Three years on, China's barbecue city sizzles with fresh flavor

The festival layers performance over that backdrop: a figure dressed as the God of Wealth moves through the streets to drums and gongs, tossing gold-colored ingots to the crowd; drama actors stage scenes drawn from the commercial ethics of Zhoucun's old merchant class. Four walk-through performances run daily, meaning visitors move through history rather than stand in front of it.

"In the past, I just took photos and browsed the shops here," said Zhang Yulin, a visitor from Dezhou. "This time is completely different. Every stop has a performance and a story. It feels like I'm building up fortune as I walk through the streets."

A destination

What distinguishes Zibo's approach from standard tourism boosterism is an attempt to treat the city as a whole rather than a collection of attractions strung together by a map.

Fifteen subsidized bus routes link major sites for just one yuan ($0.14) a ride. Roads have been resurfaced, signage improved, parking expanded, and public restrooms upgraded across the city. The cumulative effect is a city that is pleasant to move through. A visitor who can navigate a city without frustration stays longer, spends more, and is more likely to return.