On July 9, 2026, Xindu District in Chengdu hosted the “Lotus Rhyme, Midsummer National-Style Book Fair” — a one-day immersive cultural event set within the lotus ponds and classical courtyard architecture of the Chuanshi Baoguang Hotel’s Lotus Garden district. Running from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM, the fair offered seven themed zones combining free cultural experiences with market-based specialty consumption, creating what organizers described as a “summer national-style micro-vacation” accessible without traveling to distant heritage towns.
The lotus pond served as the central stage for continuous live performances throughout the morning session. Guqin, guzheng, pipa, and bamboo flute music played alongside Han-Tang lotus umbrella dances and a group recitation of the classical essay “On the Love of Lotus” by Zhou Dunyi. Visitors received printed poetry cards upon arrival. Near the stage, hanfu styling consultants offered free advice on outfit selection and matching accessories, while instrument trial stations allowed beginners to attempt basic guqin and pipa techniques under instructor guidance.
Three lifestyle experience zones anchored the daytime program. The water-side tea corridor featured Song Dynasty tea whisking demonstrations performed by certified tea artists, traditional tea etiquette introductions, and three summer-exclusive lotus tea options — cold-brewed lotus leaf tea, lotus flower tea, and lotus seed wellness tea. Visitors could reserve private tea seats for small-group gatherings. The chess and leisure area offered free boards for casual matches alongside youth chess instruction sessions. The painting and calligraphy zone provided free brushes, ink, and rice paper for sketching lotus flowers or writing classical poems, with options to commission custom lotus-themed paintings and calligraphy on round fans from resident artists.
A grass-lawn ancient-style banquet area offered tiered seating packages — casual two-person or four-person tea-snack sets alongside premium literary banquet options featuring flower-fruit wine, lotus-seed soup, and Chinese-style cold dishes. Banquet guests received complimentary hanfu props for photography. The banquet concept reimagined traditional Chinese literati gathering culture in an outdoor lotus-garden setting.
The hanfu photography zone covered the entire lotus pond grounds. Free selfie spots dotted the pathways, while paid services included full hanfu rental with professional styling, lotus pond photographer follow-shooting, and short-video production packages. Lotus hair ornaments, oil-paper umbrellas, and ancient-style lanterns were available as purchase props. A national-style creative market ran along the scenic walkway until 8 PM, featuring local Xindu artisans selling ICH handcrafts, lotus-themed stationery, regional pastries, and antique-style home decor items.
The event format — single day, curated zones, no reservation required for most activities — demonstrated that a compact national-style experience can attract hanfu enthusiasts, families, and photography hobbyists without requiring a multi-day festival infrastructure or dedicated heritage venue.
