Blending innovative technologies with traditional culture, major cities across China are attracting growing crowds with immersive historical districts, performances, and digital-era exhibits that transform heritage exploration into interactive sensory experiences.

As China is embracing the most important festival -- the Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, these cities are enhancing offerings in urban parks, theme parks, and commercial areas.
In Shanghai, the "Deep Space Future" center brings an 8K immersive experience space for exploring the metaverse.
Visitors embark on a space voyage while sitting in front of a massive projection screen measuring 8 meters in height and 15 meters in width, accompanied by proportional floor projections.
Project manager Zhang Minfeng says such versatile venues will introduce new creative formats.
"In the future, we will bring new creative formats such as square-box spaces that act as multi-function halls or cinemas," said Zhang.
In Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the "Chang'an 24 Hours" themed district integrates popular drama elements into real space. Chang'an is the former name of the city when it served as the imperial capital.
Combining popular TV series, immersive entertainment, and cultural dining, it attracts crowds keen to experience the culture of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), observing and participating in daily urban life from over 1,000 years ago.
"Through touchable, perceptible, and consumable cultural and tourism-oriented lifestyle scenes, we aim to transform visitors from mere spectators into active participants, with experiential settings allowing them to immerse themselves and truly appreciate the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture," said Li Yuanyuan, a staff member of the themed district.
China's first immersive opera heritage district, the "Wuling Nightless City" historic street in Shiyan City of central China's Hubei Province, welcomed over 100,000 tourists on its opening day, offering performance troupes, music, and 5G virtual elements for a series of spectacular shows.
Tourist Mao Kaiyi praised the spectacle for finding innovative ways to communicate tradition.
"It was amazing. The water show integrates the creativity and inspiration of traditional opera into the waterscape light show. The video effect is splendid," said Mao.
The 361-meter historic street in the city offers operatic performances across 15 cultural landmarks.