Free access boosts tourism economy at Jiangxi's Tengwang Pavilion

Despite scorching July heat, tourists dressed in traditional clothing for photos, joining families with children who have flocked to the Tengwang Pavilion scenic area in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.

The sound of camera shutters was constant in the scenic area's North Garden on Monday. Liu Fang, a college sophomore, was visiting Nanchang with friends during her summer vacation. Wearing rented hanfu, she searched for the best angles to take photos with the pavilion.

"It's rare to get out, so I wanted to experience wearing hanfu here," she said.

Previously, hanfu-themed travel photography struggled to find suitable locations due to fees and other restrictions. Now, with more areas opening for free access, hanfu and related industries have rapidly expanded.

Just steps away from Liu, Chen Jinyu was visiting with her son. "We came from Zhejiang province to see the Tengwang Pavilion, which is mentioned in our Chinese textbooks," Chen said.

In 2024, Nanchang launched the "returning the river, shore, and scenery to the people" initiative in the Tengwang Pavilion scenic area, along with a northern expansion project that officially opened in January.

The expanded area seamlessly connects with the nearby Dashiyuan neighborhood and integrates with the Wanshou Palace business district.

The upgraded pavilion is designed for leisure and one-stop sightseeing, according to Chen Hao, chief coordinator of the project and deputy general manager of Nanchang Transportation Investment Group.

"While it may seem like just more free-access areas, it has actually activated a consumption chain worth hundreds of millions," he said. "In the first quarter of this year, hanfu businesses around the scenic area increased by 300 percent, creating over 800 jobs."

Official statistics show that during this year's May Day holiday, the ticketed sections of the Tengwang Pavilion received 125,700 visitors, an increase of 8.73 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, free-access areas like the South Garden and the northern expansion zone saw 568,300 visits, a staggering 99.82 percent surge, driving explosive growth in surrounding consumption.