Tourist hotspot Dunhuang rolls out colorful events during National Day holiday

Dunhuang City in northwest China's Gansu Province, renowned for its Mogao Grottoes, became an even more vibrant tourist hotspot during the National Day holiday. The city welcomed holidaymakers with a range of unforgettable experiences, showcasing its rich natural and cultural heritage. Before the sun rises over the vast desert, visitors flock to the highest peaks to witness the breathtaking sight of dawn breaking.

"At the moment I saw the sun rising from the other side of the desert, I felt an overwhelming excitement inside. Come out and enjoy the scenery; embrace the nature," said Beijing tourist Yu Di.

At the iconic Mingsha Mountain, which is named for the sound of the wind over the dunes, adventurers have multiple ways to enjoy the sunrise, including camel rides, or helicopter, delta wing glider and hot air balloon excursions.

Renowned for the magnificent architecture and rich history, the Mogao Grottoes, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site, has provided digital exhibitions this year, allowing guests to step into the renowned 285th cave and engage with the age-old artwork with latest cutting-edge technology.

"Currently, we have digitized over 290 caves in the Mogao Grottoes. We are now showcasing these caves and the site through digital formats, such as green screen virtual studios, to provide visitors with an immersive experience. This allows everyone to clearly and intuitively understand the various aspects of the caves and the murals," said Chen Xin, an expert of the Dunhuang Academy's cultural relics digitization team.

In addition to stunning sights, Dunhuang's culinary legacy offers a taste of its rich heritage. From traditional snacks to savory dishes, each plate tells a story of cultural significance and local flavor.

The week-long National Day holiday, starting on October 1 and known as a "Golden Week", is one of China's largest annual public holidays.

Tourist hotspot Dunhuang rolls out colorful events during National Day holiday

People across China have been enjoying various intriguing cultural performances and exciting recreational activities during the week-long National Day holiday that started on Oct.1.

Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, opened an archaeological site of the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1046 BC) to the public during the holiday. The event offers the distribution of the Shang Dynasty relics and architectures, and relics display area, restoration demonstration area, touch area for visitors.

Meanwhile, flocks of extreme sports enthusiasts were deeply attracted by different high-altitude events, such as bungee jumping, via ferrata, and zip lining at the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon scenic area in Zhangjiajie City of central China's Hunan Province.

In Pingshan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province, the local government used an ancient town as a stage for live cultural performances, and visitors can also enjoy the ethnic Yi dance in the area.

Sheyang County of east China's Jiangsu Province set up a 100-meter-long scroll, which attracted many parents and children to paint and express their love and blessings to the motherland, and arranged cultural performance such as face-changing performance of Sichuan Opera, lion dancing, Huai Opera and acrobatic shows.

Linfen City of north China's Shanxi Province also actively promoted the low-altitude economy by opening five helicopter bases that provide aerial tours of major scenic spots such as Guangsheng Temple in Hongtong County, Yunqiu Mountain in Xiangning County, and Hukou Waterfall in Jixian County.

"It's my first time to take this helicopter. It means that now ordinary people can also take short trips in the sky. It's nice and shocking to see the whole landscape from a high place," said tourist Zhao Ke.

"Such way of traveling let me have a deeper understanding of the history and culture of Hongtong County and our natural scenery," said tourist Liu Hangrui.

People across China enjoy intriguing cultural, recreational activities during National Day holiday