Patriotism sparks consumption during National Day "golden week" holiday

A woman poses for a photo in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, Oct. 1, 2023. People across the country enjoy themselves in various ways on the first day of the National Day holiday. (Xinhua/Li Jianan)

YINCHUAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- During the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday, which began on Sept. 29 and will continue until Oct. 6, China's consumption market has been fueled by the public's love for family and for the nation.

Patriotic cultural and creative products have become popular among Chinese people in recent years.

Beijing resident Du Yuanyuan has bought a patriotic craft product every year since her child began kindergarten, and they work on it together during the National Day holidays. One year, for example, she bought a paper model of the Tian'anmen Square.

"This year, I bought a Chinese puzzle for my child," she said.

Increasing numbers of regular consumers in China are buying flags to celebrate National Day, adding to the many orders already coming from the country's various organizations and businesses.

"Our orders start to surge from September every year. The period around National Day is our peak sales season of the year," said a customer service employee at a shop selling national flags on Taobao, China's leading e-commerce platform.

"Ordinary consumers prefer flags that are small enough to hold and wave in their hands. Many people ask which one to buy for their children," the employee said.

This year's extended vacation period allows Chinese people to enjoy an eight-day break from work. And many have chosen to jump on the "red tourism" bandwagon.

Zhang Jun drove from northwest China's Shaanxi Province to the city of Guyuan in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region during the "golden week" holiday. "I brought my child to Liupanshan Mountain to experience the local red culture," Zhang said.

Lu Xuezhou, deputy general manager of the Liupanshan Red Army Long March scenic area in Guyuan, said that with the red tourism boom across the country in recent years, the number of tourists the scenic area receives has grown year by year, and it expects to welcome nearly 20,000 tourists during the holiday this year.

"On Oct. 1, we organized various celebrations for visitors, including sunrise viewings, national anthem renditions, and national flag-raising ceremonies," Lu said. "There will also be a red art performance to celebrate the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and tourists can walk along a 'Red Army path' to trace the history of the Long March and learn from the Long March spirit."

Patriotic films such as "My People, My Country," "The Battle at Lake Changjin" and "Home Coming" have led China's box office over recent years. Domestic patriotic hits like "The Volunteers: To The War," which commemorates the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953), have also been released during this year's National Day holiday.

"We have ramped up our holiday schedules for these films, which can reach wider audiences than other genres and often attract three generations of family members to the theater," said Chen Jing, who works at a cinema in Ningxia.

By Sept. 30, "The Volunteers: To The War," which was released in Chinese mainland cinemas on Sept. 28, had seen its box office revenue exceed 100 million yuan (about 13.93 million U.S. dollars).