On July 19, the eighth Pingxingguan Cultural Tourism Festival was launched in Lingqiu County, Datong city, Shanxi province.

The Pingxingguan Cultural Tourism Festival will last 10 days and is based on a traditional temple fair that takes place in the sixth month of the lunar calendar. The purpose of the festival is to encourage local sightseeing tours, commodity exchange, and culture shows.

The Lingqiu county People's Government presented a free local Chinese opera performance for the public in Wulingwang Park. The famous performer Su Guilian was in attendance on stage. Other program highlights included a circus, acrobatics, dancing and singing shows.

During the festival, all scenic locations in Lingqiu County will be free to tourists, including the Pingxing Pass, Jueshan Temple, natural grasslands, and Taohua Karst Cave.

In addition, the large influx of tourists has led to an increased demand for souvenirs and local specialties on Zhenhua Street, a commercial street popular in Lingqiu. By July 24, the turnover had reached more than one million yuan ($156,500).