Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 2. Title: The context continues and the chapter becomes new every day – the cultural scene during the National Day holiday
Xinhua News Agency reporter
In the golden autumn of October, cultural crazes are surging everywhere in China. People walked into the red stadium and felt the power of faith while staring; they walked to the fertile countryside and tasted the joy of harvest in the songs; they stopped in the streets and alleys of the city to see old craftsmanship reborn. Tradition meets the times, history blends with the present.
Deepen the feelings of family and country
At No. 29 Wusi Street, the Red Building of Peking University stands quietly in the morning light.
On October 1, nearly 40 groups of families gathered early in front of the Red Building of Peking University. The national anthem played and the five-star red flag slowly rose. The children straightened their backs and looked up.
“Patriotic feelings and a sense of home and country must be rooted from an early age.” Du Bin, director of the Memorial Hall of the Early Revolutionary Activities of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, said that the Red Mansion of Peking University was the main front for the early spread of Marxism in China. He hopes that through such a ceremony, children and parents can feel the power of faith together.
In the past five years, the memorial hall has received a total of more than 3.2 million visitors, with over 60% of the visitors under the age of 35. “Walking here on National Day has a very different meaning.” “Post-2005” audience member Wang Leping said, “Young people should know more about red culture and cherish the hard-won good life.”
On the occasion of the birthday of the motherland, the pursuit of the red spirit continues all the way.
“Visiting the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, I can understand the spirit of the Long March. It is admirable to not be afraid of any difficulties and obstacles and to make all sacrifices.” Mr. Li from Hubei came to Zunyi, Guizhou with his family. During the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday that just passed, the number of tourists here exceeded 70,000.
“We will continue to make good use of red resources, tell the story of the Long March well, and let the great Long March spirit continue to flourish in the new era.” said Cai Yuanyuan, deputy research librarian of the Exhibition and Utilization Department of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall.
In Tongguan, Shaanxi, music and poetry combine the great love of family and country, the original aspiration of the red and the cultural context of the Yellow River; in Ruijin, Jiangxi, the situational performance “Ruijin Ruijing” makes the red cultural tourism come alive; on the National Day-themed flight at an altitude of 10,000 meters, passengers wrote their blessings to the motherland in local accents… Understanding the history of the party and praising the motherland are the deepest background of this holiday.
Literary performances, folklore experiences, agricultural product exhibitions and sales… In Dongjiao Village, Zaoyang, Hubei, where the national main event of this year’s China Farmers’ Harvest Festival is held, ears of rice sway gently in the wind, yellow peaches hang on the branches, and the joy of the harvest continues.
“There are people to listen to and watch, there are competitions and experiences. Just a few days after the ‘Harvest Village Night’ ended, the square dance competition is also here…” The villagers have changed from “spectators” to “participants” in cultural activities. “The days are getting better and better, the cultural activities are becoming more and more abundant, and the horizons are becoming wider and wider.” said Wang Guoqing, a villager in Dongjiao Village.
Continuing the Chinese cultural context
The mist rises from the ground, the sounds of chimes, guqins and pipas intertwine and reverberate, and the murals of Yongle Palace are looming in the light and shadow; wearing VR equipment, you can “travel through the pictures, step on the roof”, and look at the five ridges and six beasts on the glazed roof… Stepping into the Sichuan Museum’s “Seeing the Wonderful Reality·Encountering Yongle at Night” is like walking into a fairy palace scroll. “Technology makes the mural ‘alive’!” the audience marveled.
Wang Lili, deputy director of the Public Service Department of Sichuan Museum, said that the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day series of activities revitalize the cultural resources of the Yongle Palace special exhibition, and also provide a new practical way for traditional culture to get closer to young people and activate night-time cultural consumption.
The flames of fire spread, and ingenuity builds dreams. When intangible cultural heritage skills meet the National Day holiday, skillful craftsmanship pays homage to the splendid family and country.
At the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Beijing, the “Can See” intangible cultural heritage social education and performance activities connect more than 20 representative intangible cultural heritage projects, allowing old craftsmen to maintain their skills and young people to pass on their skills. At the Wuhou Temple in Chengdu, watch a parade, listen to a Sichuan opera, and guess a few riddles of the Three Kingdoms. Tradition and fashion resonate at the same frequency.
