Robotics cities, Avatar peaks & the lived future

China

24 Oct — 10 Nov 202618 days · 17 hotel nights₹4.10–5.22L · two adults
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The proposition

Robotics capitals & mountains that should not exist

This is no longer a conventional first-China checklist. It begins in the country’s most visible future—Shenzhen’s drones and service robots, Guangzhou’s autonomous mobility—then breaks open into Wulingyuan’s ‘floating’ sandstone pillars and Tianmen Mountain before returning to Chongqing’s impossible vertical city, Hangzhou’s quadrupeds and Shanghai’s public-facing robots.

This is now the strongest all-round China journey, not only the technology winner. Four Zhangjiajie nights are non-negotiable if both Wulingyuan and Tianmen matter: the cost is one Guangzhou night, one Chongqing night and one Shanghai night. The route is fuller than Italy or Taiwan, but every transfer advances a clear story rather than collecting cities.

Route
Shenzhen 5 → Guangzhou 1 → Zhangjiajie 4 → Chongqing 2 → Hangzhou 3 → Shanghai 2
Expected weather
5–30°C · Subtropical south, misty mountain summits and crisp eastern autumn.
Budget for two
₹4.10–5.22L
Calendar span24 Oct–10 Nov inclusive · 18 days
Annual leave10 weekdays · 26–30 Oct and 2–6 Nov
Holidays used9 and 10 Nov
Team handoffLand late 10 Nov; keep 11 Nov morning light

Route at a glance

Where the journey actually goes

The line below is geographic, not merely decorative. It shows the sequence of bases, the scale of each transfer and why the route uses these stops in this order.

Schematic journey line on a real map. Tap a numbered stop for its role; use +/− to inspect geography.

  1. 01Shenzhen5 nights
  2. 02Guangzhou1 night
  3. 03Wulingyuan / Tianmen4 nights
  4. 04Chongqing2 nights
  5. 05Hangzhou3 nights
  6. 06Shanghai2 nights

City by city

Every base, properly explained.

Where to stay, how to arrive, what deserves advance booking, what the weather changes, and how each city’s days fit together.

Shenzhen skyline illuminated at night01 / 06

5 nights

Shenzhen

The robotics and hardware thesis

Shenzhen still gets five nights because it is the technology thesis of this version of China. One arrival afternoon and four focused days cover the 27–29 October ROBOTECH ASIA exhibition, DJI’s flagship, Huaqiangbei’s component ecosystem and appointment windows for robotics companies. The plan does not depend on corporate access: Robot Valley, the Science & Technology Museum and public stores keep every day worthwhile.

Best base
Nanshan, Houhai or High-Tech Park. This is better for DJI, robotics companies and the bay than a cheaper hotel far east in Luohu.
Arriving
The recommended Thai Airways option lands Guangzhou at 14:30; continue by intercity rail/transfer to Shenzhen, or use a Shenzhen-arrival fare if it prices sensibly.
Moving on
Take a morning high-speed train to Guangzhou South or Guangzhou East depending on the confirmed machinery visit and hotel location. Passport-linked tickets and station choice matter.
Expected weather
About 22–30°C, humid and warm after dark, with occasional showers.
Getting around
Metro for most city moves, DiDi for industrial parks and company appointments. Save every address in Chinese and allow large-campus walking time.
Vegetarian reality
Use Buddhist/vegan restaurants as fixed lunch or dinner anchors. Expo halls and industrial parks need packed food; ‘vegetable’ is not enough without the full no-stock/no-oyster-sauce card.

What makes the cut

  • ROBOTECH ASIA 2026 as the guaranteed technology anchor
  • DJI flagship and Sky City architecture
  • Robot Valley plus Robot 6S Store / Robot Avenue
  • Huaqiangbei for components, repair culture and maker energy

Reserve ahead

ROBOTECH trade registration, Shenzhen Robot Valley, museum entry if required and all company appointments. DJI Sky City remains exterior-only unless explicitly confirmed.

Your days here

D1 · Sat 24 OctLand inside the future

Use the Thai Airways same-day arrival, continue CAN–Shenzhen and keep the evening to Talent Park or an early dinner.

D2 · Sun 25 OctDJI and the drone city

DJI flagship, Sky City exterior and Shenzhen Bay. Corporate interiors remain appointment-only.

