Tradition comes alive in China's ancient towns on National Day holiday

Ancient towns and historic blocks across China have rolled out a range of activities combining traditional folk customs and cultural performances for the weeklong National Day holiday, offering visitors immersive cultural experiences.

Boyan Ancient Town, which sits at the eastern foot of the Taihang Mountains in Handan City, north China's Hebei Province dates back nearly a thousand years. During the holiday, traditional parades, folk acrobatics and music performances are staged in rotation, blending the town's historic charm with contemporary flair.

In Pianyan Ancient Town in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a long banquet has been set up on a historic street, allowing visitors to enjoy local delicacies while watching folk performances featuring face-changing and fire-spitting acts.

Also in Chongqing, Banqiao Old Town has been staging a folk parade along its old street. With a plowing ox leading the way, farmers carrying goods on shoulder poles and drums accompanied the procession.

In Wuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the century-old Qilou Block has also drawn crowds with traditional performances and activities. Visitors sampled local delicacies, watched lion dances and even saw a robot make tea.

From folk customs and traditional performances to local cuisine and new forms of entertainment, these activities are bringing historic neighborhoods to life and offering visitors new ways to experience traditional culture during the holiday.