As the May Day holiday reaches its midpoint, people across China are embracing the festive spirit with a variety of vibrant activities, from traditional ethnic celebrations in southwest China's Yunnan Province to countryside adventures and outdoor fun in east China's Jiangsu Province.
In Cangyuan County of Lincang, Yunnan Province, the lively "Mo Ni Hei" or "daubing face black" event, unique to the Wa ethnic group, has drawn tourists from across the country.
Against the rhythmic beat of wooden drums, crowds gathered to take part in the joyful tradition of smearing plant-based mud on each other's faces and dancing together.
Rooted in the Wa people's custom of warding off evil and offering blessings, the more you are "smeared," the more good fortune you're believed to receive.
"I feel very relaxed and happy. When I came to this place, I relaxed both physically and mentally," said a tourist.
"I feel the pure joy here, and the enthusiasm of the Wa people," said another tourist.
Meanwhile, in Jiangsu Province, short countryside trips have become a top holiday choice.
In Taizhou's Suchen Town, a local camping base saw a 50 percent surge in bookings compared with last year. Families flocked to nearby farms for live-action CS (combat simulation) games, while over 1,300 children aged 4 to 14 joined a lively youth cross-country obstacle race at the Qin Lake Green Oasis park in Jiangyan District.
Outdoor live performance "Si Yue" performed in Shengci Town, Jingjiang City, is open to visitors free of charge, drawing numerous spectators who stopped to enjoy the show.
As night falls, the Xieqiao Port night market in Jingjiang becomes lively and bustling.
During the May Day holiday, over 200 stalls have been set up, offering barbecue, local specialty foods, and agricultural products. Many tourists are drawn by the reputation of the market and come to indulge in its culinary delights.
"The night view and atmosphere here are really nice. There's a lot for both adults and children to enjoy. It's quite a happy experience to visit," said a tourist named Zhu Wenfeng.
People across China celebrate May Day holiday with cultural, outdoor fun
China's two major power grid operators -- the State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) and China Southern Power Grid (CSG) -- reported a surge in investment in the first quarter of 2026, underscoring efforts to strengthen infrastructure construction and support high-quality socioeconomic development in China.
The State Grid said it completed fixed-asset investment worth 129 billion yuan (about 18.77 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three months of this year, up 37 percent the corresponding period of the previous year. The spending has driven more than 250 billion yuan (36 billion U.S. dollars) of investment across the wider industrial chain.
Key projects such as the Panxi ultra-high-voltage (UHV) alternating current (AC) line and the Anhui-Hubei back-to-back direct current (DC) project have seen ground broken for their construction, while several west-to-east power transmission projects have been upgraded.
Investment in connecting renewable energy generation to the grid was reported to have exceeded 10 billion yuan (1.45 billion U.S. dollars) from January to March, a year-on-year rise of more than 50 percent.
The CSG also reported robust growth in investment in the three-month period, with fixed-asset investment reaching 38.45 billion yuan (5.58 billion U.S. dollars), up about 50 percent from a year earlier.
Among its achievements, the company completed and commissioned 80 key projects, including the 220 kV cross-sea power grid interconnection project, which was officially put into operation on March 20. The project ended years of grid isolation on the Weizhou Island in south China by linking it to the main power system of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The construction of 17 other major energy projects, including one linking the power grid of the Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China with that of Guangdong Province in south China, is advancing rapidly. These projects are expected to bolster regional industries, the maritime economy, digital collaboration and the transition to green energy.
"By accelerating major project construction, investment during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) is expected to approach 1 trillion yuan (145 billion U.S. dollars), driving a further 2 trillion yuan (290 billion U.S. dollars) of investment across upstream and downstream industries," said Dong Yanle, deputy general manager of the Engineering Construction Department under the China Southern Power Grid.
China ramps up power grid investment in January-March to boost growth
