Staying at farmhouses, eating rustic dishes, and joining in folk celebrations are lively experiences; learning equestrianism, exploring submarines, and taking helicopter rides are equally popular. During the Spring Festival golden week, more and more Chinese people are stepping out of their homes to celebrate traditional customs and experience foreign cultures. A survey by our reporter found that there are two main groups of travelers during the holiday—one seeking "rural charm" in the countryside to savor the rich festive spirit of ancient traditions, and the other soaking up "exotic flair" and seeking novelty for a joyful New Year.
Experts believe that as living standards improve, people are placing greater emphasis on experiential aspects during Spring Festival celebrations. The diverse forms of celebration, blending both traditional and modern elements, highlight cultural inclusiveness and reflect the refined and composed mindset of today’s Chinese.
Staying at farmhouses, eating rustic dishes, and joining in folk celebrations—experiencing folk culture
Wang Xuebing, a visitor from the provincial capital, and his Beijing friend Zhang Hong spent the period from Little New Year to the fourth day of the Lunar New Year in Yu County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, experiencing an authentic folk-style New Year. Wang told reporters that he had discovered Yu County in a travel guide before the holiday—it is known as one of the key towns west of Beijing, with well-preserved ancient Ming and Qing city structures and is also famed as the hometown of paper-cutting. So, the two decided to go to Yu County to closely observe and experience the villagers’ New Year customs.
"Celebrating the New Year in Yu County is especially interesting," Wang said. In addition to the ancient city to explore, the Spring Festival there features time-honored ceremonies and performances such as ice disaster worship, folk celebrations, and tree blossom shows, all of which are incredibly lively.
What surprised them most was watching the tree blossom performance, which has a history of over 300 years. On the third day of the New Year, Wang and around seven or eight hundred other spectators watched the tree blossom show. Two performers took turns swinging iron ladles on an open-air stage, splashing molten iron—reportedly at 1,600 degrees Celsius—into the night sky, creating countless golden sparks that far surpassed the spectacle of fireworks, drawing waves of awe and cheers from the audience. "As someone working in the hustle and bustle of the city, I long to experience simple, ancient folk traditions," Wang said. "The trip to Yu County gave me insight into the rituals of traditional farming culture and a glimpse into the spiritual world of northern farmers caught between tradition and modernity."
According to our reporter, quite a few residents from the provincial capital chose to "go to the countryside" for the New Year this year, with many urbanites busy heading to rural areas to buy local produce. Wang Li, a white-collar worker from the provincial capital, made a special trip to the countryside to buy half a locally raised pig, 12 free-range chickens, 5 red-headed ducks, and a large basket of free-range eggs. "These are all green foods, raised by farmers themselves. Not only do they taste delicious, but they’re also healthy," Wang said. "For city dwellers, the process of buying these local goods is novel and fun, making one feel a sense of closeness."
Learning equestrianism, exploring submarines, flying in planes—experiencing the novel
Interestingly, during the Spring Festival, while some left the city—and even went "to the countryside"—some immersed themselves in deep-rooted "rural charm," while others enjoyed high-end, luxurious visual feasts.
An employee of a commercial bank in our province told us that on the fifth day of the New Year, their whole family visited a local equestrian club because there were performances during the Spring Festival, and the whole family could take part in activities, learn equestrian skills, and soak up some "foreign flair."
Meanwhile, on Hainan Island, known as the "Oriental Hawaii," besides surfing, swimming, and diving, China’s only submarine sightseeing vessel has become a new favorite among tourists. Visitors can not only experience the mystery and thrill of a submarine but also explore the wonders of the underwater world. "Tourists sit inside the vessel and can view coral and tropical fish through transparent glass," a manager from the outbound center of an international travel agency in our province told us. Particularly noteworthy is the "semi-submarine," which has part of it submerged and part above water, allowing tourists to both enjoy the underwater scenery from inside the cabin and take in the surrounding views or go fishing from the deck.
During the Spring Festival, many tourists also flew to Hawaii to take helicopter tours over active volcanoes. Mr. Chen, a tourist, took his family on a self-guided trip to the Big Island of Hawaii to experience this thrilling activity. Chen described it: "The helicopter hovered near the volcano crater, tilting left and right from time to time. Sitting on the edge was a bit frightening. Although the volcano wasn’t erupting, you could still see red lava flowing. Those in the front even felt some heat beneath their feet, with the lava emitting white smoke—it was spectacular."
Whether "rural" or "exotic," what matters is touching and experiencing
According to information from major travel agencies in the provincial capital and Ctrip, the most popular travel products this Spring Festival were independent tours, with 70% of travelers choosing cost-effective packaged independent tour options. Customized "exclusive tours" for families and friends have also emerged as a trendy way to travel this year. Entire families or groups of close friends form their own tour groups to enjoy dedicated guides and private car services, meeting the demand of some travelers for private group experiences.
Industry insiders say that more and more travelers are now willing to pay for high-priced personalized experiences and custom travel packages.
"Whether taking the 'rural' route or seeking 'exotic flair,' what’s important is to get close, touch, and experience," experts say. "A clear feeling this Spring Festival is that the festive spirit has somewhat returned, showing a revival of traditional Spring Festival customs. In previous years, we embraced and digested foreign cultures more, but explored our own traditional culture less. Now, we not only value protecting traditional culture but also draw inspiration from foreign cultures to better promote and develop our own. The combination of rural and exotic reflects the diverse consumption demands of this multifaceted era. While the external forms of New Year travel vary greatly, the core lies in emphasizing experiential behavior and focusing on emotional experience." Another tourism expert shared this view.