D3 · Mon 26 OctHands-on robot valley

Book Shenzhen Robot Valley, then Robot 6S Store / Robot Avenue and one confirmed company appointment if granted.

D4 · Tue 27 OctROBOTECH ASIA

Anchor the day at the 27–29 Oct robotics exhibition; do not stack a cross-city appointment on top.

D5 · Wed 28 OctThe supply-chain floor

Science & Technology Museum or appointment window, then Huaqiangbei components, repair stalls and maker energy.

Canton Tower illuminated at night02 / 06

1 night

Guangzhou

Autonomous mobility and advanced carmaking

Guangzhou becomes a compact machinery bridge rather than a second technology base. Arrive from Shenzhen in the morning for one pre-booked XPeng or GAC experience, then use the following morning for a WeRide robotaxi attempt and the Pearl River district. The compressed stay is the deliberate trade that makes room for Zhangjiajie without dropping the robotics narrative.

Best base
Zhujiang New Town for city access or Haizhu if expo/transport geography makes it more efficient. Avoid sacrificing hours to a distant bargain hotel.
Arriving
High-speed rail from Shenzhen; verify which Guangzhou station best matches the hotel before selecting the train.
Moving on
Use a late-morning or afternoon flight to Zhangjiajie when the seasonal schedule works; otherwise take high-speed rail and treat the transfer as the day’s main event. Continue to Wulingyuan town on arrival.
Expected weather
Around 21–29°C with humidity and possible showers; the riverfront stays comfortable after sunset.
Getting around
Metro is extensive; DiDi is useful for Nansha and advanced-manufacturing locations. Build a realistic cross-city travel buffer.
Vegetarian reality
Cantonese vegetable dishes often use oyster sauce or stock. Show the Chinese card every time and favour dedicated vegetarian restaurants.

What makes the cut

  • One serious EV-manufacturing visit
  • A WeRide robotaxi ride if publicly accessible
  • Canton Tower and Pearl River after dark
  • A tightly routed morning before the journey to Hunan

Reserve ahead

XPeng AI Technology Manufacturing Journey or GAC museum slot. Verify the Guangzhou–Zhangjiajie transport schedule and WeRide’s current service zone before locking the day.

Your days here

D6 · Thu 29 OctFrom lab to car

Morning high-speed rail; XPeng manufacturing experience or GAC Technology Museum, followed by Canton Tower after dark.

Quartz sandstone pillars rising through mist in Wulingyuan03 / 06

4 nights

Zhangjiajie

The impossible landscape between the future cities

This is the missing natural crescendo. Wulingyuan is the UNESCO landscape of more than 3,000 narrow quartz-sandstone pillars—the formations popularly associated with Avatar’s floating mountains. Tianmen Mountain is not the same park: it rises beside Zhangjiajie city and deserves its own day for the long cableway, cliff paths and Heaven’s Gate arch. Four nights make the geography work without forcing two giant mountain days around luggage and a long transfer.

Best base
Spend the first three nights in Wulingyuan town near the East Gate, then one final night in Zhangjiajie city near the Tianmen cableway lower station. The one hotel move saves roughly an hour each way on the Tianmen day and makes the onward train easier.
Arriving
Travel from Guangzhou by flight if a sensible direct service operates, otherwise by high-speed rail. From Zhangjiajie airport or West station, allow about 45–60 minutes by car to Wulingyuan and arrive with dinner arranged.
Moving on
After the Tianmen day and a night downtown, take a morning train from Zhangjiajie West toward Chongqing. Current schedules vary; reserve the exact service as soon as the booking window opens and treat four to six hours as the planning range.
Expected weather
Late October and early November are roughly 8–17°C in the valley and colder on exposed summits. Mist can make the pillars magical, but low cloud can also erase the view; drizzle, wet steps and sudden wind are realistic.
Getting around
The Wulingyuan park ticket includes internal eco-buses but not every lift or cableway. Start at opening, learn the entrance names in Chinese and avoid criss-crossing the enormous park. Use a taxi/DiDi for the Wulingyuan–downtown hotel move.
Vegetarian reality
Wulingyuan has fewer dependable options than the megacities. Pre-arrange a no-egg vegetarian breakfast and dinner with the hotel, carry a substantial trail lunch and show the Chinese no-stock/no-lard card even for tofu and vegetables.
Heaven's Gate arch high on Tianmen Mountain
Tianmen Mountain is a different landscape and a different ticket from Wulingyuan—keep a full day for it.

