China's cinemas raked in more than 1.8 billion yuan (around 253 million U.S. dollars) at the box office during this year's eight day holiday celebrating National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
On Wednesday, the final day of the eight-day holiday, cinema attendance remained strong, with long queues forming for afternoon shows at a movie theater in Shanghai.
Leading the holiday charts were the war epic "The Volunteers: Peace at Last", the World War II film "Evil Unbound", the action fantasy "A Writer's Odyssey II", the comedy "Row to Win" and the drama "Sound of Silence", all of which took more than 100-million-yuan (around 14.05 million U.S. dollars) in box office revenue.
Industry analysts said that the fact that such a broad range of films all enjoyed similar success during the holiday reflects evolving audience preferences, with moviegoers increasingly prioritizing quality content and emotional resonance over big-budget productions and star power.
Many of this year's top holiday releases were produced by major Chinese film companies listed on the stock exchange -- with the film sector showing strong growth before trading was paused during the holiday.
On the last trading day before markets closed for the holiday, Hengdian Entertainment hit the daily increase limit, Zhejiang Huace Film and TV Co. Ltd. advanced 5.57 percent, while Enlight Media and Beijing Culture also posted modest gains.
An analysis of A-share film-related stocks this year reveals that Omnijoi Media, Enlight Media, and Huanrui Century have delivered impressive share price performance year-to-date, with cumulative gains of 149.43 percent, 107.48 percent, and 101.23 percent, respectively. Based on current performance forecasts, multiple companies including Enlight Media and Hengdian Entertainment Co. are expected to double their net profits.
Chinese cinemas take more than 1.8 bin yuan at box office during holiday week
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
