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Xi'an, the ancient Chinese capital in northwestern Shaanxi Province, has evolved into a vibrant destination for tourists and consumers who want to enjoy the city's varied and innovative nightlife.
The city, with over 3,100 years of history, boasts many famous attractions. Now it is speeding up efforts to promote a thriving nighttime economy by capitalizing on its beautiful ancient architecture, renovating entertainment venues and exploring new business models to better resonate with young people's preferences.
Inside a small theater near the city's iconic landmark Bell Tower, a stand-up comedy show was amusing hundreds of viewers. This kind of performance art is very popular with young generations, offering them a break from the routines and pressures of daytime work.
"The night economy should be diversified instead of monotonous. Sometimes we have two or three shows a day," said a comedian nicknamed "Long Bao."
"As the temperature goes up, the attendance is also growing. Now each show can attract up to 200 spectators, and the ticket price is nearly 100 yuan (about 14 U.S. dollars) (per person)," said Yuan Tingwei, the theater manager.
The historic Defu Alley in Beilin District used to be lined with tightly packed bars. Now after renovation, the 200-meter-long street is home to a variety of accommodation and beautiful stores selling products such as healthy food and traditional Hanfu garments.
"Every shop is well decorated. The shop front is attractive enough for young people to go there to take photos," said Pan Yingshan, a tourist.
"Walking down this street, you can see a hybrid of history and modernity. It's an impressive encounter," said Ren Tianlia, another tourist.
"Those (business owners) born in the 80s and 90s have been keeping up with the latest trends. Influenced by them, older business owners also changed their way of thinking. Now every store here has its distinctive characteristics. The night economy has revived the Defu Alley," said Zhang Jidi, Party chief of Defu Alley Residential Community.