A wide range of vibrant cultural activities were held on a train running in northeast China on Tuesday to welcome the upcoming Lantern Festival.
The Lantern Festival, observed on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on Wednesday this year.
It is an important occasion for family reunion, and a time to admire the first full moon of the lunar new year, view lantern shows and eat "yuanxiao" or "tangyuan", a ball-shaped traditional Chinese dessert made of glutinous rice. It marks the conclusion of the celebrations of the Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival.
On the train running from Qiqihar in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province to Hunchun in northeast China's Jilin Province, a variety of folk cultural activities including solving lantern riddles, eating sweet yuanxiao, watching lion dance performance and making lanterns were held to welcome the upcoming festival.
Passengers were delighted to enjoy the festive atmosphere and savor the charm of the Chinese folk culture during the journey.
"The staff were very attentive and friendly. They gave us many festive gifts. They also offered us cooked yuanxiao and roasted meat with distinctive local flavors of Qiqihar. They're really very thoughtful," said a passenger.
"The lion dance was also fantastic. Despite the limited space on the train, they had put up wonderful performances," said another passenger.
Cultural activities held on train to celebrate upcoming Lantern Festival
The 2026 Beijing E‑Town Half Marathon, also known as the Humanoid Robot Half‑Marathon, will kick off on April 19, organizers said Monday.
Co‑hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government and China Media Group (CMG), the event has received over 100 registations, including more than 80 corporate squads and more than 20 from universities and training camps. Over 300 humanoid robots will compete, with the number of teams rising nearly fivefold from last year, organizers said.
The world's first humanoid robot half‑marathon was held in Beijing on April 19, 2025, drawing 20 teams of "mechanical athletes." While the debut race was marked by battery failures, robots veering off course and even head‑bumping falls, it also showcased ingenuity, resilience and public enthusiasm, lessons that organizers say have guided improvements for this year's expanded event.
"The number of robot brands showcased has reached 26, covering nearly all mainstream robot brands on the market. This fully demonstrates the thriving vitality of our robotics industry, from technological research and development to product innovation," said Liu Weiliang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.
"Compared to last year, the robots can be summed up in four words: stronger, faster, more autonomous, and more intelligent. Compared to last year, the participating robots have achieved comprehensive upgrades in motion control, autonomous decision-making, and adaptation to complex road conditions," said Xu Mengzhe, head of the Publicity Team for the 2026 Humanoid Robot Half-Marathon Organizing Committee.
To strengthen professionalism and ensure fairness, organizers refined competition rules after the first practice test and introduced new formats for robot challenges.
"We have created a new event called the Robot 'Baturu' Challenge. Through diverse testing scenarios that combine 'realistic disaster reconstruction' and 'simulated functional modules,' we have set up 17 challenging obstacles to comprehensively evaluate the robots' stability, movement flexibility, and emergency response capabilities," said Li Quan, deputy director of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area Management Committee.
Organizers also expect strong public turnout, with families and tech enthusiasts anticipated to line the course, echoing the enthusiasm seen at last year's debut.
The marathon is not only a showcase of humanoid robotics but also part of China's broader push to position itself as a global hub for innovation and industrial application of advanced technologies.
Beijing E-Town humanoid robot half-marathon set for April
