Chinese people are celebrating the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which starts on Wednesday, with a variety of festive activities.
In Qinhuangdao City, north China's Hebei Province, there are several family-friendly creative activities, including parent-child races in vegetable harvesting and grain shipping, as well as lucky ring throwing, which allow visitors to make the most of their holiday.
"We joined in all the activities, and the kids won some little prizes, which made them feel really good. It was definitely a great trip, and they were super happy," said Li Yansong, a visitor.
In Quanzhou City, east China's Fujian Province, local authorities introduced more than 100 cultural and tourism activities that combine folk customs, intangible cultural heritage, food, nature, and night tours, offering a rich and colorful experience for local residents and visitors.
In Changde City, central China's Hunan Province, the wildlife zoo saw a surge in visitors during the holiday, attracting over 30,000 tourists on Wednesday alone.
The newly opened deer park spans over 20 hectares and is home to more than 500 sika deer. Visitors can drive into the park and enjoy close interactions with the deer.
"This is my first time seeing so many sika deer up close. When I brought food, they all gathered around me. Many kids were able to interact closely with the deer, and I noticed that the deer here are not at all afraid of people; they are very friendly," said Wang Luyao, a visitor.
Festive activities across China engage various Chinese holidaymakers
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
