A frozen waterfall at the Jingpo Lake Scenic Area in Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Controversial exile tourism
A new tourism project has recently sparked widespread debate online.
Set to launch this December, the Jingpo Lake Scenic Area in Mudanjiang, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, will introduce a historical tourism experience called "Exile to Ningguta".
The project aims to recreate the experience of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) exile system, allowing visitors to wear shackles, dress in prisoner attire, and participate in an immersive "exile journey".
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions. Some people see it as a creative way to leverage local resources for promoting cultural tourism.
The project cleverly ties in with the popular period drama Empresses in the Palace (2011), where a significant storyline involves exile to Ningguta, an ancient military town. Fans of the show may find this project a captivating way to step into the drama's world.
However, critics warn that tourism should avoid trivializing historical suffering.
In a recent comment, People's Daily expressed support for innovative cultural tourism projects that engage modern audiences, but emphasized the importance of respecting core cultural values and treating historical themes with sensitivity.
Many young people love blind boxes for the element of surprise and excitement they bring to the shopping experience. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Boxed surprises
The recent Singles Day shopping festival, which started in late October and concluded on Nov 11, highlighted a new trend in consumer purchases of food and daily essentials: supermarket blind boxes have surged in popularity.
Supermarkets now offer a variety of blind box options, such as personal care sets, snack assortments, and even plant or plush toy boxes. Buyers often receive items with a higher value than the price paid, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the unboxing experience.
Blind boxes featuring hotpot ingredients, fruits, vegetables, and seafood are particularly popular, both in stores and on social media, where consumers eagerly share their unboxing moments. Those lucky enough to find a king crab in a seafood blind box feel thrilled, while those who get a common fish receive playful sympathy from their "online friends".
Some even purchase fruit blind boxes hoping for a rare durian, only to discover more common fruits like apples or pears.
Regardless of what they receive, consumers' enthusiasm for supermarket blind boxes is clear. A survey by Sanlian Life Lab and the JD Research Institute for Consumption and Industrial Development revealed that 38.1 percent of consumers find blind box products increasingly appealing, 51 percent are open to trying different types of blind boxes, and 29.8 percent are loyal to product sets.
The survey indicated that blind boxes are popular primarily because they are often more cost-effective than buying individual items. Over 40 percent of respondents also mentioned that blind box sets help them "save time, reduce effort, and make shopping easier", providing a diverse selection and a unique shopping experience.
