An event featuring light shows and cultural activities to celebrate the traditional Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, took place on Saturday in a 1,500-year-old ancient town in Peng'an County, Nanchong City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, offering visitors a chance to experience the festival's distinctive romantic atmosphere.
Xiangru Ancient Town is the birthplace and upbringing site of the renowned Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD) poet Sima Xiangru. Due to the widely celebrated love story of Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun, a poet of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC–25 AD), the ancient town has become a must-visit destination for many couples during the Qixi Festival.
The event featured four themed light shows created using holographic projection technology tailored to the terrain's features.
Additionally, the event featured numerous captivating performances. Dancers performed gracefully at the central water feature while dozens of fireworks were ignited simultaneously, creating a dazzling cascade of colors. This harmonious blend of traditional culture and modern technology provided a visual spectacle that delighted visitors.
Following the performances, visitors illuminated small river lanterns and set them afloat, participating in the tradition of releasing lanterns to wish for happiness and fulfillment.
The event also featured an interactive 'Guess the Lantern Riddles' activity, inviting visitors to participate in engaging games. Those who answered correctly could win small prizes to take home as souvenirs.
The Qixi Festival occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month according to the Chinese lunar calendar. It celebrates the legend of the annual meeting between the mythological figures of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. This year, the festival fell on August 10.
Cultural event celebrating Qixi Festival held in Sichuan's ancient town
As the Qingming Festival approaches this Friday, various traditional folk activities have been held across China, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the occasion.
With a 2,500-year history, Qingming Festival, or the Festival of Pure Brightness, observed in early April, uniquely combines ancestral worship with the celebration of spring. Falling on the 15th day after the spring equinox, this ritual-rich observance reflects China's enduring values of ancestral veneration and inspires deep introspection about what gives life meaning.
In Sijia Village, Huayin City, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, a unique swing festival is held to mark the occasion. Eighteen different types of traditional swings, such as the spinning wheel swing, the Bagua swing reminiscent of a rotating carousel, and the balance swing designed for two people, have attracted many visitors.
Historically, Sijia Village served as a military post guarding the strategic Tongguan pass, a former mountain pass and fortress located south of the confluence of the Wei and Yellow Rivers. The swing tradition in the village has its origins in military training exercises like climbing and river crossing. The local swing culture further developed as regional trade flourished, eventually evolving into the "swing festival" that continues today.
"It's very exciting and tests your skill, endurance, and most importantly, your arm strength. You need to maintain balance," said Qu Xiangyang, a visitor.
In Rudong County, Nantong City, east China's Jiangsu Province, another traditional Qingming activity takes place - kite flying.
Flying kites as a way of making wishes is an age-old Qingming custom in this region. As a result, the Qingming Festival in Nantong is also known as the "Kite Festival."
The local Banyao whistling kite making skills is listed as one of the first national intangible cultural heritage items.
According to a folk culture expert, people traditionally write the names of diseases or misfortunes on paper, attach it to a kite, and release it into the sky. This practice is believed to drive away illness and disaster, while also serving as a way to make wishes.
In south China's Guangdong Province, a large tug-of-war competition is underway in Maoming City. Teams from different towns and streets are competing, attracting many locals to cheer on their teams.
Tug-of-war, which originated during the late Spring and Autumn period (770 BC - 476 BC), became part of Qingming customs during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty once organized large-scale tug-of-war competitions for the festival.
"Tug-of-war became very popular in the Tang Dynasty, even emerging as the national sport. It originated in the Jingchu region and later spread across the country. In ancient Lingnan (Southern China), tug-of-war games were a common tradition. Through these events, people seek to pray for peace, prosperity, and abundant harvests," said Yao Guojun, vice dean of the College of Arts and Law, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology.
Traditional folk activities held for Qingming Festival