What makes the cut

  • Bailong Elevator into Yuanjiajie’s pillar viewpoints
  • Tianzi Mountain and the peak forest in changing mist
  • Golden Whip Stream or Huangshizhai for a quieter second park day
  • Tianmen cableway, cliff walk and Heaven’s Gate on a separate full day
  • Skip the Grand Canyon glass bridge unless it replaces—not joins—the second Wulingyuan day

Reserve ahead

Book the Wulingyuan multi-day entry, Bailong Elevator/Tianzi cableway as required, and a timed Tianmen Mountain route. Recheck cableway, escalator and Heaven’s Gate operations shortly before travel because weather and maintenance can change the experience.

Your days here

D7 · Fri 30 OctFrom autonomy to stone forest

Short WeRide attempt if practical, then fly or take high-speed rail to Zhangjiajie and continue to Wulingyuan.

D8 · Sat 31 OctThe floating-pillar day

Enter at opening: Bailong Elevator, Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain. Build the route once; do not criss-cross the park.

D9 · Sun 1 NovForest beneath the giants

Golden Whip Stream plus Huangshizhai or a quieter ridge. Mist is atmosphere; heavy rain triggers a shorter valley plan.

D10 · Mon 2 NovA gate in the sky

Move to Zhangjiajie city, store bags and devote the day to the cableway, cliff paths and Heaven’s Gate. Sleep downtown.

Chongqing skyline and river at night04 / 06

2 nights

Chongqing

The future as urban theatre

Chongqing is included not for a company logo but for the city itself: rail through a residential building, streets stacked above other streets, bridges crossing foggy rivers and towers erupting from steep terrain. The revised route gives it two nights: an arrival afternoon and one full iconic day. That is enough for the city’s visual thesis, but the optional industrial visit is the sacrifice that funds Zhangjiajie.

Best base
Jiefangbei or Chaotianmen. This keeps the layered city outside your door and reduces uphill transfers after long days.
Arriving
Arrive by train from Zhangjiajie West. Use the metro or DiDi from the station and confirm the hotel entrance level because map pins can be vertically confusing.
Moving on
Fly CKG–HGH. A flight is substantially more time-efficient than traversing the country by rail on this leg.
Expected weather
Approximately 12–19°C, frequently grey, misty or drizzly. The humidity makes it feel cooler.
Getting around
Metro plus walking and taxis. Expect stairs, elevators and route-finding that is three-dimensional; cluster sights instead of trusting distance alone.
Vegetarian reality
Hotpot bases and apparently plain vegetables can contain beef tallow or meat broth. Use a dedicated vegetarian hotpot/restaurant and insist on a separate plant-oil broth.

What makes the cut

  • Liziba monorail and the surrounding layered neighbourhood
  • Kuixinglou, Jiefangbei and Hongyadong after dusk
  • Chaotianmen, Raffles City and river crossings
  • One deliberately unbooked evening for fog, neon and wrong-level discoveries

Reserve ahead

Raffles City attractions or the Yangtze River cableway only if timing matters. Do not attempt Changan or SERES on this shortened stay.

Your days here

D11 · Tue 3 NovRail into vertical cinema

Morning train toward Chongqing; settle in Jiefangbei and see Hongyadong and Chaotianmen after dark.

D12 · Wed 4 NovThe stacked-city day

Liziba monorail, Kuixinglou, Raffles City, cableway and bridges. Leave time to get lost between levels.

Unitree Robotics building in Hangzhou05 / 06

3 nights

Hangzhou

Embodied AI beside a classical lake

Hangzhou provides the trip’s most satisfying contrast. One day is reserved for Unitree/DEEP Robotics appointment requests and public future-tech fallbacks; the next moves through West Lake, Longjing tea fields and Nine Creeks. Three nights are essential because the technology day must remain useful even if an appointment is declined.

