Move over, Hangzhou—Yangzhou's Slender West Lake shines as another jewel among China's national scenic areas, where historic sites and classical gardens weave summer nights into magic.  

This season, the lake transforms after dark with its Traditional Chinese Culture Festival.  At 7 p.m., watch Hanfu-clad performers glide from the south gate past iconic sights like the Long Dike with Spring Willows and Xu Garden, their silhouettes flickering under lantern light like living brushstrokes. Dancers twirl through the crowds, inviting visitors to join games—and next month, a poetry contest promises winners a moonlit tour.  

Visitors call it “time travel": where classical gardens meet playful encounters with "historical figures," blending culture with pure enchantment.