As China's Qiang ethnic people celebrated their traditional New Year on Thursday, Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County in southwest China's Sichuan Province has turned local traditions into a tourist boom, featuring immersive experiences with 108 kinds of intangible cultural heritage.
Banaqia Commercial Street, the main festival venue, was at the heart of celebration. Visitors have poured in to watch live demonstrations of grass weaving, Qiang embroidery, and lacquerware crafting, and to taste classic Qiang flavors. Cultural-creative products inspired by intangible heritage have emerged as star attractions among tourists.
Daily foot traffic on the street has exceeded 200,000 since Wednesday, and vendors say they have never seen flows of tourists like this.
"This year's New Year celebrations are unbelievably popular. We have had a steady flow of customers from morning to night. Sales of cultural-creative products linked to intangible heritage have increased fivefold compared with normal days," said Jiang Tianxia, a shop owner.
The festival is also driving a boom in local accommodation. More than 100 hotels and guesthouses were all fully booked a week ago.
The ongoing celebrations, lasting until Monday, are expected to attract over 700,000 visitors, generating tourism revenue of over 280 million yuan (about 39.4 million U.S. dollars), with 58 percent spent on intangible cultural heritage goods and activities.
Qiang New Year celebrations boost tourism in Sichuan
More than 20 films will hit Chinese screens during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday from Saturday to Monday, spanning genres from revolutionary historical dramas, realism movies to suspense thrillers, according to the China Film Administration on Thursday.
Revolutionary historical films such as Blood-Spattered Cliff, Eight Sons, Eight Soldiers, and Half Of The Quilt, will pay tribute to martyrs through the lens.
Three films -- It's OK, Now I Met Her, and Sunshine Women's Choir -- tell moving stories of love, growth, and reconciliation.
It's OK is a contemporary family comedy that follows a mother and daughter navigating their joyful yet turbulent relationship. Now I Met Her tells a rebellious teenager who gets to know his late mother through her old diary. Sunshine Women's Choir, a film from the Taiwan region of China, portrays the "perfect" maternal love of "imperfect mothers."
The suspense film Game of Identity tells the story of two people from different backgrounds who accidentally swap lives, setting off an unexpected adventure. The documentary films Seeking Nature: The Code of Life, and Missions to the Moon (Part One) explore the connection between humanity and science.
Imported films from different countries, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2, Project Hail Mary, and Hoppers, will deliver spectacular cinematic experiences to audiences.
The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on April 5 this year. It is a traditional Chinese festival for honoring the deceased and paying tribute to ancestors. The holiday also provides a short break for Chinese citizens as they engage in outdoor activities and sightseeing.
Over 20 films expected to hit Chinese screens during Qingming Festival Holiday