Best base
Huanglong or Wensan: close to the technology corridor while still giving workable access to West Lake.
Arriving
Fly from Chongqing. The airport metro is useful but long; DiDi may be worth it after a travel day.
Moving on
High-speed rail to Shanghai Hongqiao in roughly 45–60 minutes. Reserve the Saturday departure and allow for Hangzhou East’s scale.
Expected weather
Roughly 11–19°C, cooler around the lake, with passing rain possible.
Getting around
Metro and DiDi for technology visits; walking, bus and boat around West Lake. Keep Longjing and Nine Creeks together geographically.
Vegetarian reality
Buddhist vegetarian food is available around temples and the city. Tea-village dishes still need no-stock/no-egg confirmation.

What makes the cut

  • Unitree or DEEP Robotics if confirmed
  • Wensan Future Technology Center as the guaranteed substitute
  • West Lake at dusk rather than a full checklist loop
  • Longjing and Nine Creeks as the trip’s countryside exhale

Reserve ahead

Unitree and DEEP Robotics are appointment-only. Wensan Future Technology Center is the public fallback; never leave the day blank.

Your days here

D13 · Thu 5 NovFrom megacity to lake

Fly to Hangzhou. West Lake at dusk, deliberately low-tech.

D14 · Fri 6 NovQuadrupeds and embodied AI

Unitree/DEEP Robotics appointment window; Wensan Future Technology Center is the public fallback.

D15 · Sat 7 NovTea country after robots

Longjing, Nine Creeks and a slow lake evening. The route needs this exhale.

Shanghai skyline after dark06 / 06

2 nights

Shanghai

Public-facing robotics and the final metropolis

Shanghai turns the technology story back toward ordinary life: robot experience stores, retail demonstrations, science exhibits and the Maglev. The revised route gives it two nights and one full day, so the Bund, Lujiazui and one or two public technology stops must be treated as a single well-routed finale rather than a comprehensive Shanghai visit.

Best base
Jing’an or West Nanjing Road for metro convenience, restaurants and an easy final-city atmosphere.
Arriving
High-speed rail into Hongqiao, then metro or taxi. Avoid a hotel that saves money but adds two transfers to every day.
Moving on
Leave central Shanghai around 10:30 for the 15:25 PVG flight. The Maglev can be an experience, but plan the luggage transfer carefully.
Expected weather
About 10–19°C with crisp days, river wind and occasional rain.
Getting around
Metro covers nearly everything; walking distances on the Bund and in Pudong are larger than they look. Use DiDi late or with shopping.
Vegetarian reality
Shanghai has the route’s deepest vegan choice. Save Chinese names and verify opening hours; use the final city to restock travel food.

What makes the cut

  • Bund architecture walk at blue hour
  • Choose the Science & Technology Museum or a deeper neighbourhood walk
  • Public Unitree experience store and/or Galbot robot shop after checking hours
  • Lujiazui and one Maglev ride, without adding an out-of-town excursion

Reserve ahead

Science & Technology Museum entry if required. Unitree and Galbot public stores need opening-hour checks, not corporate invitations.

Your days here

D16 · Sun 8 NovRail into the final city

High-speed train; French Concession or Jing’an and the Bund at twilight.

D17 · Mon 9 NovRobots at street level

Lujiazui, one public robot store and either the science museum or a slower neighbourhood. Repack before dinner.

D18 · Tue 10 NovHome on the holiday

PVG 15:25 → BLR 22:25 via Hanoi.

The days, with room to breathe

18 days
written as a story.

Each day has one emotional anchor. Weather buffers and quiet evenings are part of the plan, not empty space to be filled.

  1. D1 · Sat 24 OctShenzhen

    Land inside the future

    Use the Thai Airways same-day arrival, continue CAN–Shenzhen and keep the evening to Talent Park or an early dinner.

  2. D2 · Sun 25 OctShenzhen

    DJI and the drone city

    DJI flagship, Sky City exterior and Shenzhen Bay. Corporate interiors remain appointment-only.

  3. D3 · Mon 26 OctShenzhen

    Hands-on robot valley

    Book Shenzhen Robot Valley, then Robot 6S Store / Robot Avenue and one confirmed company appointment if granted.

  4. D4 · Tue 27 OctShenzhen

    ROBOTECH ASIA

    Anchor the day at the 27–29 Oct robotics exhibition; do not stack a cross-city appointment on top.

  5. D5 · Wed 28 OctShenzhen

    The supply-chain floor

    Science & Technology Museum or appointment window, then Huaqiangbei components, repair stalls and maker energy.

