During this year’s National Day Golden Week, over a hundred major A-level scenic spots in the capital city of Beijing received more than two million visitors in just three short days. The major attractions were packed to capacity, leaving tourists overwhelmed and miserable. Some even lamented: “I’ve seen mountains and seas, I’ve seen seas of people—but at the beautifully scenic Beijing Botanical Garden, it was a completely different scene. From October 1st to October 7th, ‘World Lens · Viewing China’—the ‘My Favorite Traditional Culture Project’ selection event of the Global Journey of Chinese Culture was held here. Against the backdrop of misty distant mountains and the gentle autumn breeze, nature and culture blended as one, and sightseeing merged seamlessly with immersive experiences, ushering in a new trend in cultural holidays during the Golden Week.
What belongs to a nation also belongs to the world.
The event featured two activity zones: a cultural and creative products exhibition area, and a traditional folk intangible cultural heritage experience area. It encompassed four parts: display of specialty project products, on-site craft demonstrations and interactive sessions, project exchanges, and product exhibitions and sales. The event specially invited more than ten master inheritors of Chinese traditional intangible cultural heritage projects—including inheritors of Cao’s Xuan paper, masters of ancient Chinese paper, painting and calligraphy conservation restorers, Chinese incense masters from the Chinese Traditional Culture Research Institute—as well as numerous domestic cultural celebrities to engage with the audience on-site, bringing everyone traditional craft masterpieces.
At the folk intangible cultural heritage experience activities, a continuous stream of domestic and international tourists marveled at the displayed intangible cultural heritage works, expressing awe and enthusiasm. Many joined in hands-on experiences such as Chinese traditional paper-cutting art, sugar figurine making, shadow puppetry, dough modeling, tea ceremony, sugar painting, diabolo performances, fan painting, paper-cutting, gourd pyrography, carved lacquerware, traditional Peking opera facial makeup painting, and kite-making. Elderly visitors expressed how they had rediscovered their childhoods here, while many young parents even made special trips with their children upon hearing about the event. Through on-site interactions, children got to experience the creation of intangible cultural heritage, helping them remember China’s outstanding traditional culture from an early age and fostering a sense of national confidence and pride. And let’s just say, although the works created by those little hands may have been unpolished, their movements and techniques were surprisingly authentic. These exquisite intangible cultural heritage projects also deeply captivated international visitors. Before these astonishing works, their eyes widened in wonder and admiration, as they gave a thumbs-up to Chinese traditional culture—demonstrating the truth that “what belongs to a nation also belongs to the world.”
Making Traditional Culture a New Norm for Golden Week Holidays
Visitors also actively participated in the “My Favorite Traditional Culture Project” selection and the “Global Journey of Chinese Culture Image Ambassador” selection held on-site, choosing their favorite contenders to represent China internationally and showcase the Chinese spirit to the world. Many children, accompanied by their parents, signed up on-site to take part in the Global Journey of Chinese Culture ambassador program. Organizers will invite professional judges to select the final winners, who will join the “World Lens · Viewing China – Global Journey of Chinese Culture” project on its international journey to Taipei, Macau, and the United States, spreading Chinese traditional culture to audiences worldwide.
This “World Lens · Viewing China – Global Journey of Chinese Culture” event will span three locations—Taipei, Macau, and the United States—to disseminate Chinese traditional culture, strengthen its deep appeal to people around the world, promote the inheritance of Chinese history and humanity, and enhance global understanding of Chinese culture in a more international and integrated manner.
As China’s overall national strength continues to rise, achieving a boost in cultural soft power alongside economic hard power has become a key factor in realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Without the support of traditional culture, China’s magnificent landscapes would ultimately be like trees without roots or water without a source. The “World Lens · Viewing China – Global Journey of Chinese Culture” held during the National Day Golden Week undoubtedly infused the dazzling array of holiday travels with a cultural soul, like a guiding beacon. Applause for traditional culture, and cheers for our great motherland. Visitors expressed that intangible cultural heritage is a national treasure—a living testament to China’s profound and extensive traditional culture. It embodies the Chinese spirit and showcases China’s strength. This event greatly broadened horizons, transforming travel from mere sightseeing into a more culturally rich experience—truly merging culture with travel and education with entertainment. It also allowed the younger generation to personally experience the longevity and brilliance of Chinese culture, contributing to its promotion and preservation. Such events should indeed become the new norm for Golden Week holidays.