The Global Mayors Dialogue and the 9th Hangzhou International Sister City Mayors Conference kicked off in Hangzhou on Sept 25, with mayors or representatives of 24 cities in 15 countries and regions sharing insights on urban governance and sustainable development.

Let us look back at stories about exchanges between Hangzhou and its sister cities.

Hangzhou and Boston (USA) became sister cities in 1982. In March, the Third Global Digital Trade Expo Promotion was held in Boston to deepen cooperation between two cities in fields including digital trade and smart city.

Hangzhou and Budapest (Hungary) became sister cities in 1999. In May, Hangzhou delegation visited Budapest. Both parties exchanged views on heritage protection, cultural tourism, industrial development and urban construction.

Hangzhou and Leeds (UK) became sister cities in 1988. In June, Hangzhou delegation visited Leeds and participated in the UK's Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum to promote cooperation between two cities.

Hangzhou and Kazan (Russia) became sister cities in 2003. In August, Hangzhou delegation visited Kazan and took part in the Founding Congress of "BRICS+" Cities Alliance.

Editor's Note:

From exquisite craftsmanship to traditional medicine, and from solemn rituals to vibrant folk art, intangible cultural heritages weave a rich tapestry of Chinese identity, decorating the various facets of contemporary Chinese people's lives. 

In this series, the Global Times culture desk will walk readers through China's most renowned traditions. For centuries, the essential elements of Chinese intangible cultural heritage have been passed down from master to apprentice, from generation to generation. Today, the ancestral wisdom is being reinvigorated by a new generation of inheritors with creativity.

Sun Yaqing, the director and intangible cultural heritage inheritor of Wangxingji Photo: Courtesy of Wangxingji 

On the surface of a brown-black ebony fan, numerous patterns of golden osmanthus flowers and an ancient pagoda were intricately carved, showcasing the fan's unique Chinese aesthetics.

This fan is a "national gift" presented by the fan-making brand Wangxingji at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. At a national banquet prior to the event, a demonstration of the making of Wangxingji's fans was held in front of numerous international guests and foreign heads of state, who expressed great appreciation for the art. Produced through 86 handcrafting processes, the "black paper fan" is also the most iconic product of Wangxingji, an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) brand that has showcased China's fan-making artistry since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). 

Unlike many other fan products, the water-resistant black fans decorated with Chinese poetry inscriptions represent the wisdom of Chinese craftsmanship and literati spirits while exhibiting a demure aesthetic taste. Traditional Wangxingji black fans are an optimal way for the public to engage with the 150-year-old local history and appreciate the continuous integration of modern elements in its designs.

Benchmark for ancient fansFans made of materials such as sandalwood and silk are part of Wangxingji's diverse products. Nowadays, the company has created 19 different kinds of fans and more than 10,000 types of decorative fan patterns. "Every single one of our products is still handmade," revealed the company's director Sun Yaqing, adding that their "handcrafted tradition in the mechanized age" is what has made their ICH legacy most valuable.

Sun is not only the brand's leader, but also the ICH inheritor of a fan-making technique called "la hua." It refers to using thin steel wires to carve intricate patterns on fans. Wangxingji's fan-making techniques are a time-honored tradition dating back to 1875, when the brand was first established in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province.

Around that time, Wang Xingzhai, the founder of the brand, created a "color painted black fan" with his wife. The piece was unique and set a clear benchmark for ancient Chinese fan-making industry. 

"The whole black fan was evenly covered with a sort of glittery paint made from gold. The paint's nuanced color differences were the result of the gold's different degrees of purity. The fan's skeleton was decorated with colorful snail shells too," Wang Siyi, the deputy manager of the cultural and creative department of Wangxingji, told the Global Times. 

In ancient time, artifacts such as Wangxingji's finely made fans were often given by the Chinese royals as gift to overseas guests. Liu Jiao, an insider of the Chinese arts and crafts history, told the Global Times that although it is small, a Chinese fan can "embody the country's aesthetic spirit and cultural narratives."

Wangxingji's fans often showcase visual imagery inspired by traditional Taoist philosophy. One striking example is a black fan featuring the literary classic "Four Books and Five Classics." This fan boasts an astonishing aesthetic, featuring the text inscribed in 120,000 Chinese characters, each measuring just one millimeter. "Nowadays, fans are not only a useful everyday tool. They are cultural objects that display one's aesthetic and invite people overseas to notice the depth and diversity of Chinese folk culture," Sun told the Global Times. 

1-1-3-2.jpeg

Representative fans by Wangxingji Photo: Courtesy of Wangxingji 

Keeping up with times 

The success of Wangxingji on the global stage has not slowed down its momentum. It has always been Sun's motto that "If the fan does not connect with people, then it is not an ICH legacy." This philosophy drives her to explore innovative ways to keep the Wangxingji fan relevant and "in-trend."

