes broke down during the mission, the sources said, adding that U.S. forces destroyed four helicopters and the two disabled planes prior to withdrawing to prevent them from being captured.
However, sources within Iran's military said that further investigations had shown that the four U.S. aircraft were shot down. The U.S. attempted a rescue operation at an abandoned airport in Isfahan, but Iranian forces intervened in time, leading to the "complete failure" of the U.S. rescue mission, they said.
Footage shows wreckage of US warplanes left behind in southern Isfahan after rescue mission
