Spiritual companions

For Wu's generation, historical figures are no longer just names to be memorized for exams. They are becoming spiritual companions — people whose personal struggles make them relatable, and sometimes, even feel like friends.

Recently, many young Chinese have been turning historical sites into spaces for personal dialogues with the past. They are reviving history through pilgrimages to the tombs of ancient figures, leaving tributes that bridge the centuries.

At the resting places of poets, strategists and emperors, they offer not just flowers but carefully chosen tokens — fine wines for the legendary poet Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and painkillers for Cao Cao, a strategist who laid foundations for the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) who suffered chronic headaches. The trend, widely shared on social and lifestyle platforms, is an indication of a generation seeking connection beyond textbooks.

Tour guides are also focusing their efforts on such visits. In Luoyang, Henan province, a city rich in ancient history, tour guide Wang Mian has adapted to this growing trend among young people. Originally offering classic tour routes, Wang has turned his attention to tomb tribute visits, Beijing Youth Daily reported in September.

Tomb-sweeping tours started gaining popularity during last year's Qingming Festival, he said. He learned about the trend through online research and started tomb tours in July.

His tour groups include teenagers and university students, while parents have also joined the visits.

Wang said he is often struck by the visitors' deep historical knowledge and their ability to draw meaningful links across different dynasties. What began as an online trend has now become a new way to experience China's past, he said.