The traditional Xiaonian Festival was observed across China on Wednesday in the run-up to the Chinese Lunar New Year, which is just one week away.
The 23rd day of the 12th month of the lunar year is called the Xiaonian Festival. This is the day when people offer sacrifices to the kitchen god, do a thorough cleaning, and eat a kind of sticky candy. The Xiaonian Festival traditionally marks the start of the countdown to the Chinese Lunar New Year, which starts on Jan. 29 this year.
In Shanghai, both local residents and tourists are seen flocking to an open bazaar to savor characteristic local delicacies, buy Spring Festival goods, and enjoy folk customs performances amid a growing festive atmosphere.
At the open bazaar, visitors can purchase handwritten Spring Festival couplets bearing the Chinese character "Fu," symbolizing fortune and good luck.
"I just saw people writing Spring Festival couplets and you can have a customized one with the character 'Fu' (Good Fortune) on it. It helps to create an atmosphere of the Spring Festival," said Li Yan, a Shanghai resident.
In Tongzi County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, many villagers are used to going to the market on the Xiaonian Festival to prepare goods for the Chinese lunar new year.
The market is brimming with a vibrant assortment of handicrafts, local specialties and delicious snacks, offering a feast for the eyes and senses.
"The Spring Festival is approaching and the children have come back home. So I've come here to the market to buy some food to have a bustling festival," said a local resident named Zhao Taisen.
In the Langzhong ancient town of southwest China's Sichuan Province, a lion dance parade is one of the traditional events celebrated on Xiaonian Festival.
This year, two colorful dragon dance performances are staged in a parade from the east and west of the ancient town, respectively, to the town center, bringing festival joy along the route.
In addition to the folk cultural performances, local delicacies including beef and steamed bun are also attracting many tourists.
In Zhangzhou City of east China's Fujian Province, the world cultural heritages Fujian Tulou are attracting large numbers of foreign visitors. Fujian Tulou are unique, usually round, fort-like buildings, built with a mixture of clay and sandy soil, dating back to the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1279–1368) Dynasties. They are a type of Chinese rural dwellings of the ethnic minority Hakka people in the mountainous areas in Fujian Province.
Dragon and lion dance performances are one of the traditional folk customs during the Spring Festival in Zhangzhou.
"I think these places [are] wonderful, because it had a lot of history here, and thousands of years ago that have [there were] people living here. And for us foreigners, we don't know this kind of things. So it's nice to come to experience with the local people, the local things, the local buildings, architecture and all the magnificent history that have [are] here. So I think it's pretty good to come to these kinds of places," said Quintero Candela Alejandra, a visitor from Colombia.
Xiaonian Festival observed in China in run-up to Chinese Lunar New Year
The Chinese animated blockbuster Ne Zha 2 began preview screenings in London on Friday ahead of its official release in the country and Ireland on March 21, attracting excited crowds to watch the film in advance.
The film made its debut in the UK at London's BFI IMAX, home to the country's largest IMAX screen and is scheduled to screen in over 250 cinemas of 100 cities across the UK and Ireland during the first week of release.
The film's Europe-wide distributor, Trinity CineAsia, announced that it has acquired theatrical distribution rights for Ne Zha 2 across 37 countries in Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany. This scale of film release is exceptionally rare in the history of overseas distribution for Chinese-language films, reflecting the strong confidence of local cinemas in the movie's market potential.
"The fact that it is here and, you know, that we are getting a lot more influx of films from all across Asia from China, South Korea, Japan, South Asia as well. I think it's really good to kind of like widen the palate, because we all want to escape our little cinematic bubble and see what the rest of the world has to offer," said Jack Martin, a film reviewer, in an interview with the China Central Television (CCTV).
"Ne Zha 2" has shattered global box office records to become the No. 1 box office animated film of all times and also the first non-Hollywood production to crack the global all-time top 10 box office chart.
Rooted in 16th-century Chinese mythology with a bold reinterpretation, the movie has attracted attention of global audiences with its stunning visuals, well-crafted storytelling, and deep cultural heritage.
"And I think all these elements show that Ne Zha 2 is both a film that's modern, but also has its roots in something very deep and very ancient," said Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, in an interview with the CCTV.
Many audiences attending the preview screening in London have shared their thoughts about the movie in interviews with the CCTV.
"It was moving like heartwarming. Yes, I'll go home now and talk to it to all my friends," said a moviegoer.
"I thought that the humor of the film was really great, but it balances so perfectly with some of the more dramatic and heartfelt moments of it. And yeah, I really, really enjoyed it. And the language barrier was not a problem at all," said another moviegoer.
"We might not speak the same language, but at its heart is a very universal theme of friendship and just trying to do right in the world. And I think that a lot of people really resonate with that. I can see why it's done so well in China already," said Jack Martin.
James Smith, an social media influencer, shared his views about the movie in Chinese language during the interview. He thought the movie can serve as a bridge for foreigners to understand Chinese culture.
"I watched Ne Zha, the 2019 box office hit, in China. When I heard that its sequel was set to debut in the UK today, I rushed to the cinema to see it. It's definitely a great movie, filled with humor, touching moments, and encouragement. My friends often ask me how they can better understand China, because they think I know something about the country. I would say that you can watch the Ne Zha 2, as I believe it's a great film and through which you can learn something about Chinese culture," he said.
Ne Zha 2 begins preview screenings in London, captivating local audiences