Wang Wei
Special Travel Experiences
Urbanites Prefer “Micro Travel” for the New Year
During the Spring Festival holiday, besides traditional activities like watching the Spring Festival Gala and having reunion dinners, Shi Lan from Yangquan Mining District took her daughter Lele to the village’s vegetable greenhouse during her visit back home, letting her daughter—who only knew that "green beans come from the market"—see various vegetables growing in person. "When we were kids, the New Year meant eating and wearing new clothes—all the joy was obvious. Now, kids have no worries about food or clothing, and without something new, the New Year holds little appeal for them. Through activities like this, the child is happy, and so are we," Shi said. "Going out is too expensive, and staying home is too tiring." In Yangquan, such forms of travel—like Shi Lan’s family’s—have gradually increased around the Spring Festival: visiting relatives and enjoying scenery without compromising either, strengthening bonds while experiencing the outdoors. These short, low-cost trips have come to be fashionably dubbed "micro travel." Within "micro travel," alongside urbanites going to the countryside, rural residents are also coming to the city. Taking advantage of family reunions, those who have returned home accompany their families to visit local attractions like Nüwa Pass, Dayangquan Ancient Village, and Shinao Mountain to appreciate their hometown’s rapid changes. Meanwhile, many families organize their own short trips to hot springs or farms around Yangquan for a relaxed New Year. Some travel agencies have also timely launched "micro travel" packages, transforming fixed travel routes into flexible, à la carte options. Travelers can choose from self-driving packages including tickets and hotels or semi-self-guided options with buses or short train rides plus tickets and hotels.
Details reveal change. Yangquan’s emerging "micro travel" reflects the new pursuits of modern tourism, helping alleviate and release the stress and tension arising from urban life, allowing residents to return to post-holiday life with a healthier mindset.
“Red Village Tourism” Gains Popularity
During the Spring Festival, red tourism sites in Changzhi City received a total of 68,500 visitors, a year-on-year increase of 12.48%. Total tourism revenue reached 28.45 million yuan, up 25.23%, with ticket sales totaling 184,300 yuan, a 90.98% increase. Among them, the “Two Parks and One Show” in Wuxiang County attracted numerous visitors from within the province as well as nearby cities like Handan and Zhengzhou.
Farmhouse restaurants in Changzhi, such as the Shennongyuan Holiday Resort at Laoding Mountain, have become popular spots for locals to experience rural life and folk culture. The total income from rural tourism in Changzhi during the Spring Festival reached 8.181 million yuan.
Rural tourism spots around Guangsheng Temple and the Great Locust Tree in Linfen City offered activities such as staying in farmhouses, eating rural meals, enjoying local customs, participating in farm work, and viewing the rural scenery to spend a carefree and comfortable New Year. Rural tourism effectively boosted local dining and entertainment consumption. In Pinglu County, tens of thousands of wintering white cranes on the Sanwan Yellow River Wetland showcased the harmony between humans and nature, attracting large numbers of visitors.
Outdoor Ice and Snow Tourism Attracts Travelers
Ice and snow tourism is a great winter sport. In recent years, our province has continuously improved the basic service facilities for ice and snow tourism projects and stepped up promotional efforts, increasing the appeal of outdoor ice and snow tourism for visitors.
During the 2012 Spring Festival, the province’s ice and snow tourism reached a peak in visitor numbers. Major ski resorts such as the Changzhi Laoding Mountain Ski Resort, Taiyuan Jiulong Ski Resort, Jinzhong Wulong Ski Resort, and Yangquan Cuifeng Mountain Ski Resort all launched “ski freely” promotions for the Spring Festival. Some ski resorts also offered discounted tickets on major domestic group-buying websites, sparking enthusiasm among travelers.
Provincial tourism bureau staff explained that each major ski resort has its own strengths and unique features, focusing on family-friendly and white-collar gathering tours, combining skiing, agritainment, and leisure activities, which are highly popular among young travelers.
“Temple Fair Tours” Become a Spring Festival Theme
Traditional Spring Festival temple fair tours are favored by many visitors. During the 2012 Spring Festival, Taiyuan Zoo hosted a temple fair event themed “Leapfrog Development and Harmony Abound.”
The temple fair featured folk cultural performances from across Shanxi, including mainly intangible cultural heritage craft exhibitions, mass cultural and art performances, an opera stage, Shehuo (folk performance) shows, a blessing zone, an ice and snow carnival, and a carnival. The rich variety of activities and low ticket prices attracted numerous visitors.
The Chenghuang Temple in Changzhi City launched its temple fair on the first day of the Lunar New Year, offering regional snacks and cultural product displays.
Traditional scenic spots in Datong, such as Fahua Temple, Confucius Temple, and Huayan Temple, held traditional Spring Festival temple fairs. The Fahua Temple’s Year of the Dragon temple fair events mainly included lotus wisdom lantern blessings, welcoming the New Year with bell-ringing, and blessings from Fahua Temple; while the Confucius Temple introduced the traditional Datong custom of “giving red eggs to spread joy” for the New Year, which was very popular with tourists.