Qufu, a county-level city in Jining, Shandong province, is actively pioneering new night tourism experiences and cultivating a hub for nocturnal cultural and tourism consumption.

The colorful night economy is gaining popualrity, with a 21 percent year-on-year increase in tourists to Qufu's key attractions and a total of 7.74 million visitors in the first seven months of this year. Visitors have extended their average stay from 0.9 days to 1.5 days, and are engaging deeply with the local culture.
Known as the hometown of Confucius, Qufu has contributed to the creative transformation and innovative development of China's traditional culture and the promotion of culture-based consumption . The city has launched distinctive night tourism brands, including night tours of the Ming Dynasty Old City and Nishan Sacred Land, attracting numerous visitors.

Tourists can enjoy cultural performances during their night tours of the Ancient City of Ming Dynasty in Qufu. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The night tour of the Ancient City of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) provides visitors with an immersive experience to feel the charm of Qufu. They can walk along the old city walls, wear hanfu, taste delicious food, enjoy light shows, and gain a deeper understanding of this great sage.

A splendid light show displays a phoenix hovering over Nishan Sacred Land. [Photo/Dazhong News]

The night tour of Nishan Sacred Land offers a visual feast for tourists with hundreds of drones paired with water and lights. The fusion of technology and traditional culture brings them a fresh experience.

"We came from Zhejiang as a family, hoping to let our children experience the Confucian cultural atmosphere of Shandong during summer vacation. Our wishes have been fulfilled," said a visitor.

In the future, Qufu will develop more diverse night tourism themes, cultural creative products, and experiences to meet the needs of tourists in terms of culture, social interaction, and family engagement.