Chinese people are celebrating Lichun, or the Beginning of Spring in the traditional Chinese calendar, with folk activities and special seasonal foods across the country.
Lichun, which falls on February 4 this year and is also the first of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese calendar, marks the end of winter and the start of spring.
In Dongsi Neighborhood of Beijing City, local people practiced the "Spring Ushering" tradition involving a ridgepole greeting ceremony. The rhythmic beats of drums and gongs added to the festive atmosphere at the event.
In Zaozhuang City of eastern China's Shandong Province, colorful handmade "spring roosters" at a folk culture exhibition attracted many visitors. Traditionally, local parents would sew the roosters on their kids' clothes, extending good wishes for the coming spring.
"When I was a child, my grandmother also sewed one of the 'spring roosters' for me. It feels incredibly nostalgic and meaningful," said tourist Han Qi.
In Longnan City of northwest China's Gansu Province, a vast area of blooming rapeseed flowers has attracted visitors to come for hiking and sightseeing, bringing good business opportunities for local restaurants.
"Smoked pork ribs, free-range chicken, and seasonal vegetables grown in our own yard are particularly popular and widely enjoyed. During peak periods, we serve about 10 tables a day. With each table typically spending around 300 to 400 yuan, daily revenue reaches about 3,000 to 4,000 yuan," said Yuan Mingjun, a local restaurant owner.
In Shanghai, the financial, industrial and commercial center of China, seasonal vegetables like bamboo shoots, fava beans and Chinese wolfberry shoots are attracting customers in markets, adding a distinct "taste of spring" to people's lives.
Chinese celebrate start of spring with folk activities, seasonal foods
Polish citizens are feeling the squeeze of surging energy costs, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to roil the international energy market,
In Poland, rising fuel prices are gradually making their way into everyday life and the real economy. Many residents said higher energy costs are taking a heavy toll.
"I do think about this issue more and try to reduce my fuel consumption. Overall, everything happening right now is unsettling," said Pawel, a Warsaw resident.
"I really feel it. Prices have gone up a lot. We're trying to cope and can manage for now. Taxi fares haven't increased yet, but it's definitely getting harder," said Wiktor, another resident.
"Of course it has affected us. Because fuel prices have gone up, everything else is more expensive and costs more now," said Anita, another local resident.
Meanwhile, those working in the transport and service sectors said rising oil prices are directly impacting their businesses.
"The courier industry, like most taxi drivers, is soon going to face closure and be forced out of business. I used to drive international long-distance buses, and honestly, some people in that sector are also thinking about quitting," said Michal, another Warsaw resident.
Lukasz Goczek, a professor from the Department of Macroeconomics and Theory of Foreign Trade at the University of Warsaw, said the continued shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy corridor, could leave global energy prices elevated for a long time, heavily impacting the world economy.
"Iran has this huge leverage. It's got the whole world in a chokehold because 20 percent of oil that's transported in the world goes through the Strait. It obviously means that the price of energy is going to increase. We see it at the petrol stations," said Goczek.
Goczek also noted that U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran have dealt a serious blow to the international order.
"I think that's pretty much, by now, the international law. If it's not that, it's definitely very, very illegal. There wasn't any reason for war. It just straightforwardly began without any warning. So it was much of a surprise. We need the international order to have peace, to prosper, to have trade," said Goczek.
Rising energy costs squeeze Polish households, businesses