The Hunan South African Heritage Exhibition and Experience Base was packed with people. The representative inheritor of Wujiaquan, a national-level intangible cultural heritage, has powerful moves, and onlookers come forward to try the moves one after another; in the digital light and shadow space, traditional patterns light up one after another as the fingertips move.
“We follow the idea of ’traditional + trendy, static + interactive, inclusive + high-quality’ to launch intangible cultural heritage experience activities that meet travel needs, so that intangible cultural heritage can be seen, played, preserved and disseminated.” said Zhong Yan, director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center Office of the Hunan Provincial Cultural Center.
From exhibition halls to streets, old craftsmanship is integrated into daily life.
In the Yangliuqing Painting Shop on Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, arts and crafts artist Xi Wang crouched in front of a pear board and pushed the carving knife diagonally along the ink line, blowing away the wood chips to reveal the pattern of “fish in the year of lotus”, which attracted the admiration of onlookers.
In the immersive experience area, visitors can make rubbings and try out simple versions of New Year pictures. Mr. Wang from Shanxi took his son to complete a rubbing of a New Year picture: “The New Year pictures printed by myself are more meaningful than the souvenirs bought.”
“The older generation has passed down the skills, and we young people have to take up the baton.” In Xi Wang’s view, intangible cultural inheritance is not about replicating the original, but about keeping integrity and innovation – the auspicious meaning remains unchanged, and the carrier and expression must follow the times.
Light up a better life
“The five-star red flag is fluttering in the wind, and the victory songs are so loud…” In the Qingming Riverside Garden in Kaifeng, Henan, melodious songs echoed through Song Street and alleys, and tourists waved national flags and sang in unison. The fluttering red flag complements the ancient Song Dynasty style.
“Walking with children from the daytime market to the night scene is like walking into “Along the River During the Qingming Festival”.” Ms. Li, a tourist from Xuzhou, said with emotion that she could not only experience the feelings of her family and country, but also feel the charm of the Song Dynasty. It was a worthwhile trip.
From “watching the scenery” to “getting involved in the plot”, in Zhejiang Hengdian Film and Television City, the studio has become a home for tourists. Wang Huiya, head of the immersive entertainment creation camp of Zhejiang Hengdian Film and Television City Co., Ltd., said that tourists can participate in the filming of more than ten short drama crews for free with their tickets, and a performance can take 10 to 45 minutes. Many young people “go to a city for a play.”
During the season when the rice is fragrant, in the square of Hulu Town in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Yunnan, tourists break open new grains and pound new rice. The new rice is steaming and fragrant.
“This year’s Xinmi Festival’s entertainment formats and service facilities have been upgraded, so tourists can experience the most authentic Wa Township style.” said Li Lei, deputy general manager of Cangyuan County Tourism Investment Company.
As the host venue for the National Day Culture and Tourism Consumption Month in 2026, Yunnan has launched more than a thousand themed cultural and tourism activities to benefit the people, experience intangible cultural heritage, and integrate sports and tourism. You can enjoy the autumn colors of mountains and rivers during the day and enjoy the fireworks at night.
Looking across the country, during the consumption month, more than 20,000 cultural and tourism activities were launched in various places, and more than 310 million yuan in consumer vouchers and other subsidies were issued to continue to activate the cultural and tourism consumer market.
Festive cultural feast, carefully prepared by the National Academy of Arts. From Peking Opera classics to drama masterpieces, from dance poetry and drama to new sounds of traditional Chinese music, from symphony crossovers in large venues to people-friendly singing on the terraces of ancient towns, high-quality cultural supplies are delivered to the people.
Related Reading
- The National Day box office exceeded 300 million! “Movie+” new gameplay, cultural consumption heats up2026-10-02
- From north to south, from all corners of the country, the most beautiful thing is China Red2026-10-02
- Trump says Iran is ‘ready to fold up’ as he raises possibility of post2026-10-02
- Trump’s diesel export threat puts new pressure on Europe as prices hit records2026-10-02
