A strong festive vibe has been felt across many places in China as the Spring Festival is just around the corner, with celebrations underway, streets adorned with red lanterns, and shops bustling with people shopping for food and decorations.
The Spring Festival falls on Jan. 29 this year. It marks the start of the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year and is the country's grandest traditional festival when people across the country return to their hometowns for celebrations and family reunion.
For centuries, Jiezi Ancient Town in Chongzhou City, Sichuan Province, has celebrated the Spring Festival with a time-honored tradition of hosting a grand, long-table banquet. This year, the tables have been set up on Jingshui Street, attracting many tourists from across China and abroad to enjoy the grand outdoor feast.
"Jingshui Street is over 280 meters long, and each day, we can receive 150 tables of visitors, totaling around 1,000 people," said Cao Yafei, director of the tourism development and scenic area management office of Jiezi Township.
"I'm from Italy, and today is actually the first time I've seen an event like this. It feels quite lively," said a tourist at the table.
In the ancient city of Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, streets are decorated with lanterns, and shops are also bustling with customers as people prepare for the upcoming Spring Festival.
Hustle and bustle can also be seen in Shanghai, where many shops are packed with people making special purchases for the Spring Festival.
In Guangdong Province in the south and Jiangxi Province in the east, flower markets are fully ready for the influx of holiday shoppers looking for their favorite New Year blooms.
During China's Spring Festival, the flowers that adorn homes and streets are affectionately known as "New Year flowers", typically featuring auspicious hues like purple and red, which symbolize good fortune and prosperity.
Festive vibe sweeps across China as Spring Festival draws near
