As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, festive decorations and mooncake sales are in full swing across Shanghai and Zhejiang.
In Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden, a dazzling display of lanterns featuring moon-themed designs has created a vibrant atmosphere, drawing large crowds of visitors to the historic site.
"I love the big moon lantern. With the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner, my child really feels the festive vibe, especially with the ancient city backdrop. The lights at night are truly beautiful," a tourist said.
Meanwhile in Zhejiang's Wenzhou City, local bakeries, especially time-honored brands, are introducing innovative fillings, flavors, and packaging of moon cakes to attract customers seeking both nostalgia and novelty.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a significant traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the night when the moon reaches its fullest and brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.
During the festival, family members would come together, share mooncakes while admiring the moon, and light up lanterns to enjoy the happiness of family reunion.
Shanghai, Zhejiang prepare for upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival
The rising popularity of Guochao, also known as the trend of "China-chic", has contributed to a consumption boom and more diversified consumption scenarios ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
China-chic refers to fashion trends native to China, which incorporates unique native cultural elements into the latest trends.
For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the brand-new event "The Empress's Mid-Autumn Feast" at the Mingtang Tiantang Scenic Area in the National Archaeological Site Park of Sui-Tang Luoyang City in central China's Henan Province has attracted many visitors.
Through interactive experiences such as the performance of court music and dance, and the Empress Wu Zetian bestowing incense, it recreated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the holiday.
The "Hanfu craze" in Luoyang City has led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting scenic spots and has extended the overall economic chain. This trend has boosted the popularity of services such as Hanfu rental, makeup and styling, and professional photography, making them widely popular.
In Luoyang's Luanchuan County, activities such as the "Fairy Palace Moon Viewing Party" at the peak of the Laojun Mountain, which stands over 2,000 meters above sea level, have driven a surge in business for the Hanfu stores at the mountain's summit, leading to a peak in consumer activity.
"This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is witnessing an increase of over 50 percent in Hanfu rentals and sales, as well as travel photography services, compared with the same period last year. With such beautiful scenery as a backdrop, the demand for traditional China-chic consumption remains strong," said Jin Ge, owner of a Hanfu store atop the Laojun Mountain.
Driven by the rise of China-chic, creative cultural products are continuously updated with new offerings.
At a glazed glass workshop in Zibo City, east China's Shandong, skilled workers were busy crafting creative glassworks featuring lively jade rabbits, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
As soon as the products hit the market, they quickly became popular both online and offline.
"While inheriting tradition, we've been exploring something new, developing creative products that better meet current market demands, thus winning the favor of a wide range of consumers," said Liu Jianhua, deputy general manager of Xiye Workshop.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.
China-chic boom fuels consumption for Mid-Autumn Festival