In 2010, Wangxingji established a cultural and creative park that includes facilities like a museum, workshops and also a section dedicated to cross-field cultural products. A notable example of their innovation came during the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou, during which Wangxingji launched a fan collection by collaborating with the event organizers. 

Wang Suxian, the manager of the cultural and creative department of Wangxingji, told the Global Times that such presentations are aimed to attract young consumers. In order to promote the brand, the Wangxingji team has also tried to expand its scope of creative design sharing both online and in people daily lives.

On Sept 23, exactly one year after the opening of the Asian Games, the Hangzhou Asian Games Brand Promotion Association held its inaugural meeting, electing Chen Weiqiang, the executive secretary of the Asian Games Organizing Committee and vice-mayor of Hangzhou, as its first president.

The meeting emphasized the event's success, which has enriched Hangzhou with both material and spiritual wealth, injecting new vitality into the city's long-term development. The association aims to explore the cultural significance of the Asian Games, enhance its impact, and foster cooperation with domestic and international organizations and brands.

Chen highlighted that the establishment of such associations post-event is a common international practice. The association will focus on resource integration, brand promotion, and international collaboration while emphasizing social responsibility and a positive brand image.

Following the meeting, attendees enjoyed a large-scale performance titled Xianghu Elegance, which revisited memorable moments from the Asian Games opening ceremony. The formation of the association marks a milestone in promoting the Asian Games spirit and advancing its legacy, ensuring a bright future for Hangzhou.

Shot by Jiang Xiaowei. Edited by Jiang Xiaowei. Subtitles by Jiang Xiaowei.

Cyclists from France, New Zealand, Russia and Latvia, enjoyed a visit to Nanxiang Ancient Town in Jiading District on Wednesday.

They are all taking part in the upcoming "Tour of Shanghai" competition.

"It's my first visit to China," said Melvin Crommelinck, a member of the the French Nice Metropole Cote D'azur team. "We are really happy to be here and discover Chinese culture."

Fellow team member Damien Girard said Nanxiang was very beautiful but he was only here on a short stay and was not able to visit more scenic spots. He hopes to return in the future.

After a short tour around Nanxiang Old Street, the cyclists engaged in a game of Chinese chess with international masters in Shanghai for Wednesday's 4th Shanghai Xiangqi Master Open.

French cyclist Damien Girard, plays Chinese chess with a robot under the guidance of Xiangqi master Chen Xinglin (fourth from left).

"Chinese chess and French chess are different, but some of the logical principles are interconnected," Girard said. He said he wanted to buy a set of Chinese chess and know more before returning home.

Six chess masters from the Chinese mainland, Macau and Hong Kong took part in the event.

Under the guidance of skilled instructors, the cyclists also attempted to make xiaolongbao (steamed buns), and try grass weaving.

"I find grass weaving makes really beautiful things," Jerome Pulidori, general manager of the French team. "And we had some good teachers to explain how we can make them."

Grass weaving is one of the most representative handicrafts in Jiading with a history of nearly a thousand years.

"I learned that many people will make grass woven shoes as a gift to others when getting married," Guo Junren, a cyclist from Hong Kong, said.

As for making xiaolongbao, many felt it wasn't as easy as it looked.

"I'm trying to make it better, but it is difficult," said one woman with the French team.

"It is a little difficult at beginning, but I like it," said Jonathon Couanon, a French cyclist.

The "Tour of Shanghai" competition will be held from Friday to Sunday in Shanghai's five "new cities" in the suburban districts of Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian and Nanhui in the Pudong New Area.

Some 20 professional teams will take part in the event.

Jiading will be the first stage of the competition with a 115-kilometer cycling journey.

Cyclists from France learn about xiaolongbao.

A grass-weaving instructor praises the skills of a member of the French team.

Zhejiang recently became the first province in China to launch a province-wide AI-powered digital health assistant. The Provincial Health Commission introduced the artificial intelligence assistant, known as Anzhener or Angel, in partnership with Alipay, a leading Chinese mobile payment service provider.

Powered by artificial intelligence, big data and advanced models, Anzhener offers cloud-based medical escort services, health consultations and health management. The Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital has fully integrated the digital health assistant into its operations, serving as a model for other hospitals in the province. Patients can access Anzhener via a mini-app on Alipay.

"When a patient comes to our hospital for cardiology services, they can use Anzhener to navigate to the hospital and then switch to in-hospital navigation," said Yuan Fang, director of outpatient services at the hospital. "Anzhener guides the patient through the entire process, including providing instructions such as where to collect medication."

Patients also receive real-time reminders of medical examinations and appointment updates, reducing confusion and stress during hospital visits. Around 90,000 patients used Anzhener last month and the hospital sent over 535,700 appointment reminders. The real-time navigation feature helped over 7,000 patients, saving an average of 15 minutes per visit, and up to two hours for out-of-town patients or those with elderly or young dependents.

