Chinese tourists are flocking to cultural and scenic attractions across the country during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which runs from October 1 to 8.
Different regions are leveraging their unique local resources to organize diverse celebratory activities during the holiday to celebrate the 76th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
In Sinan, southwestern China's Guizhou Province, a large-scale lantern parade was held on Wednesday, the first day of the holiday, featuring intangible cultural heritage such as paper-cutting, lanterns, and grass dragon dances. Tens of thousands of performers and visitors gathered to celebrate the 76th founding anniversary of the country.
"Prosperity and peace and the well-being of the nation are palpable here. We wish our motherland continuous improvement and ever-growing prosperity,” said Huang Bairong, a tourist.
In West Bund of Shanghai's Xuhui District, a National Day garden party featured an intangible cultural heritage market and an array of food products made by time-honored brands.
"Visitors can savor the flavors of food produced by time-honored brands and experience intangible cultural heritage at the market, allowing everyone to appreciate the depth of traditional Chinese culture while enjoying a relaxing holiday,” said Shi Licheng, organizer of the garden party.
In Zuoquan County, north China's Shanxi Province, intangible cultural heritage performances, immersive experiences, and folk exhibitions were also staged on the first day of the holiday, allowing visitors to engage deeply with revolutionary history and keep alive memories of the revolution.
"Integrating revolutionary education into parent-child experiences is particularly suitable for family tourists," said Fan Li, a tourist.
Many visitors also chose to celebrate National Day by hiking to watch the sunrise. At the summit of Mount Huashan in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, crowds waved five-star red flags and cheered in unison, commemorating the 76th anniversary.
A culture and fashion gala on the Grand Canal in Tongzhou District of Beijing, drew large crowds of residents and tourists.
Performers in classical Chinese costumes on a boat shaped like a pipa (a Chinese classical instrument) played music on different instruments as models on a floating runway presented over 80 sets of original canal-themed fashion designs.
"We hope to innovate formats to provide citizens with fresh experiences. In the future, focusing on 'Grand Canal plus Fashion', we will upgrade fashion from a 'city name card' into a driving force for development," said Xi Xuelian, executive deputy head of the publicity department in Tongzhou District.
China in holiday spirits as it celebrates National Day
