Cities across China including Shanghai and Shenyang launched special cultural, sports, and commercial initiatives during the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday to entertain visitors and boost tourist spending.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, fell on Friday this year. Across China, people celebrate the day with family reunions, eating mooncakes under the light of the full moon.
In Shanghai’s Lujiazui commercial district, a "harvest festival" themed pop-up event featured Chinese-style autumn harvest installations for residents and tourists to photograph, as well as fun family challenges.
"My child is having a great time. We came mainly to let the child play and enjoy these interactive entertainment activities," said a local resident.
Shanghai’s Bund commercial district introduced traditional culture into its retail spaces by setting up an outdoor national-style performance area.
The event combined traditional vocal styles like Kunqu Opera and Pingtan, as well as folk instruments like the Guzheng and Xiao, with Western electronic music, setting ancient Chinese music to more modern rhythms.
"The combination of modern and traditional elements is a very novel format for the audience, reminding us that what is national is also global," said Liu Ying, a Shanghai resident.
According to local data, a total of 200 promotional events were held in Shanghai during the holiday, driving consumer spending on a single day in the Nanjing Road commercial district up by 72.6 percent year-on-year.
A match in the grassroots soccer league in northeast China, popularly dubbed the "Northeast Super League," took place in Shenyang, Liaoning province on Saturday, with tens of thousands of fans gathering by the lake to watch the match on an outdoor screen at night.
The adjacent lakeside market was bustling with activity, featuring a rotation of distinctive cultural performances including a spectacular halftime fireworks display.
"There are performances, and we can enjoy a beautiful lake view, making for an excellent atmosphere," said Wang Tianyi, a Shenyang citizen.
"It's so good. Everything is amazing. The food is amazing, the festival is so great. We are very happy to be here," said a foreign student.
China's National Day will also be celebrated on October 1, with a holiday break extending from October 1 to 7, which is expected to further stimulate cultural and tourism consumption across the country.
Tourists spend big during Mid-Autumn Festival across China
