May Day holiday makers across China have flocked to destinations that offer hands-on experiences with intangible cultural heritage like traditional crafts, performances and lifestyles.
In Quanzhou City of east China's Fujian Province, many visitors come to local museums to appreciate traditional puppet shows, red brick rubbing, foil burning painting and oil-paper lanterns. Many also take home the works they have made with their own hands.
At the Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in the city of Hangzhou, many students have experienced the exquisite craftmanship of bamboo carving and bamboo weaving, using AI supported teaching machines.
Guo Yi, director of the museum, said more than a dozen special activities have been organized during the five-day May Day holiday that ends on Tuesday.
"During the May Day holiday, this kind of immersive experience of intangible cultural heritage has been very popular. We're also eager to turn such activities of intangible cultural heritage into life scenes for ordinary people, truly integrating them into our present life," Guo said.
In Shanghai, many tourists would go to an outdoor spring fair themed the Twelve Flower Goddesses from Chinese folklore.
While wandering through streets and alleys, visitors would unexpectedly encounter flower goddesses dressed in classic Song (960-1279) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasty attire.
During the visit, they can also experience a series of flower events in different workshops featuring floral beauty, flower beverages and flower vessels.
"For the age group of 20 to 40, they are actually not satisfied with simply buying a piece of work and taking it home. What they want more is to feel for the process of its making," said Ding Hui, director of Xuhui District Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Office in Shanghai.
In Zhuhai City of south China's Guangdong Province, many visitors from across the country are fascinated by traditional cultural interactive activities such as pitch-pot, cuju (ancient Chinese football), and rubbing.
Many of them also enjoy the Cantonese opera classics performed by local artists.
In Kaifeng City of central China's Henan Province, tourists flock to the Longting Scenic Area where a variety of traditional handicrafts, performances and foods are put up, leading visitors on a journey through 1,000 years of time.
May Day holiday makers appreciate intangible cultural heritage across China
