Travel Through a Thousand Years, Explore the Ancient City of Langya — A Dreamy Journey During the National Day Holiday

During the National Day holiday, I finally checked in at the long-awaited Langya Ancient City, and it was absolutely stunning! I can't wait to share my experience with everyone. Preparation for the Journey Through Time • Tickets: Purchase tickets in advance through official channels like Trip.com to avoid wasting time in queues. • Hanfu: There are several Hanfu rental shops inside the ancient city, but since it’s crowded during the National Day holiday, you can also bring your own Hanfu. Choose styles like Wei-Jin wide-sleeved ruqun or Ming Dynasty official red woven-gold wedding attire for amazing photos. Immersive Live Performances • "Guoxiu Langya": This show is definitely the highlight! It starts promptly at 7:30 PM at the Langya Grand Theater, featuring 178 stage mechanical setups and 400 sound, light, and electric devices, creating a breathtaking audiovisual feast. Witness the Dongyi civilization amid the scent of ocean waves, feel Meng Tian’s resistance against the Xiongnu with the neighing of warhorses, and VIP seats offer special effects like “water mist brushing your face” and “warhorse dust.” • "Only This Langya": The nation’s first mobile performance unfolds along a 500-meter aerial red corridor. Follow the "Langya County Governor" through the Qin and Han towers, Wei-Jin markets, and Ming-Qing streets, as if personally experiencing the rise and fall of the ancient city. • "Lanting Xu": Watch the live performance of "Lanting Xu" at the Ink Garden, where actors use water as ink and the ground as paper to recreate the scene of the Sage of Calligraphy writing. You can also interact on-site by composing poetry, feeling the cultural charm and spirit. Fun NPC Interactions • Zhuge Village: In the hermit’s peach blossom land, Zhuge Village, you can play chess and compose couplets with Langya’s famous NPC scholars, or swear brotherhood under the peach blossoms with “ancient people.” Interactions can earn you Langya silver tickets, which can be used for discounts within the ancient city. • Yizhou Commercial District: Here, you might be pulled in by the “county magistrate” to judge a case, or encounter a drunken Wang Xizhi at the Ink Garden who quizzes you on the "Admonition to My Son." Wrong answers trigger hidden storylines, and you might be “arrested” by soldiers and taken to the training ground for military drills. Ancient City Photo Spots • Wangjing Tower Lantern Wall: Wear the Ming Dynasty official red woven-gold wedding attire and use slow shutter photography when the lanterns light up, letting the flickering light and shadows create flowing patterns on your skirt, with a blurred background highlighting the feeling of “a glance through a thousand years.” • Prince’s Mansion Reflection Mirror: Place your phone close to the bronze mirror at the Yizhou Government Office and use the mirror’s reflection to capture “double portraits,” overlapping the foreground figure with the NPC judging a case in the background, as if a dialogue between past and present. • Fluorescent Staircase: The glowing blue steps at the entrance emit a soft light at night. Turn on your phone’s night mode to capture dynamic shots of people ascending the stairs. Adding a “star trail” effect in post-production makes it even more stunning. Food and Shopping • Food: Experience intangible cultural heritage snacks like sugar painting and dough figurines at Langya Xishi. You can also try the limited “Princess Crisp,” which is freshly made only if you say “Lanling King recommends” to the pastry shop owner. • Shopping: The ancient-style market is full of creative cultural products, including heritage brands like Huang family rice noodles, Qingcheng hairpins, and Yimeng coarse cloth. You can buy some as souvenirs. Langya Ancient City is truly a place you don’t want to leave once you arrive. Here, it feels like traveling through a thousand years, personally experiencing the prosperity and vicissitudes of ancient times. Visiting here during the National Day holiday is definitely an unforgettable trip. Linyi, Shandong Langya Ancient City Linyi Zhongwei Ronghua Hotel (Train Station Wanxianghui Branch)