BEIJING: As China’s National Day holiday wraps up, people have flocked to cities and attractions rich in cultural heritage. According to data from Trip.com, four out of the five most searched themes during this holiday are culture-related, highlighting a strong interest in “Traveling with Textbooks,” popular museums, music festivals and study tours.
The concept of “Traveling with Textbooks” involves parents taking their children to visit cities or sites featured in their school materials. For instance, some have visited Tsinghua University, inspired by renowned Chinese poet Zhu Ziqing’s “Moonlight over the Lotus Pond,” or traveled to Fenghuang Ancient Town in central China’s Hunan Province after reading Shen Congwen’s “Border Town.” Shen is one of China’s great modern writers.
Additionally, tourism has been heavily influenced by films and video games. For example, fans of the TV series “To the Wonder” are drawn to Altay, a county-level city in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, while some explore north China’s Shanxi Province, inspired by the popular game “Black Myth: Wukong.” Shanxi features the most filming locations from the game.
Museum visits have also surged. For instance, the Sanxingdui Museum in Sichuan Province recently launched the country’s first immersive VR experience of an archaeological site, leading to tickets being sold out during the holiday.
In recent years, as China’s economy and society have rapidly developed, people have placed greater emphasis on cultural and spiritual life.
This shift in travel preferences reflects a growing appreciation for traditional Chinese culture and an increasing confidence in national identity.
Chinese President Xi Jinping once said, “Culture is the soul of a nation. A country will only thrive if its culture thrives, and a nation will be strong only if its culture is strong.
Without high cultural confidence and cultural prosperity, there can be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” He made this statement during a report to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2017. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
