张家界把黄金周游客变成了演员——探秘中国最沉浸式的旅行大秀

The photos were nice. But this Golden Week, foreign visitors in Zhangjiajie did something better than take photos — they joined the show.

The UNESCO-listed mountain city in central China's Hunan Province became the country's most unexpected stage for immersive travel this National Day holiday. On viewing platforms, glass bridges and lantern-lit streets, international tourists weren't watching from the side. They were dancing, getting "married," and holding their breath under 1,600°C molten-iron fireworks.

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The Shift: From Spectator to Participant

China Travel's biggest change isn't a new destination — it's a new role for the traveler. In Zhangjiajie, that played out everywhere.

At the Bailong Elevator viewing platform in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tujia folk performances and the traditional "door-blocking wine" ceremony pulled tourists straight into the action. Max, a Dutch visitor, told CCTV: "We've been here for three days, and everybody is really nice."

On the Cloud Sky Glass Bridge, lion dancers wove through the crowd, stopping to pose with travelers from every continent.

The Night Show You Can't Stop Filming

The evening scene at the 72 Wonder Towers was the highlight nobody planned for. At the "Bride Selection" show, foreign visitors were invited on stage to throw the embroidered ball and take part in a Tujia wedding ceremony. Eli, an Australian traveler, laughed that he wanted to be the groom.

Then came the moment that stopped everyone: a molten-iron firework show — performers throwing 1,600°C liquid iron into the night sky, sending cascades of golden sparks like a river of stars. Alejandra from Peru called it "wonderful, amazing, and magical."

How Zhangjiajie Made Culture Understandable

The bigger story is how the city removed the language barrier.

At Tianmen Mountain, the immersive musical "Tianmen Fox Fairy" uses the canyon as its stage, blending Sangzhi folk songs, Xiangxi flower-drum opera and modern lighting — visual enough that even first-timers can follow the story.

At the Charm of Western Hunan theater in Wulingyuan, the 3,200-seat venue sold out four shows every night during the holiday. Maogusi dance, Tujia wedding customs and folk acrobatics run with Chinese, English and Korean subtitles. Despoina from Greece summed it up: "Costumes, stage, lights — everything was extravagant."

What This Means for Your China Travel Plan

Zhangjiajie's formula works for any first trip to China: stunning scenery alone isn't the draw anymore — participation is. Look for destinations and experiences where you can do, not just view:

• Join a folk ritual: weddings, tea ceremonies, festival dances
• Book a cultural show with subtitles: multilingual productions make stories land
• Stay for the night scene: firework shows, lantern streets, night markets — the magic hour for local culture

This Golden Week, Zhangjiajie hosted visitors from 196 countries and regions, with Korea as the largest source market. But the real takeaway was about the trip itself: the travelers who went home with stories were the ones who stepped into the show.

Related: Looking for more ways to experience China beyond the landmarks? Check out our city night experiences and start planning your own immersive itinerary.

Sources: CCTV News, CCTV+ (Oct 3, 2026); China Tourism Academy data reported by state media.