People across China ring in Spring Festival with culture-rich activities

Festive vibes are getting richer across China as people are welcoming the arrival of Spring Festival with various characteristic activities.

In Xiaxian County of north China's Shanxi Province, traditional performances like stilt walking and lion dance have won rounds of applause from spectators. People can also enjoy over 100 of local delicacies, with some of them being intangible cultural heritage.

The Wudang Mountain scenic spot in Hubei Province's Shiyan City has turned into a colorful cultural world, with several artistic performances on stage.

From dancing, martial art to acrobatics, these shows have created a comprehensive immersive experience for tourists with the help of visual devices and hologram technology.

During the Spring Festival holiday, the scenic spot will also hold additional light show and lantern fair, wowing visitors with its unique charm and rich festive atmosphere.

"We hope, with these colorful artistic performances, tourists around the world will come to Wudang Mountain in Hubei Province's Shiyan City to celebrate the Spring Festival," said He Yaochen, person in charge of the scenic spot.

Right before the Chinese New Year, a village gala was held on the bank of the Lugu Lake in Lijiang City of southwest China's Yunnan Province. Villagers showed their talents with instrumental performances and dancing, attracting a lot of tourists.

"I feel so lucky to see such a wonderful show and the stunning view, and to experience the amazing culture," said a tourist.

Some residents in Luoyang City of central China's Henan Province had a chance to closely watch shows of intangible cultural heritage, such as lion dance, "Bian Lian" (face-changing) and fire-spitting.

They also ate tasty food and played games at a Spring Festival fair.

"I'm very happy. This has made our life more colorful," said Cheng Lingling, a local resident.

Baoqing County in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province is buzzing with excitement, as a Spring Festival fair is packed with local food and daily necessities to celebrate the festival.

People across China ring in Spring Festival with culture-rich activities

The Duku Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will soon reopen to traffic after an annual winter closure.

Highway operators are close to finishing the removal of meters-deep snow from the road, and de-icing is expected to begin Thursday in the Yuximolegai Tunnel, where operations on both ends of the highway will conclude.

The 561-kilometer Duku Highway connects Dushanzi in the north of Xinjiang and Kuqa City in the south. One-third of the highway runs along cliffs, and one-fifth of it lies within permafrost zones in high mountains.

Snow clearing operations on the road face numerous challenges, including harsh weather conditions, melt-freeze crust formation, and risks of machinery damage, falls from cliffs, and avalanche.

These difficulties have limited the speed of snow removal down to one kilometer per day.

In order to ensure safety, the edges of road and cliffs have been clearly marked to prevent falling and personnel have been deployed to observe snowcaps.

Considered one of China's most scenic roads, the Duku Highway runs through various landscapes including canyons, glaciers, lakes and grasslands. It serves not only as a golden pathway to prosperity for local people, but also a popular tourist attraction in summer.

The highway is temporarily closed every October due to increased snowfall and road icing, and often reopens in June the next year.

China's Duku Highway to resume traffic after eight-month winter closure