Rural tourism across China has surged during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, fueled by immersive folk celebrations and innovative cultural markets that are drawing urban travelers to countryside destinations.
In Mashan County of Nanning City, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a cultural celebration combining folk customs, local cuisine, intangible heritage, and traditional Chinese aesthetics drew large crowds.
Performers in colorful ethnic attire energized the festival with powerful drumbeats and lively dance. A highlight was the “Harvest Festival Village T-Show,” where local farmers strutted confidently down the runway in outfits creatively crafted from rice stalks, bamboo strips, and recycled farm tools.
As night fell, hand-made lanterns lit up one after another, forming a dazzling river of light. A grand lantern parade featuring thousands of participants moved slowly through the crowd as the entire square echoed with songs and festivities.
“Compared with previous years, we’ve added many new activities this time to create a strong festive atmosphere and give visitors more diverse experiences during the holiday,” said Wei Wei, director of the Culture, Radio, Television, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Mashan County.
In Xuan’en County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China’s Hubei Province, a floating market recreated the bustling commercial scenes of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The event blended intangible cultural heritage demonstrations with tourism experiences, delivering a fresh cultural travel offering.
Meanwhile, in Jinggangshan, east China’s Jiangxi Province, a large immersive stage production captivated audience. By incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as holographic projection and dynamic lighting and sound, along with close interaction between actors and spectators, the performance brought revolutionary history vividly to life.
“It was incredibly moving. It gave everyone a great opportunity to engage immersively with Jinggangshan’s history and its red heritage,” said a tourist named Yang Bin.
Jinggangshan City is the heartland of the early revolutionary activities of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It is known as the cradle of the Chinese revolution.
Rural destinations across China draw holiday crowds with folk festivals, immersive cultural experiences
The people’s life in Zhanjiang City of south China’s Guangdong Province is steadily returning to normal on Monday after Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, moved away from the region.
At 06:00 local time on Monday, the city officially lifted its emergency measures, including the suspension of work, production, transportation and business operation, allowing residents to resume their daily lives and economic activities to restart.
Matmo made landfall on the eastern coast of Zhanjiang’s Xuwen County at approximately 14:50 local time on Sunday. The city’s swift response has been crucial in facilitating recovery.
Following reports of widespread road blockages due to fallen trees, troops with the Zhanjiang detachment of the Guangdong Provincial Armed Police Corps were swiftly deployed. Throughout the night, armed police officers worked on several roads in Chikan District, systematically cutting and transferring fallen trees and clearing road surfaces of leaves and branches.
By early Monday morning, approximately 2.8 kilometers of affected road sections had been cleared, with regional obstacle clearance tasks largely completed, restoring traffic flow on previously obstructed routes.
Community and town government staff, social workers, and sanitation workers were also actively engaged in clearing roadblocks. They efficiently cut and removed fallen trees, dragging them to the roadside, while sanitation crews meticulously cleared debris.
As the typhoon’s influence waned, signs of recovery quickly emerged across Zhanjiang.
Shops along the city’s main roads began to reopen their doors, and vegetable markets saw a gradual return of citizens purchasing groceries. Convenience stores were observed actively receiving and restocking supplies, indicating a revival of commercial activity. The increasing presence of pedestrians and vehicles on the streets further showed the city’s steady progress towards full recovery.
Life returning to normal in south China city as Typhoon Matmo moves away
