Immersive night tours are lighting up the summer economy in eastern China's Zhejiang Province.

Live night shows at historical tourism sites are turning visitors from spectators into what appear to be characters in the scene, blending history with entertainment, and giving the seasonal consumption economy a midsummer boost.

In Hangzhou's Temple of King Qian, the night is being awakened in a new way as the musical about the legendary life of Qian Liu (852-932), the first ruler of the Wuyue Kingdom, breaks the boundaries of a traditional stage and fuses the Wuyue historical settings with the natural scenery of the West Lake.

The mix of ancient-style chanting, Wu folk songs and rap makes the show attractive to young audiences.
In Hangzhou's Former Residence of Hu Xueyan, operators have rolled out an interactive night tour with a plotted short play on the famous merchant during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Upon entry, visitors will receive a character identity and storyline missions, then interact with actors on site against the backdrop of the historical architecture.

"The interactive night tour makes the life story of Hu Xueyan more visual, leaving much deeper impression for tourists," said Zhong Xiaoyun, manager of the Former Residence of Hu Xueyan.

Such interactive historical shows are also taking place in the Shen's Garden in Shaoxing City, Yi Garden in Huzhou City and Shuiting Gate in Quzhou City.

"The live-scene performances here make the scenic spot more impressive for us," said Dong Ceng, a tourist in Zhejiang.

Across Zhejiang's cultural and historical sites, a new narrative of night tours is trending.

Experts said that the nighttime tourism has upgraded from version 1.0, all about lighting effects and scenic setups, to version 2.0 which emphasizes storytelling and history study, opening new growth points for China's cultural consumption market.

"With such arrangement in tourism spots, tourists are learning while touring. This way of tourism has truly turned book knowledge into something we can see, experience, and reflect on," said Yi Kaigang, dean of the Institute of Culture and Tourism Innovation of Zhejiang Gongshang University.