Nightlife options boom in Chongqing and Guiyang

CHONGQING — As night descends, an enchanting display of light and shadow plays across the site of a century-old French Catholic church in Yuzhong district in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing.

The immersive outdoor event, called the "Magic Sound Party", allows the audience to interact with actors to the accompaniment of exciting lighting.

Known as the Ren'ai Wilderness Theater, the site comes with captivating views of the Yangtze River and Nanshan Mountain. Over time, it has blossomed into a favorite destination in the city, drawing a significant influx of young visitors with different nighttime entertainment offerings, including immersive dramas and music festivals.

Deng Yulian, 21, a university student majoring in art, was enthralled by the event. "It seemed that we were really attending a mysterious party," Deng said.

During the summer, the vibrant nightlife adds extra joy to local life. Yuzhong district in particular has nearly 30 prominent night entertainment projects in a sprawling business area of 2.05 million square meters that is home to about 5,000 establishments. This flourishing nightlife scene not only entertains people, but also employs some 11,000 people.

The vigorous development of after-dark recreation is encouraging the staging of art performances, street fairs, sports and other activities. Data show that last year, China's nighttime market was worth nearly 42.4 trillion yuan ($5.9 trillion), an increase of 16.7 percent over the previous year.

Flashing neon signs light up the night sky in the streets and alleys of Qingyun market in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province. This vibrant market occupies the premises of a former factory building and houses three types of ventures — catering, entertainment and cultural creation — making it a bustling place at night.

Zhang Fenglan, director of investment promotion and operation at the market, said that consumption is undergoing a transformation in Guiyang. The main idea behind the market was to provide people with a platform to exhibit local culture and showcase the city's vibrancy.

Since the launch of the project on Dec 11, 2021, an average of about 30,000 people now visit the market daily, and more than 80,000 tourists visited on the first day of the Labor Day holiday alone.

Libraries, bookstores and other cultural institutions have been instrumental in fueling the growth of the city's nighttime economy.

In stark contrast to the vibrant atmosphere of Qingyun market, a serene library tucked away along the Qingyun Road Pedestrian Street offers book lovers somewhere quiet to read at night.

"We are trying to give young people another option apart from bars and nightclubs," said librarian Fang Jing, adding that the library now has many regular customers and has become a quiet spot amid the noise of the night market.

Xinhua