  6. D6 · Thu 29 OctGuangzhou

    From lab to car

    Morning high-speed rail; XPeng manufacturing experience or GAC Technology Museum, followed by Canton Tower after dark.

  7. D7 · Fri 30 OctZhangjiajie

    From autonomy to stone forest

    Short WeRide attempt if practical, then fly or take high-speed rail to Zhangjiajie and continue to Wulingyuan.

  8. D8 · Sat 31 OctWulingyuan

    The floating-pillar day

    Enter at opening: Bailong Elevator, Yuanjiajie and Tianzi Mountain. Build the route once; do not criss-cross the park.

  9. D9 · Sun 1 NovWulingyuan

    Forest beneath the giants

    Golden Whip Stream plus Huangshizhai or a quieter ridge. Mist is atmosphere; heavy rain triggers a shorter valley plan.

  10. D10 · Mon 2 NovTianmen Mountain

    A gate in the sky

    Move to Zhangjiajie city, store bags and devote the day to the cableway, cliff paths and Heaven’s Gate. Sleep downtown.

  11. D11 · Tue 3 NovChongqing

    Rail into vertical cinema

    Morning train toward Chongqing; settle in Jiefangbei and see Hongyadong and Chaotianmen after dark.

  12. D12 · Wed 4 NovChongqing

    The stacked-city day

    Liziba monorail, Kuixinglou, Raffles City, cableway and bridges. Leave time to get lost between levels.

  13. D13 · Thu 5 NovHangzhou

    From megacity to lake

    Fly to Hangzhou. West Lake at dusk, deliberately low-tech.

  14. D14 · Fri 6 NovHangzhou

    Quadrupeds and embodied AI

    Unitree/DEEP Robotics appointment window; Wensan Future Technology Center is the public fallback.

  15. D15 · Sat 7 NovHangzhou

    Tea country after robots

    Longjing, Nine Creeks and a slow lake evening. The route needs this exhale.

  16. D16 · Sun 8 NovShanghai

    Rail into the final city

    High-speed train; French Concession or Jing’an and the Bund at twilight.

  17. D17 · Mon 9 NovShanghai

    Robots at street level

    Lujiazui, one public robot store and either the science museum or a slower neighbourhood. Repack before dinner.

  18. D18 · Tue 10 NovBengaluru

    Home on the holiday

    PVG 15:25 → BLR 22:25 via Hanoi.

Expected weather

5–30°C

Pack for the journey,
not the postcard.

The route moves through four weather systems. Start in warm, humid subtropical weather, climb into wet and potentially cold Hunan peaks, meet grey drizzle in Chongqing, then finish in crisp eastern-China autumn. Zhangjiajie rewards flexibility: mist can be cinematic, but low cloud can temporarily erase the pillars.

Shenzhen & Guangzhou

About 22–30°C; humid, warm evenings and occasional rain.

Zhangjiajie & Tianmen

About 8–17°C in the valley; exposed summits can feel closer to 5–12°C with wind, fog or drizzle.

Chongqing

Roughly 12–19°C; often overcast, misty or drizzly.

Hangzhou

About 11–19°C; cooler around West Lake, with passing rain possible.

Shanghai

Roughly 10–19°C; crisp days, cool river wind and earlier sunsets.

In the case
  • Breathable shirts for the south
  • Fleece or light puffer for Hunan and the east
  • Waterproof shell with a hood
  • Grippy walking shoes for wet mountain steps

The booking board

Flights, beds
and an honest number.

Snapshot prices checked 30 July 2026. Reprice direct with the airline/hotel before payment.

Flights from Bengaluru

Recommended outboundThai Airways · BLR–BKK–CAN24 Oct 00:55 → 14:30 · 4h10 connectionUS$332.56 pp · 23kg shown
Do not use for this routeVietnam Airlines · BLR–HAN–CANCheaper, but the 25 Oct arrival removes the buffer needed for ZhangjiajieUS$258.36 pp snapshot
ReturnVietnam Airlines · PVG–HAN–BLR10 Nov 15:25 → 22:25 · 1h05 connectionUS$314.40 pp · 23kg shown

