Media workers reporting on the 19th Asian Games have been given the opportunity to embark on nighttime tours of Hangzhou's canals and enjoy views of the moon from Sept 28 to 30, to celebrate China's Mid-Autumn Festival.

Moon gazing is a traditional way to celebrate the festival, which is one of the most important dates on the lunar calendar.

But participants of the hour-long "Yaoyue (Inviting the Moon)" cruise can also enjoy the sparkle of the cityscape's lights reflecting in the water, listen to ancient songs performed by a classical ensemble and try their hand at making mooncakes. Skilled chefs have been brought onboard to teach guests how to create the seasonal pastries that feature symbols conveying such themes as reunion, lotuses and "I love Hangzhou". Participants also receive handicrafts embroidered with images of rabbits gazing at the moon.

Other cultural activities organized by the Hangzhou Asian (Para) Games Media Village's service center include the live performance, The Most Memorable Hangzhou; immersive tours of the China National Archives of Publications and Culture's Hangzhou branch; a contemporary adaptation of the opera, Butterfly Lovers; and the painting exhibition, The Way Is Infinite: Centennial Retrospective Exhibition of Zao Wou-ki.

Organizers in Hangzhou and the Games' co-host cities — Zhejiang province's Ningbo, Huzhou, Jinhua, Shaoxing and Wenzhou — prepared 30 itineraries for domestic and international media. Themes include economics, history and ecology.

Hangzhou has designated 10 routes, such as those exploring the natural splendor of the Xixi National Wetland Park and the Tracing the Origins of Chinese Civilization tour of the Liangzhu Museum and Liangzhu Archaeological Site Park.

Thanks, and farewell

Asiad Daily would like to acknowledge the contributions of the publication, Hangzhou Asian Games, the official Chinese-language news source of the eponymous event, on Sept 29, the date of its 12th and final edition, which coincides with China's Mid-Autumn Festival.