The success of Anzhener has led to its deployment in more than 1,000 medical institutions across Zhejiang, serving nearly 5 million people with a satisfaction rate of 98 percent. The system has cut the workload at hospital information desks by half.

"This technology is transforming the patient experience," Yuan said. "However, the biggest challenge remains ensuring that AI is user-friendly and adaptable to real-world scenarios, requiring continuous fine-tuning based on user feedback."

Patients have also praised the system.

"My children are busy at work, so I have to manage on my own," said Shen Kaijian, a patient interviewed by China Blue News. "If I have health issues, I don't know which department to register with, but with Anzhener, I can handle it myself."

Alipay's digital health division has announced plans to expand Anzhener's services to cover inpatient, physical examination and emergency scenarios, ensuring full coverage of healthcare processes. Alipay has also launched an "AI Health Manager", offering over 30 medical services, including doctor searches and medical report interpretation.

HANGZHOU -- East China's Zhejiang province activated the Level-IV emergency response on Wednesday in anticipation of Typhoon Pulasan, the 14th typhoon of the year.

As of 8 am, Wednesday, the storm was 23.2 degrees north latitude and 132.3 degrees east longitude. According to local meteorological authorities, Pulasan is moving northwest at approximately 45 km per hour, with maximum wind speeds near its center reaching 23 meters per second.

China's National Meteorological Center said the typhoon is expected to make landfall along Zhejiang's coastal areas between Thursday afternoon and evening, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall.

The center issued its blue alert for Pulasan on Wednesday morning, forecasting that the storm would affect eastern and southern regions with gales and torrential rain.

Zhejiang's meteorological authorities warned of potential secondary disasters, including waterlogging, flooding and landslides.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response, and a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Hangzhou is at the forefront of China's sponge city initiative, recently earning an A grade in the national performance evaluation for sponge city construction, local media outlets reported.

The city has developed 365.67 square kilometers of sponge city-compliant drainage areas, covering 41 percent of its urban area. Ten key demonstration areas, including parks like Taohua Lake Park and the Grand Canal Hanggang Park, have significantly improved flood prevention, water quality, and resource utilization.

To date, Hangzhou has implemented 511 sponge city projects, integrating the concept into river restoration, urban green spaces, and community upgrades. The city has created 13 large-scale water retention spaces and wetland parks, adding 336 hectares of water surface area, which have become popular destinations for locals.

Since being named a national demonstration city in 2021, Hangzhou has focused on five main areas: ecological restoration, flood management, water quality improvement, water resource utilization, and urban renewal. These efforts have established Hangzhou as a model for sustainable urban development in China.

In the mountainous Gala township of Garze Xizang'sautonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, a unique art initiative is creating waves of transformation.

Wu Pengbo, an art teacher from Jinghua Elementary School in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has spent nearly a month at the Gala town boarding school in Yajiang county, revolutionizing the role of art in the lives of the students.

Wu, 36, arrived with the intent to support and enhance art education at a school that previously lacked a dedicated art teacher.

"I thought my presence could provide much-needed support," he said. However, the experience has turned out to be mutually transformative.

"Art doesn't need to be taught; it's an innate ability. My role is to provide materials and create an environment," Wu said.

Upon his arrival, Wu quickly revitalized the school's underutilized art classroom, which had superior facilities compared to his own in Hangzhou.

"The school has an excellent art room with all the necessary equipment. Before I arrived, no one was using these materials. Since my arrival, teachers have introduced me and the art room to students, encouraging them to use it during free time. They began to come," Wu said.

He established an art club, inviting enthusiastic students to the studio during their free time and on weekends.

"Since they are boarders, they have about an hour of free time every afternoon, which many students use to visit the art room," Wu said.

Currently, around 30 students visit the art studio daily, and over 100 come on weekends, with classrooms often filled to capacity.

Enriching the lives of boarders

The school, housing 1,314 students, including about 600 boarders, has seen a remarkable shift in student engagement.

"Wu's presence has greatly supported our art education and enriched the lives of our boarding students," said Mao Chengjun, the school principal.

Wu takes only Sunday mornings off to gather inspiration outdoors. By 2 pm, he returns to school and informs the students that they can come to the art room to paint starting at 3 pm, according to the principal.

Wu, a graduate in oil painting, believes his primary role is to guide and inspire.

"I encourage students to draw confidently, as many haven't had professional guidance before and aren't familiar with many art tools," he said.

He has started providing sketching lessons to 12 students, observing notable progress in their work. One student, he highlighted, showed remarkable improvement after just three attempts at drawing basic shapes. "This is a very talented student," Wu said.