Where to stay

Shenzhen · 5Nanshan / HouhaiHigh-Tech Park access; Hilton Garden Inn class≈₹38–50k
Guangzhou · 1Zhujiang New TownOne efficient machinery-and-river night≈₹12–18k
Zhangjiajie · 4Wulingyuan 3 + downtown 1East Gate first; Tianmen cableway for final night≈₹30–46k
Chongqing · 2Jiefangbei / ChaotianmenStay inside the vertical-city experience≈₹16–24k
Hangzhou · 3Huanglong / WensanBest for robotics appointments and West Lake≈₹25–38k
Shanghai · 2Jing’an / West NanjingCentral Hotel class; metro over skyline premium≈₹20–30k

Couple budget

₹4.10–5.22L

Economy flights · well-reviewed mid-range stays · shopping excluded

CategoryLeanComfort
International flights₹1.10L₹1.24L
17 hotel nights₹1.42L₹1.86L
Domestic flights, HSR + local₹0.50L₹0.68L
Food₹0.40L₹0.54L
Exhibition, parks, cableways + museums₹0.30L₹0.42L
Visa, insurance, connectivity + buffer₹0.38L₹0.48L
Total for two₹4.10L₹5.22L
Shanghai skyline after dark

One small technology chapter

The future, with an access hierarchy

This is the only country where technology is the route’s main narrative. The honest plan separates what you can book from what needs an introduction, so a closed corporate door never ruins the day.

ROBOTECH ASIA · Shenzhen · 27–29 Oct

Public with trade pre-registration

The trip’s guaranteed anchor: industrial robots, controls, end-effectors and embodied-AI exhibitors.

Shenzhen Robot Valley

Public / paid reservation

A 60–90 minute hands-on visitor experience; published price around RMB100 per person.

DJI flagship + Sky City

Store public · HQ appointment-only

See products and demos at the flagship; treat Sky City as architecture unless DJI confirms access.

Pudu · UBTECH · Dobot · LimX

Appointment-only

Send a concise enthusiast/industry email six to eight weeks ahead. Never present these as confirmed.

XPeng manufacturing journey · GAC museum

Public / advance reservation

Guangzhou’s strongest machinery day and a meaningful look at EV manufacturing.

WeRide robotaxi

Public service, coverage-dependent

A lived-future experience rather than a showroom. Verify the operating area and foreign-number payment flow.

Unitree · DEEP Robotics

HQ appointment-only

Request Hangzhou visits; Wensan Future Technology Center protects the day if declined.

Shanghai Unitree store · Galbot

Public retail experiences

The safest way to see humanoid/quadruped products without a corporate invitation.

Visa reality

3 / 5 · Predictable file, more administration

Indian passport holders need an L tourist visa. Karnataka applications fall under the Mumbai Chinese Visa Application Service Centre: online pre-review followed by passport submission.

  1. Start in late August or early September with flights, every hotel, the full daily plan and proof of funds.
  2. Current guidance asks for at least ₹1 lakh bank-deposit proof per applicant.
  3. Short-term applicants are exempt from fingerprint collection through 31 Dec 2026; confirm the exact submission route.
  4. Government single-entry fee is indicated around ₹2,900 per person, plus centre/service/courier charges.
Reddit pulse · anecdotal

Current India-specific Reddit feedback for the 2026 Mumbai process is too sparse to call a consensus. Broader traveller threads describe the paperwork as manageable when hotel names, dates and daily itinerary match exactly; payment-app setup causes more anxiety than the visa itself. This is anecdotal and not a substitute for CVASC instructions.

Official visa route ↗

Pure vegetarian · no egg

Carry the sentence.

我是素食者。我不吃肉、鱼、海鲜和鸡蛋。请不要放猪油、蚝油、鱼露、鸡精或任何肉汤。牛奶可以。请用植物油。谢谢。

I am vegetarian. No meat, fish, seafood or egg. No lard, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chicken powder or meat stock. Dairy is okay; please use vegetable oil.
  • Use fully vegan/Buddhist restaurants as anchors; a vegetable-looking dish may still contain stock, lard or oyster sauce.
  • Save restaurant names and hotel addresses in Chinese. Google Maps data is unreliable in mainland China.
  • Carry packaged food for expo days, company visits and airport transfers.
  • Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with cards from two banks, and carry cash as a fallback.
Planning sources, price basis & image credits
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