by Xinhua writer Yu Xiaohua

BEIJING, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- In a few days, the Spring Festival will bathe cities and villages in the warm glow of red lanterns. Across China, hundreds of millions will gather at home to mark the traditional new year with rituals that stretch back centuries.

Across airports and border points, the sound of rolling suitcases has become constant as travelers stream in to follow one of this year's most talked-about travel trends: Spring Festival in China.

People are eager to throw themselves into the rich tapestry of this UNESCO-listed form of heritage -- pasting red couplets on doorways, folding dumplings by hand, wandering lantern-lit temple fairs, and watching dragon and lion dances wind their way through bustling streets.

The fascination seems to be building from the ground up. On Instagram and TikTok, Gen Z users in countries such as the United States and Australia are experimenting with what they see as Chinese wellness routines: drinking hot water, trying out Baduanjin qigong, or padding around the house in slippers.

Many playfully describe themselves as "becoming Chinese," saying they are feeling "Chinese," or that they've arrived at "a very Chinese time" in their lives.

These accounts represent the latest turn in a broader positive shift in how China is perceived globally. Earlier indications included a flood of raw travel vlogs on YouTube after visa rules sharply eased in 2023, a sudden rush to the Chinese Xiaohongshu social media platform when a U.S. TikTok ban looked imminent in early 2025, and a growing international appetite for Chinese games, animation and design.

Taken together, these occurrences paint a picture of a rare Chinese moment, when the world is looking past the stock imagery of pandas, kung fu and the Great Wall to encounter a China that is diverse, relatable and increasingly confident in its own skin.

What makes this fascination particularly striking is its texture and spontaneity. International attention has crept from consumer brands -- electric cars, DJI drones and Huawei devices -- to travel, social media, and now the details of daily life: how people eat, relax and stay healthy.

And none of this has been orchestrated. Compared to the staged spectacle of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, today's engagement flows from lived experiences, chance encounters and the natural draw of cultural events like the Spring Festival.

This is soft power at its most authentic, and all the more potent because it doesn't preach. Influence becomes real when curiosity evolves into voluntary emulation.

Post-pandemic visa relaxations have acted as a clear catalyst, sparking a wave of inbound tourism. Real-time, unfiltered exchanges on Xiaohongshu have chipped away at old stereotypes of backwardness, smog or faceless uniformity.

A flourishing domestic cultural economy has also contributed, producing an outpouring of creativity that resonates internationally. Examples include hit video game "Black Myth: Wukong" and "Ne Zha 2," the animated blockbuster featuring a defiant boy-god from Chinese mythology.

However, to explain away this energy as little more than aesthetics, online trends or algorithmic amplification would miss the deeper dynamics.

At its core is a recognition of China's transformation over the past decades: a sustained path of rapid development, effective governance and social stability that appears increasingly distinctive in an era of global uncertainty.

This trajectory is visible in the images and stories circulating online: sleek infrastructure, cyberpunk skylines, cashless payments and electric vehicles that can at times feel surreal. Creators repeatedly describe their experiences as "hyper-modern," "futuristic" or "like living in 2050."

Beyond the cities, white wind turbines stretch across plains, solar farms glint under the desert sun, lush mountains and clear rivers frame stunning natural diversity, and ancient sites are maintained with care and vitality.

Everyday life tells its own story as metros run punctually and stay clean, libraries are filled with young people, women feel safe jogging at night, and health care and higher education remain accessible without posing crushing debt. These details convey more than mere convenience. They project a palpable sense of competence, social trust and the quiet conviction that life can be both orderly and abundant.

It is this understated current that people abroad are gravitating toward, resonating more deeply than any passing trend.

This perception has been further reinforced by China's response to recent trade tensions. Despite external pressures, Beijing has maintained economic momentum and diversified its partnerships, earning international respect for its capacity to protect its interests from coercion.

At the same time, breakthroughs in frontier technologies -- particularly artificial intelligence, humanoid robotics and pharmaceuticals -- have strengthened its position in strategic domains, prompting a reassessment of its long-term competitiveness.

Yet even as China's capacities grow, many observers note the absence of triumphalism. The country continues to emphasize multilateral solutions, support for international institutions and contributions to global governance.

In a world where unilateralism and volatility dominate the headlines, this preference for predictability, rules-based engagement and steady diplomacy has come to be seen as a point of contrast.

In recent months, China has received a flurry of visits from global leaders, including those from Spain, France, Ireland, Canada, Finland and Britain. Such exchanges underscore a growing recognition in Western countries of China as a reliable partner on economic growth and global challenges.

Public opinion appears to be moving in a similar direction. The European Council on Foreign Relations in January released the results of a poll conducted in November among roughly 26,000 people across 21 countries, including the United States and 15 European countries, which found that many respondents expect China's influence to expand further in the decade ahead, and more now view Beijing as an ally or necessary partner.

Against this backdrop, the "becoming Chinese" trend probably isn't about changing identity or citizenship. More likely, it reflects quiet appreciation for the social rhythms and values that underpin life in China today.

For many, it also offers a subtle way to push back against the fragmentation they see at home -- a chance to dwell, if only briefly, in something that feels calm, coherent and humane. And a pair of house slippers, a cup of tea or an afternoon of making dumplings is sometimes all it takes.

As the Spring Festival arrives on Feb. 17, the impulse to experience "a very Chinese time" continues to spread. This speaks to a deeper resonance around a universal desire for reunion, warmth and renewal, particularly at a time when so much of the world feels adrift.

(Xinhua intern Xi Junzhe contributed to the story.)