As the Chinese people across the country are immersing themselves in the festive Spring Festival atmosphere, many foreign visitors joined forces to explore China's streets and neighborhoods to experience the unique charm of the Chinese New Year in advance.
At a New Year market in Baoqing ski town of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, a dazzling array of goods, aromatic snacks, and rich traditional folk activities are attracting many foreign tourists to come and enjoy the festivities.
While the market is abuzz with vendors hawking their products, Russian travelers are busy selecting special foods, experiencing traditional culture, and soaking up China's holiday atmosphere up close.
"I came with a tour group to this beautiful place called Baoqing. How beautiful it is here. There is a good museum that tells about the history of this area. The market has kebabs, corns and other delicacies. It's very fun and friendly here. Thank you very much. We will come to Baoqing again," said a Russian tourist.
Beyond the lively New Year market, hot springs have also become a must-visit attraction for Russian travelers, offering a uniquely northeastern Chinese warmth amidst ice and snow.
"This is not my first time in China, but for the first time here. I really like very cool hot springs here. It's fairly large and very beautiful. Everything is decorated, kebabs are very tasty, and the service is very good. In short, everything is fine," said another Russian tourist.
Looking forward, Baoqing County will continue to develop its local cultural resources, creating distinctive and immersive cultural and tourism products to further attract cross-border visitors.
The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 17 this year. The official holiday lasts nine days from Feb 15 to 23.
Foreign travelers join Chinese people to relish Spring Festival atmosphere
The 24th Mawei-Matsu Lantern Festival, a national-level intangible cultural heritage event, opened on Wednesday in Fuzhou, capital city of east China's Fujian Province, to greet the Year of the Horse, which begins on Feb 17.
The festival is underway at a shipbuilding cultural park, where brilliant lantern installations are artfully integrated into the century-old remains of the former shipbuilding industry, creating a striking contrast that blends maritime heritage with festive light art.
Lanterns shaped like horses and the first steamship built by the shipyard, stand alongside a variety of intricate designs, blending holiday spirit with maritime history.
"This is my first visit here. I have seen lanterns shaped like fish and horses, and I like them very much," said a kid.
The festival originated from the Lantern Festival customs shared between Mawei and Mazu. It is the earliest and now most regularized two-way exchange activity between the two places, with the mutual presentation of lanterns serving as one of its most distinctive traditional features.
The celebration is recognized as China's first cross-Strait national intangible cultural heritage project. In 2024, it, along with the Chinese New Year, was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Running till March 8, the 33-day celebration serves as a luminous bridge connecting Fuzhou's Mawei district and Matsu.
"I've been to the festival four or five times, and it has left a deep impression on me. The festival gets better every year, with very distinctive features. We hope to spend more time together with our compatriots from Matsu," said Zhao Ping, a visitor.
"We've incorporated elements of shipbuilding culture, the local culture, and maritime culture into the lantern design. We welcome everyone to Fuzhou and celebrate the Chinese New Year here," said Lin Hebin, deputy director of the Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Mawei District.
Mawei-Matsu Lantern Festival opens in east China, honoring cross-Strait cultural heritage