Wu's approach goes beyond mere instruction; he aims to foster self-confidence among local teachers who previously lacked professional training in art education.

"Art is innate, and many teachers here understand beauty but lack confidence. I hope to convey this idea and encourage them to inspire their students to create," he said.

Principal Mao supports Wu's vision, recognizing the impact of having a professional art educator.

"Students have shared how Wu has taught them not just to appreciate art but also how to start creating it. We hope to continue utilizing the art studio effectively even after his departure," he added.

Education aid initiative

As part of the support initiative between Shangcheng District of Hangzhou and Garze Xizang'sautonomous prefecture, Wu will spend two months at the school.

Although his time is brief, he hopes to make the most of it by helping the school utilize the art room effectively and encouraging students to manage the studio independently.

"Students who truly love painting will come to the studio during their free time," Wu said.

Wu wants to convey two key messages to the students: that painting can benefit their future, such as for higher education, and that painting is a joyful activity.

In the art room, he has divided the space into two areas — one for free drawing and one for sketching instruction.

The art room is well-equipped with plaster busts for basic sketching, as well as an assortment of painting tools and supplies in the adjacent storage room.

Wu believes that art can transform individuals and is already seeing changes in his students.

"The students are eager to come and are very happy," he said, adding that the students follow classroom rules willingly and require no disciplinary intervention.

A true family

Though Wu has been at the school for less than a month, he has forged strong bonds with students and teachers.

"I have gained immensely from this experience. I am very happy here, not only with the professional achievements in art but also in my interactions with colleagues and students. They are genuinely wonderful and simple people, and spending time with them has been very joyful," he said.

Wu has also found inspiration for his artwork. "I have always been interested in Xizang'sculture. Although I had lived in Xizang areas before, this is my first time in a school setting. My understanding has deepened significantly, which has been very helpful for my painting. I am creating works related to this experience, and the biggest realization is that we are very similar. Han and Xizang'speople truly are one family; there is no real difference. Even in terms of appearance, I feel quite similar to them now, and communication is smooth without any barriers," he added.

Equestrian competition, horse auction and culture forum will be held in Shanghai during the inaugural Shanghai International Horse Culture Week from September 30 to October 7.

The one-week long event will be held at Shanghai Jiushi International Equestrian Center located in Pudong's EXPO park. It will be the first time the venue opens to the public after hosting the 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour in May.

A charity equestrian competition has been scheduled from October 1 to 3. German show jumping champion and 2000 Olympic champion Marcus Ehning will lead another four world-class riders to join Chinese youth riders for the competition.

A sand polo competition will be held on October 6 and 7, gathering international players representing polo clubs from Shanghai, Tianjin, Hangzhou and Singapore.

The Aloga Auction, the second largest horse auction in Europe, will cooperate with Shanghai Free Trade Zone Auction Co to bring the top European show jumping horse auction to Shanghai on October 4 and 5. It will be the first time for a European horse auction to be held in Chinese mainland.

Shanghai Jiushi International Equestrian Center

The Horse Culture Week also features an equestrian show "Shanghai Charm on Horses." Those interested can purchase tickets from m.piaoxingqiu.com.

A horse industry forum will provide communication opportunity for international experts and domestic horse industry practitioners.

A dozen of outstanding European equestrian coaches will open workshops for visitors during the forum. A double-selection meet will be organized for the coaches and local entrepreneurs for future cooperations.

The venue hosted the 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour in May.

"Hangzhou Youli" cultural gifts made their international debut at Kyrgyz National University on Sept 12, drawing admiration from attendees.

Among the showcased items were the Yuhang paper umbrellas and "Fulu Celadon" scented candles, which were praised for their craftsmanship and cultural significance.

This marks the first global outreach of the "Hangzhou Youli" campaign, a celebration of Hangzhou's unique local culture. The initiative, launched to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, features 20 distinctive gifts from various regions in Hangzhou, with over 500,000 views and widespread online engagement.

As part of this international cultural exchange, Zhejiang International Studies University's faculty, led by Chen Haiping, presented these traditional Hangzhou gifts, highlighting the beauty of Chinese craftsmanship through hand-drawn posters. These artworks are set to accompany future overseas exhibitions, promoting Hangzhou's rich heritage.

The cultural exchange is continuing to attract global interest, further spreading the charm of Chinese culture abroad.

Hosting sports competitions has become the biggest contributor to sports services growth, China's sport authority said on Thursday, as it aims to increase the number of high-profile international competitions hosted in the country.

Zhou Jinqiang, vice chief of the General Administration of Sport of China (GASC), said at the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) held in Beijing that China will continue to bring in high-profile international sports competitions.

"Sports services help enrich the supply of high-quality services and facilitates the connection between domestic and international sports markets to build a new development framework, and promotes the upgrade of sports consumption," Zhou said. "In return, it drives the high-quality development of the sports industry."

