As China's spring break for primary and secondary schools coincided with the Qingming Festival holiday this year, many schoolchildren and their parents embraced a five-day getaway from Friday to Tuesday, sparking a surge in educational travel.
Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, falls on April 5 this year. It is a traditional Chinese festival in which people pay tribute to the dead and worship their ancestors. The holiday also provides a short break for Chinese citizens to go in for outdoor activities and sightseeing.
The extended break has allowed parents to take their children on immersive journeys across the country, transforming textbook knowledge into tangible, memorable experiences.
In the iconic Baidicheng-Qutang Gorge Scenic Area in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, young travelers trekked historic trails alongside their parents.
Inside the Tuogu Hall, children listened to captivating tales from the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD), bringing history lessons to life.
"With the spring break and Qingming Festival holiday aligning, we want to bring our child to experience the cultural depth of this historic city," said Yu Chuan, a tourist.
"It's been wonderful and joyful. We're helping our child learn about history and culture while appreciating the magnificent landscapes of our motherland," said Qiu Yu, another tourist.
To welcome Chongqing's inaugural spring break, the scenic area launched a signature educational route, featuring poetry check-in spots and dedicated cultural interpretation zones to enhance engagement and interactivity.
Meanwhile, in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province, home to the world's largest small-commodity market, a new wave of immersive "business-themed educational tours" has captured the interest of students and parents alike.
During the holiday, children from across China participated in hands-on lessons covering product sourcing, price comparison, and sales strategies, turning the bustling international trade market into a dynamic classroom for real-world commerce.
"In Yiwu, the students get to experience the entire process, from purchasing products to selling them. Each child starts with 50 yuan (about 7.29 U.S. dollars) in seed funding, and how much they earn tomorrow really depends on their own creativity and efforts," said Liu Houzhao, a teacher leading an educational group from Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province.
Fifth-grader Chen Yinhao demonstrated sharp business instincts. Upon learning that a particular pendant cost 3 yuan wholesale, he immediately pooled resources with a friend to buy in bulk.
"It's 3 yuan each, so we decided to invest together. We plan to sell them for 4 yuan each," said Chen.
Through product selection, price comparison, and independent decision-making in Yiwu's global marketplace, the children were gradually developing financial literacy and rational consumption habits.
Educational tours surge in China as spring break coincide Qingming holiday
