Walking through historic districts, visitors can experience a sense of traveling between past and present. In Xuzhou's Huilongwo Historical and Cultural Block, the melodious tunes of Liuqin opera and Han music blend seamlessly with ancient lanes featuring gray bricks and black tiles. Tired travelers can stop at the Guochao Hanfeng Hall to enjoy a cup of Xuzhou tea while listening to traditional Han music. The venue adopts a "small theater plus" model, creating a cultural and artistic space centered around tea tasting, opera watching, intangible cultural heritage studies, and cultural exchanges. It has built a distinctive identity as a place "for drama, tea, learning, and fun," positioning itself as a "spiritual granary" for local residents and a "city reception hall" for the historic cultural city. Stepping inside, visitors feel as if they have traveled through time, immersed in a sea of traditional culture. The elegant sounds of Han music, played on traditional string and wind instruments, evoke a sense of tranquility, while the Han clothing experience area, with its exquisite attire and ancient rituals, allows visitors to appreciate the depth of Han culture.
In the immersive stage performance area, audiences can witness moments from the drama "Lotus Tower," such as suspended raindrops and flowing robes capturing the essence of the martial arts world. In the multi-sensory theater, visitors brave the mysterious and eerie ghost market of Chang'an from "Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty" to solve a suspenseful case. In the interactive light and shadow space, they step into the vast, beautiful grasslands depicted in "My Altay." At iQiyi Inc.'s theme park in Yangzhou, guests can instantly become characters from popular film and television series, enjoying high-tech attractions and embarking on personalized storylines. "The park officially opened on February 8 this year. Our original intention was to use technology to bring Chinese stories to life, creating a new immersive entertainment space that integrates technological innovation with domestic intellectual property," said Chen Le, Operations Director of iQiyi Inc.'s theme park. "We connect the entire park with IP-driven storylines, use strong interactive mechanisms like improvised acting by NPCs to break down barriers, and employ XR, AI, and digital human technologies to create full sensory interactions. This transforms visitors from mere spectators to active participants in the narrative, ensuring continuous surprises," Chen added.
As night falls, digital art installations light up at the Suzhou Imperial Kiln Gold Brick Museum, unveiling a dazzling visual feast. Performers in distinctive costumes greet visitors at the entrance with "customized gear," then guide them to become "brick seekers" in an immersive "script murder" mystery. Inside the museum, guests can choose factions, complete tasks, solve puzzles, and personally engage in a cultural adventure blending past and present. As the story unfolds, visitors not only view over 1,400 gold bricks from the Ming and Qing dynasties but also learn about the intangible cultural heritage techniques involved in their production—from spring soil extraction and summer molding to autumn drying and winter kiln firing—a process that embodies the dedication of artisans and the rhythms of nature. When the experience concludes, the journey continues: "copper coins" earned during the activity can be used at an outdoor market to purchase specialty tea drinks or various imperial kiln-themed cultural products, leaving visitors lingering with delight.
"The 'Meet the Gold Brick Museum in Suzhou' immersive night tour project is a tailor-made 'new nighttime landmark' for the museum," explained Tao Keyan, Chairman of Suzhou Xiangcheng Ecological Culture and Tourism Development (Group) Co., Ltd. The museum is revitalizing itself by transforming spaces into theatrical settings, adopting youth-oriented expressions, and ensuring seamless integration of hardware and software. Through dual upgrades in "technological hardware and content software," it is exploring innovative pathways for the sustainable development of traditional cultural venues. "The night tour project also connects with water tours on the Yuanhe River, offering round-trip routes from the Gold Brick Wharf to the Small Bund Wharf. This creates a dual-line immersive experience combining 'land-based storytelling and waterborne night views,' further expanding cultural and tourism consumption scenarios," Tao noted.
Whether through immersive interactions in cultural tourism, engaging retail experiences, or thoughtful details in lifestyle services, the experience economy increasingly focuses on consumers themselves. It uses emotional appeal to attract, engage, and retain people, making a wide range of consumer goods more meaningful and warm. This allows everyone to gain unique joy and insights through personalized experiences.
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