In 2023, China's sports tourism service trade saw rapid recovery, fueled by a resurgence in outbound travel tours and international spectators attending high-profile events in China like the Chengdu World University Games and the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The total import and export value of the sports tourism service trade reached 43.795 billion yuan in 2023, with imports accounting for a large share, according to Yang Xuedong, chief of the Sports Economy Department of the GASC. This indicates that a large number of Chinese people are going overseas to enjoy sports events. Yang added that the total volume accounted for approximately 31.8 percent of the figure in 2019.

Yang highlighted that after major international sports events such as the 2024 UEFA European Championship and the Paris Olympics, along with improvements in the domestic sports tourism environment, the volume of China's sports tourism service trade this year is expected to grow further.

CIFTIS host city Beijing is also aiming to develop itself as a place for invigorating sports, spearheading China's sports industry growth.

Beijing has been selected as the host city for the 2027 World Athletics Championships and 2029 World Aquatics Championships.

The short track speed skating world championship is also expected to be held in Beijing in 2025, while the year will also see the Asian Winter Games to be held in Harbin in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and the World Games in Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

In August, China's State Council issued guidelines aimed at promoting high-quality service consumption, with a focus on boosting sports participation.

The measures include the government's support for bids or introducing influential international top-tier events and encouraging local regions to organize distinctive mass sports events.

The sports service sector is one of the nine industrial sectors that are on exhibit at CIFTIS, which runs from Thursday to Monday.

The sports service exhibition features over 300 brands from more than 30 countries and regions, including China, France and Italy, according to the organizers.

Based on the buying trends of Chinese travelers who will embrace the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from Sunday, tourism service providers have found that short-distance tours with loose schedules are gaining in popularity.

Dating back thousands of years, the annual holiday is one of China's most traditional festivals and falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. It is normally celebrated with family reunions, worshiping the full moon, and praying for a good harvest and happiness.

Travel portal Fliggy said that as of Sept 4, tour bookings — including hotel, car rental services and tickets for tourism attractions — have experienced double-digit growth on its platform in the recent week, when compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Allowing for the short duration of the holiday — from Sunday to Tuesday with Saturday for work in lieu of the day off on Monday, this year — short-distance tours to places near one's working or living cities are favored, Fliggy said. Tourism attractions with strong Chinese cultural vibes and folk activities such as temple fairs and rabbit-shaped lanterns, common traditions during this particular holiday, have received an increase in bookings for the festival.

Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen are the top five destinations this year, said Fliggy, which attributes their high popularity to the rich number of tourism resources both in the city centers and outskirts, as well as the abundance of convenient transportation options within the cities and to neighboring towns and tourist attractions.

Fliggy found its users are also focusing more on enjoying traditional rituals to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, with searches for tours concerning temple fairs, as well as moon and lantern appreciation surging on the platform by an average of 60 percent.

Customers have also shown a greater interest in taking photos wearing hanfu — traditional Chinese clothing — during their trips.

Li Qing, 33, from Shanghai said: "I've planned a family trip with my parents, husband and little daughter to Suzhou, in Jiangsu province, as the city is very close to Shanghai — roughly half an hour by high-speed train. The holiday is short and we just need a place to chill and relax."

Suzhou is Li's mother's hometown, so it's "a meaningful trip for the family to get some old-world memories during the holiday carrying meanings of reunion," she said.

Online travel agency Tuniu said travel bookings to Shanxi and Gansu provinces, which boast cultural relics of temples and Buddhist grottos with a history of thousands of years, are experiencing remarkable growth.

The company said that the surge in bookings to these destinations is mainly driven by the recent hit video game Black Myth: Wukong, which is based on the Chinese traditional novel Journey to the West, as well as people's increasing desire for experiencing cultural vibes during the holiday.

Travel agencies said many customers plan to have a longer vacation of five or even eight days by asking for several days off work following the holiday, eyeing destinations farther afield or even overseas trips.

Fliggy confirmed that overseas travel bookings for the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday this year surpassed levels during the three-day Dragon Boat Festival in June, and short-distance overseas destinations including Japan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea and Thailand remain the top choices.

Based on the buying trends of Chinese travelers who will embrace the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday from Sunday, tourism service providers have found that short-distance tours with loose schedules are gaining in popularity.

Dating back thousands of years, the annual holiday is one of China's most traditional festivals and falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. It is normally celebrated with family reunions, worshiping the full moon, and praying for a good harvest and happiness.

Travel portal Fliggy said that as of Sept 4, tour bookings — including hotel, car rental services and tickets for tourism attractions — have experienced double-digit growth on its platform in the recent week, when compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Allowing for the short duration of the holiday — from Sunday to Tuesday with Saturday for work in lieu of the day off on Monday, this year — short-distance tours to places near one's working or living cities are favored, Fliggy said. Tourism attractions with strong Chinese cultural vibes and folk activities such as temple fairs and rabbit-shaped lanterns, common traditions during this particular holiday, have received an increase in bookings for the festival.

Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen are the top five destinations this year, said Fliggy, which attributes their high popularity to the rich number of tourism resources both in the city centers and outskirts, as well as the abundance of convenient transportation options within the cities and to neighboring towns and tourist attractions.

Fliggy found its users are also focusing more on enjoying traditional rituals to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, with searches for tours concerning temple fairs, as well as moon and lantern appreciation surging on the platform by an average of 60 percent.

Customers have also shown a greater interest in taking photos wearing hanfu — traditional Chinese clothing — during their trips.

Li Qing, 33, from Shanghai said: "I've planned a family trip with my parents, husband and little daughter to Suzhou, in Jiangsu province, as the city is very close to Shanghai — roughly half an hour by high-speed train. The holiday is short and we just need a place to chill and relax."

Suzhou is Li's mother's hometown, so it's "a meaningful trip for the family to get some old-world memories during the holiday carrying meanings of reunion," she said.

Online travel agency Tuniu said travel bookings to Shanxi and Gansu provinces, which boast cultural relics of temples and Buddhist grottos with a history of thousands of years, are experiencing remarkable growth.

The company said that the surge in bookings to these destinations is mainly driven by the recent hit video game Black Myth: Wukong, which is based on the Chinese traditional novel Journey to the West, as well as people's increasing desire for experiencing cultural vibes during the holiday.

Travel agencies said many customers plan to have a longer vacation of five or even eight days by asking for several days off work following the holiday, eyeing destinations farther afield or even overseas trips.

Fliggy confirmed that overseas travel bookings for the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday this year surpassed levels during the three-day Dragon Boat Festival in June, and short-distance overseas destinations including Japan, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand remain the top choices.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on September 17 this year, has been the subject of many legends and poems in Chinese culture, making it one of the most romantic and poetic of holidays for Chinese people, and a driving force for tourism.

This year, night tours with moon viewing have become a hot item, with night flights and night cruises gaining more popularity among tourists, further boosting the "night economy."

Searches for domestic trips related to night tours in ancient towns and gardens in the past week increased by 77 percent month-on-month, while searches for night cruises increased by 42 percent month-on-month, data from Tongcheng Travel showed on Friday.

As of September 5, the search volume for moon viewing flights has more than doubled month-on-month.

Chinese traditional culture has also attracted the interest of many foreigners. Serge Mitrofanov, a Russian student at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said that he plans to visit the classical gardens in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province with his roommate to experience the romance of Chinese culture.

"Moon-viewing tours and temple fairs are very new things to me. I will experience the city's culture while city walking," he said.

The combination of night tours and Chinese culture is creating a rich atmosphere, as night tours can be deeply integrated with local characteristics, which will help boost vitality and the "night economy," Song Ding, a research fellow from the China Development Institute, told the Global Times on Friday.

The booming "night economy" is also prompting more investment enthusiasm from enterprises. Chen Xi, vice president of Rokid, a Hangzhou-based tech startup, said at the ongoing China International Fair for Trade in Services in Beijing that the company is making efforts to build a "night economy" with augmented reality technology.

China's foreign trade expanded 6 percent year-on-year to 28.58 trillion yuan ($4.02 trillion) in the first eight months of 2024, the General Administration of Customs released the data on Tuesday.

In the meantime, the country's exports rose 6.9 percent yearly to 16.45 trillion yuan, while imports climbed 4.7 percent year-on-year to 12.13 trillion yuan, according to the administration.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has remained China's largest trading partner during the January-August period. China's trade with ASEAN economies surged 10 percent year-on-year to 4.5 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.7 percent of the country's total foreign trade value.

China's foreign trade with the European Union grew by 1.1 percent from a year earlier between January and August, while the country's foreign trade with the United States climbed 4.4 percent on a yearly basis, the customs statistics showed.

Shot by Arina Yakupova. Edited by Arina Yakupova. Subtitles by Wang Xinzhou.

This Mid-Autumn Festival, I found myself at the 7th 'We ART Friends' salon in Qingpu, immersed in a celebration of art, culture, and culinary delights.

The energy was palpable as participants from various backgrounds gathered to partake in the festivities. The day's highlight was a hands-on Shaomai cooking workshop. Shaomai are a staple of Chinese cuisine, known for their delicate wrappers and rich fillings, each symbolizing luck and longevity.

The workshop underscored how food has the incredible power to bring people together, turning a simple meal into a profound cultural exchange. As we moved on to dinner, the setting was magical, adorned with moon-themed decorations that perfectly captured the festive spirit.

Watch this vlog to learn more, and as a bonus, you can find the Shaomai recipe there.

