Festival shows Chaoyang in new light

Visitors can now enjoy a mix of natural beauty, interactive art and high-tech installations.

"The river looks beautiful at night," a tourist, Chen Yun, says. "With lights reflecting off the water, it's like walking through a painting."

In addition to the light festival, the river has become well-known for creating an immersive light show under the Haoyun (Good Fortune) Bridge. This installation, using 300,000 optical fibers, re-creates Van Gogh's painting of The Starry Night, leaving visitors spellbound.

"It feels like sailing through a starry galaxy," says Li Shiqing, a visitor in awe of the mesmerizing display during her boat trip on the river.

The Liangma River economic belt has become a hub for innovative, cultural and commercial experiences and brings increasing consumption to the surrounding area. Zhang Guanbin, deputy head of Chaoyang district, says the mix of commerce, tourism, culture and sports has created a dynamic, open and fashionable district.

"We try to integrate cultural elements well into the tourism and commerce," he says, adding that projects, such as turning Wangjing Xiaojie street into an international commercial area, have also reflected this approach.

Tourists taking the river cruises along such areas can enjoy unique cultural experiences, such as traditional tea ceremonies of Song Dynasty (960-1279) style, and visit the surrounding commercial areas after their cruises, according to Zhang Xiaoyu, new media manager from the Beijing Waterfront Fun Tour Technology company. "This has led to increased footfall and new opportunities for local businesses, turning the riverbanks into thriving cultural and economic areas," Zhang says.