Deep in the mist-shrouded forests of Shennongjia National Park in central China's Hubei Province, live the golden snub-nosed monkeys, the real-life inspiration for China's mythical "Monkey King" from mythological tale "Journey to the West".
Gold-furred, blue-faced, with upturned nostrils and startlingly human-like expressions, the golden snub-nosed monkey is a rare and endangered species unique to China and is under the first-class state protection.
Over 1,600 monkeys of 11 families now inhabit in the primeval forests of Shennongjia National Park.
Observing the wild golden monkeys evokes a sense of awe as they gaze at humans with intelligent, almost familiar eyes.
"They're gentle creatures. This is one family unit - just one adult male with his mates and offspring. Come here, little one!" said Yang Jingyuan, dean of Shennongjia National Park Scientific Research Institute.
Yang has studied these animals for 30 years. The monkeys know him - even a one-month-old infant fearlessly crawls toward his hand.
The interaction with the monkeys is simple: hold peanuts in the palm, and they'll gently pry your fingers open. Their touch is unforgettable - not just for their clever, tender manner, but their uncanny resemblance to us: dexterous fingers, expressive faces, and skin that feels almost like human.
Fed on leaves, twigs, wild grasses, these monkeys demand pristine habitats. Air quality, plant diversity - everything matters. All these can be provided by Shennongjia, which scores 92.7/100 on environmental health. It shelters over 700 vertebrate species, more than 4,000 plants, and over 5,000 insects.
As its flagship species, these golden monkeys have been rigorously protected since Shennongjia's wild monkey base opened in 2005.
Rare golden snub-nosed monkeys thrive in Hubei's ancient forest thanks to conservation efforts
More than a month ahead of the Chinese New Year, restaurants across China have reported a booming demand for reunion dinners, with popular places already fully reserved.
The family reunion dinners on the eve of the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important meal of the year for Chinese people. It has long been an essential part of celebrating the Chinese New Year. This year, the festival falls on Feb 17.
In Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, one restaurant said all tables for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner have been reserved.
"We now have 36 private rooms and 13 tables in the hall. The New Year's Eve dinner is fully booked. Many families started reserving as early as November 2025," said Han Huiyan, a restaurant manager.
To meet the demand, many restaurants start to offer takeaway banquet package that can be easily prepared at home, allowing families to enjoy a variety of festive dishes without dining out.
In Ningbo, a city in east China's Zhejiang Province, many popular restaurants said that they are approaching full reservation levels. To reduce peak demand, some restaurants now offer off-peak reunion dinners starting later at night.
"We now offer a 'second round' of New Year's Eve dinners, which start at 19:30. We also offer discount for such New Year's Eve dinners, a promotion of 20 percent off set menus," said Sun Lijuan, a restaurant manager.
In Lianyungang, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, smaller private rooms of a local restaurant have been nearly sold out, and customized menus and home-delivery services have drawn strong interest.
"This year we have specially launched the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner delivery service. Bookings are very strong and customers really like this option," said Geng Maoran, a restaurant general manager.
Restaurants see surge in bookings for Chinese New Year's Eve dinners