Wuhan Tianhe Station, Han Yang Station, Yangtze River New Area Station, Wuhan New City Station... The number of Wuhan hub railway stations will expand from four to eight!

Yangtze River High-Speed Railway to have two new stations built in Wuhan

According to the latest plan, Wuhan will build new stations such as Wuhan Tianhe Station, Yangtze River New Area Station, and Wuhan Xincheng Station, forming a railway passenger station pattern of "five main stations (Wuhan Station, Hankou Station, Han Yang Station, Wuhan Tianhe Station, and Wuchang Station) and three auxiliary stations (Wuhan East Station, Yangtze River New Area Station, and Wuhan Xincheng Station)."

Before, the Wuhan Station, the HanKou Station, the Wuhan East Station, and the Wuchang Station were in operation. As the level of urban development in Wuhan has been raised, these four stations will be unable to meet the demands of passenger transportation in the future. It is imperative to open more railway passenger stations.

The design of Tianhe Railway Station in Wuhan has been unveiled, with many netizens looking forward to the completion of this railway station that can check-in passengers.

Rendering of Tianhe Railway Station in Wuhan

Wuhan Tianhe Station and Yangtze River New Area Station, are two new stations located on the Hubei section of the high-speed railway from Hefei to Wuhan along the Yangtze River which is under construction. After the completion of the line, it will take passengers one and a half hours to reach Hefei and three hours to reach Shanghai from Wuhan.

Eight railway stations in Wuhan each have their own focuses

According to the plan, the eight stations in the "five main and three auxiliary" system have different focuses in their functions.

Wuhan Station

Carrying out the arrival and departure operations for the high-speed trains on the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway and the Huangshi and Huanggang intercity railways;

HanKou Station

Handling the arrival and departure operations for the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Chongqing passenger expressway, the Beijing-Jiujiang railway, and the Wuhan-Xiaogan, Xiangyang-Wuchang intercity railways;

Wuchang Station

Responsible for handling all ordinary passenger trains except those on the Wujing Line, Wukang Line, and the Honghu direction, as well as the arrival and departure operations of the Wuhong (Gong) and Wucheng intercity railways;

Hanyang Station

To undertake the operation of Fuxing High-Speed Railway and intercity trains to and from Yingjiang (Xiantao), Tianmen direction;

Wuhan Tianhe Station 

To handles the arrival and departure operations of trains along the Yangtze River, Fuyin and the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway;

Wuhan East Station

To assist in the operation of Wuhuang (Wuhan) and Wuchang-Xianjiang intercity railway high-speed trains;

Yangtze River New Area Station

To carry out arrival and departure operations for the Yangjiang High-Speed Railway;

Wuhan Xincheng Station 

To assist the Hankou Station in handling the through train operations of the Yangjiang High-Speed Railway;

Planning and configuration of Wuhan Railway Station rank among the top in China

In the "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for the Development of Modern Integrated Transport Hub System," a total of 20 international comprehensive transportation hub cities have been determined. Among them, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Tianjin, and Wuhan, all with a population of over 10 million, are all included.

Beijing currently has seven large passenger hub stations, with a total of eight stations planned. Shanghai proposes a "four main and many auxiliary" railway hub pattern. Guangzhou plans a "five main and four auxiliary" railway passenger hub. Shenzhen is building a "three main and four auxiliary" railway passenger hub.

A spokesperson for the Wuhan Railway Bureau said: "The planning and configuration of the eight railway stations in Wuhan, which includes five main stations and three auxiliary stations, is not inferior to those of other super-large cities, and the scale and number of stations are among the leading ones in China."

Editor: Nie Yang

Shanghai halted transportation links, recalled ships and shut tourism spots including Shanghai Disney Resort on Sunday as it braced for Typhoon Bebinca, in what could be the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Chinese financial hub since 1949.

The Category 1 typhoon, packing maximum sustained wind speeds near its center of around 144 kph, was about 400 km southeast of Shanghai as of 5:00 pm. It is expected to make landfall along China's eastern coast after midnight on Monday.

The China Meteorological Administration issued typhoon red alert on Sunday afternoon, warning of gales and heavy rainfalls in eastern China.

The strongest storm to make landfall in Shanghai in recent decades was Typhoon Gloria in 1949, which tore through the city with gusts of 144 kph. Shanghai was last threatened by a direct hit in 2022 by the powerful Typhoon Muifa, which instead landed 300 km away in the city of Zhoushan, in Zhejiang Province.

Shanghai is typically spared the strong typhoons that hit further south in China, including Yagi, a destructive Category 4 storm that roared past southern Hainan province last week. But Shanghai and neighbouring provinces are taking no chances with Category 1 Bebinca.

