Millennial Song Dynasty Charm Shines Anew at 2026 Kaifeng Qingming Culture Festival
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KAIFENG, China, April 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Amidst the bright and pleasant scenery of spring, the 2026 Kaifeng Qingming Culture Festival has officially commenced today (April 1 st , local time). Themed "Honoring Heritage, Embracing Spring," this year's festival aims to recreate the grand spectacle of the Qingming Festival as described in the classic historical text, A Dream of Splendor in the Eastern Capital , where the "entire countryside bustled like a marketplace". Through a series of signature events - including Intangible Cultural Heritage showcases, parades featuring traditional flower-adorned hairpins, and immersive live-action spectacles - the festival serves as a vital window for showcasing the charm of this ancient capital to the world and sharing the richness of traditional Chinese culture with an international audience.
In Zhuxian Town's Qifeng Old Garden, traditional black-canopied boats glide along the Grain Transport River, their wakes rippling through reflections of fresh spring green. On the nearby New Year Painting Street, the ancient art of woodblock printing brings folk traditions to life. Here, amidst the idyllic spring scenery of a classic Central Plains water town, visitors from Zhengzhou stroll leisurely, soaking in the profound cultural legacy of this ancient hub. At the Millennium City Park, visitors dressed in Song Dynasty attire with traditional flowers adorning their hair wander among immersive live-action performances like The Flower-Adorned Gentleman · Flying Devas Show , authentically reviving the Song-era custom of wearing floral hairpins. At the Kaifeng City Wall, the Micro-Dream · Daliang Gate show utilizes glasses-free 3D technology, allowing visitors standing directly above the archaeological ruins to witness the stunning spectacle of "cities built upon cities." Meanwhile, at the Aisijia Agricultural Carnival, families explore real fields and futuristic farms, gaining a tangible connection to the profound heritage of China's millennia-old agrarian civilization. And at the Chery Henan R&D Center and the Jetour Auto Industrial Study Base, vibrant groups of students engage in an immersive journey into the world of modern industrial technology.
These vibrant cultural and tourism scenes are a testament to Kaifeng's ongoing efforts to carry forward the Jiao Yulu spirit - the ethos of selfless dedication and resilience in public service, delve deep into its Song Dynasty cultural roots, and foster a profound integration of culture and tourism. This sustained exploration is part of a focused strategy to establish the city as an internationally renowned cultural tourism destination. Furthermore, these initiatives resonate in lockstep with the broader regional development, including the construction of the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Integrated Development Demonstration Zone, the Advanced Manufacturing New City, and the Modern Characteristic Agriculture Demonstration Zone. In 2025, Kaifeng City received a total of 116 million tourist visits, generating over RMB 87 billion in comprehensive tourism revenue. Notably, the Millennium City Park surpassed 8 million annual visits, while Wansui Mountain Scenic Area achieved a remarkable 15-fold growth over three years. During this year's Spring Festival holiday alone, Kaifeng welcomed over 10 million visits.
In recent years, leveraging the unique positioning of the Kaifeng Area of the China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the city's "Cultural Free Trade" initiative is showing tangible results. Within its National Cultural Export Base, Kaifeng has established a "one warehouse, one park, one valley, one center" platform to facilitate global outreach. In 2025, exports of cultural products saw a year-on-year increase of over six-fold, as iconic Central Plains cultural symbols such as Bian Embroidery, Guan Ware (Official Porcelain), and the digital version of Along the River During the Qingming Festival reach a global audience. Further highlighting this success, in early 2026, two of the Kaifeng Area's projects - the "'Cultural Trade Silk Road' International Marketing" initiative and the "Bian Embroidery Cultural and Creative R&D" program - were selected as national key projects for international cultural and tourism cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
From the city-wide spring vitality of the Qingming Culture Festival, to the dynamic fusion of its cultural and tourism sectors, and onward to the steady progress of its global outreach, the ancient capital of Kaifeng is telling the world a unique story: the story of a living, breathing Song Dynasty legacy.
Contact person: Ms. Li Tel: 86-10-63074558
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