In Yan'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a street has staged special activities including performances of songs from the revolutionary years and a large-scale bonfire gathering. Visitor numbers on the first day of the holiday rose about 20 percent year on year.

　　The holiday has also turned some of China's newest robots into part of the consumer experience, putting embodied intelligence to work alongside traditional culture in tourist attractions, shopping districts and ancient towns.

　　At a cultural district in Chengdu, robots performed dances inspired by local opera's face-changing art and used digital technology to recreate tanghua, a traditional form of sugar painting.

　　On Chunxi Road, a humanoid robot has gone beyond entertainment to take on the role of a store manager, greeting customers and recommending products rather than simply performing for them.

　　China's growing network of robot training bases is preparing more machines for roles beyond the factory floor -- and beyond the country's borders. In the first half of 2026, Chinese manufacturers accounted for 97 percent of humanoid robot shipments worldwide, according to a report released at the 2026 World Robot Conference.

　　Years of efforts to restore the environment and revitalize rural areas are also paying off. On a ridge overlooking the Miyun Reservoir in Beijing, visitors can hike to a viewing platform and enjoy outdoor concerts amid the pine trees.

　　With roads, infrastructure and public services extending deeper into the countryside, some once-remote villages are emerging as new destinations for holidaymakers.

　　Caijiagou, a former impoverished hillside village in east China's Shandong Province, has transformed into an art-themed destination, with murals adorning residential walls.