All flights will be cancelled at Shanghai's two airports from 8 pm local time on Sunday, and the operator, the Shanghai Airport (Group) Co said it will announce adjustments depending on typhoon's impact.

The Shanghai railway station has also suspended some services to ensure passenger safety, and the Shenzhen government said trains to and from Shanghai will be halted.

Resorts in Shanghai, including Shanghai Disney Resort, Jinjiang Amusement Park and Shanghai Wild Animal Park, have been temporarily closed while most ferries have been halted to and from Chongming Island - China's third-biggest island known as "the gateway to the Yangtze River."

In Zhejiang, ships have been recalled while several parks in the provincial capital Hangzhou announced closures.

Bebinca's arrival will coincide with the Mid-Autumn festival, a nationwide three-day holiday when many Chinese travel or engage in outdoor activities.

China's Ministry of Water Resources on Saturday issued a Level-IV emergency response - the lowest level in China's four-tier emergency response system - for potential flooding in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.

SHI JIE, a fashion label created by Chinese womenswear designer Shi Jie in Paris in 2011, released its 2025 spring/summer collection with a runway show on Thursday in the E-Fashion Town of Hangzhou, as part of the 25SS China Fashion Week.

The designer has distinguished himself by embodying the spirit of ink wash painting and calligraphy—the essence of traditional Chinese art—in his brand. He drew inspiration from the cloud, a symbol of free spirit, elegance, and romance in Chinese aesthetics, to create the new series.

The new collection, made of natural materials including silk, linen, and long-staple cotton, also highlights Chinese hand-painting, dyeing and finishing, and embroidery.

The runway show featured pants and dresses of loose, relaxed silhouettes that evoke unrestrained, expressive Chinese xieyi (freehand brushwork) paintings and clean-cut jackets created using Western tailoring techniques. The designer hoped his garments could help present an image of Chinese women who possess both strength and gentleness.

The event also marked the official launch of SHI JIE, the label’s eponymous natural skincare and cosmetic brand. All the makeup products used by the models at the event were from the SHI JIE natural beauty makeup series.

Shanghai's meteorological officials upgraded the alert for typhoon Bebinca from blue to yellow at 8am on Sunday morning.

Yellow is the second lowest level in four-color weather warning system.

Along with the typhoon alert, the city's flood prevention office also raised the emergency response to level-three, the second lowest in its four-tier system.

It has warned that outside work should stop, and relevant departments should stay alert, as downpours and strong winds are expected to lash the city from tonight to tomorrow.

Bebinca's center was located 580 kilometers southeast of Shanghai at 8:49am on Sunday, with a wind force of up to 126 kilometers per hour, according to the National Meteorological Center.

Residents are advised to reduce outdoor activities amid the typhoon-approach period and stay safe.

More in-city activities have been rescheduled or canceled.

• The float exhibition of the 2024 Shanghai Tourism Festival scheduled on Sunday and Monday at Lift Hub at Daning in Jing'an District and Global Harbor in Putuo District have been cancelled.
• A shopping-themed cultural and tourism carnival scheduled between Sunday and Tuesday at Jing'an Park and the pedestrian mall of Jiuguang Department Store will be postponed to between Tuesday and Thursday at the same locations.
• Shanghai Disney Resort will shut down at 5pm on September 15 and remain closed through September 16. Operations will resume on the 17th, while the resort's hotels will stay open for guests.
• The Motocross World Championship (MXGP) in Fengxian District will now be wrap up in a single day on Sunday, with Monday's race canceled. Fans with tickets for the canceled day can request refunds through the official ticketing platform.

Some roads in city are also closed to use during the typhoon season, according to local traffic police.

• Donghai Bridge and the Changjiang Bridge of G40 Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway will be closed.
• Certain parts of the G1503, S3, S32, S4 as well as the entire Tongji Elevated Expressway are subject to speed limits, closures, and other management and control measures.

The predicted path of this year's 13th typhoon, Typhoon Bebinca, between 5am on Sunday and 5pm on Tuesday.

More railway services are suspended.

According to China Railway Shanghai Group, temporary suspension measures will be implemented for some lines through the Hangzhou-Shenzhen High-speed Railway, Hangzhou-Ningbo High-speed Railway, Jinshan Line, Pudong Line, and other lines from Sunday to Monday, as well as some trains traveling through the Hangzhou-Taizhou High-speed Railway, Hangzhou-Changchun High-speed Railway, Shanghai-Kunming High-speed Railway, Hefei-Hangzhou High-speed Railway, and other lines on Monday.

Rail authorities are closely paying attention to the influence of the typhoon to make flexible arrangements, the group said.

A full refund of tickets will be offered for passengers on above lines.

Passengers are advised to make refund application online within 30 days (including the day) from the boarding date of the ticket or at the station window with their ID card. If they have further questions, they can call the service line at 021-12306 and check the railway website 12306.cn, said the group.