Since the year 2025 is coming to an end, various products featuring themes of horse, the zodiac animal for 2026 on the Chinese lunar calendar, start to hit the market and quickly gained popularity among consumers.
Inheritors of the intangible heritage paper-cutting in east China's Anhui Province have been busy making intricate artworks featuring the Chinese zodiac Year of the Horse.
Huizhou paper-cutting is an intangible cultural heritage of Anhui Province. Customers are fascinated with the Huizhou paper-cutting works when they walk in a paper-cutting workshop in the ancient town of Huizhou in Anhui's Huangshan City.
This year, handicraftsmen have created plenty of horse-themed designs ushering in the upcoming Year of the horse, such as calendars and decorations.
In Yuyao Old Town, east China's Zhejiang Province, local workshops put a fresh twist on tradition with hand-crocheted horse dolls and horse-shaped Song brocade, a traditional Chinese silk craft renowned for its luxurious colors and resilient texture.
By mixing traditional techniques with modern styles, these works have been catching the eye of young consumers. Each year on the Chinese lunar calendar is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals, which rotate in a repeating cycle: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Horse-themed products gallop off shelves as new zodiac year approaches
Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Monday.
As solemn music played and the golden doors slowly opened, Xi and Vucic entered the hall together, followed by Xi's wife Peng Liyuan and Vucic's wife Tamara Vucic.
Applauding guests rose to their feet, and paid respect to the two heads of state.
A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid solemn music, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.
Xi highlighted Vucic's long-standing commitment to advancing China-Serbia friendship and underscored the significance of the honor.
"President Vucic has long stayed committed to China-Serbia friendship, and he has always given China the firmest and clearest support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. He gains the respect from the Chinese people. This medal is not only a high recognition of President Vucic's contributions to bilateral friendship, but also carries the earnest expectations of both peoples for building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said.
The Friendship Medal is China's highest state honor for foreigners, reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the world, and safeguarding world peace.
At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, with this marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.
Xi awards Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic China's friendship medal
