The 2026 Shanghai Tourism Festival parade kicked off at the Bund Bull Square on the evening of September 12. Twenty-one domestic and international performing teams and 21 themed floats took the stage together, bringing a moving visual feast to visitors from home and abroad. The Huaihua Dong ethnic performance "Wandering Through the Blessed Land," organized by the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, made a stunning debut, showcasing Hunan's rich ethnic charm along the banks of the Huangpu River.

An art troupe from Huaihua, Hunan performs during the Shanghai Tourism Festival parade. (Photo provided by the organizer)

"Wandering Through the Blessed Land" delves deeply into the authentic cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group in Tongdao Dong Autonomous County, blending ancient Dong folk songs with trendy creative performances. During the parade, Dong young men sang in clear, bright voices while Dong young women danced gracefully. The traditional ethnic dance movements were fluid and expressive, and the authentic folk songs were melodious and lingering, breathing new life into classic Dong cultural expressions.

The crisp clinking of silver ornaments intertwined with the rich tones of the lusheng, infusing the night on the Bund with a touch of Eastern ethnic vitality and enduring charm. Many foreign visitors raised their cell phones to capture the moment, saying, "After watching this parade, I've just added Hunan to my travel bucket list."

An art troupe from Huaihua, Hunan performs during the Shanghai Tourism Festival parade. (Photo provided by the organizer)

This year's Shanghai Tourism Festival attracted numerous international performing teams, featuring high-quality stage design and extensive media coverage. During the parade, the Hunan Dong ethnic performing team engaged in warm and friendly exchanges with performing troupes from Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and other countries.

On September 13, Hunan carried out multiple cultural tourism promotion and artistic flash mob activities at the North District of the Bund Financial Center and New World City on Nanjing Road, and launched premium tourism routes while promoting distinctive cultural tourism resources to Shanghai residents.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Voice of Hunan