Folk activities held across China to celebrate Spring Festival

Cities and towns across China are celebrating the approaching Spring Festival with vibrant folk performances and festive activities.

The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, falls on Feb 17 this year. It is one of the most important holidays in China, celebrated with family reunions and wishes for good luck in the coming year.

A New Year fair was held at Beijing's Longfusi commercial area, a well-known hub for folk culture, under the theme of "Fu," -- the Chinese character symbolizing good fortune. The event featured two performance areas and 53 booths, attracting 57 brands and significantly boosting consumption.

In Guangping County, Handan City, north China's Hebei Province, a lively dumpling feast brought thousands of people together. The entire village, young and old, gathered to welcome the Spring Festival in the most traditional but simple way, filling the countryside with a strong flavor of the new year.

During the Spring Festival holiday, residents and tourists enjoyed a festive celebration at Baimai Spring Garden in Jinan City, capital of east China's Shandong Province, where a variety of colorful activities were staged.

Jinan is the hometown of Li Qingzhao, widely regarded as the greatest woman poet in Chinese history. In her honor, five actresses dressed as the poet to interact with visitors.

In addition to watching performances, the tourists could also experience ancient market life and taste local specialties. Meanwhile, a New Year cruise performance was staged on Sunday in Hanyuan County, Ya'an City, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Nine performance teams, comprising more than 300 performers, took turns presenting their shows.

Hanyuan is renowned for its aromatic Sichuan peppercorns, which were historically presented as tribute to Chinese emperors. The performance ingeniously wove this signature local product into its acts, attracting crowds of street onlookers who paused to watch and raised their phones to record the captivating scenes.

"It is particularly innovative to combine the characteristics of Hanyuan pepper -- inherited for thousands of years -- with the auspicious meaning of the Year of the Horse. The streets are filled with a strong festive atmosphere, and I am truly happy," said Zhang Yan, a local resident.

Folk activities held across China to celebrate Spring Festival

Lion dances and lantern displays have illuminated Spring Festival celebrations across China, lifting festive spirits and drawing crowds while boosting domestic tourism.

The Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 17 or Tuesday this year, marks the start of the Chinese New Year. This year ushers in the Year of the Horse, the seventh of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.

In Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province, a series of folk activities have been launched to mark the holiday. Among the highlights, a vibrant lion dance bursting with color has energized the festive atmosphere and left spectators with an unforgettable experience.

The Guangdong Lion Dance, also known as Xingshi, is a cultural treasure that combines martial arts, dance and music. Originating in Guangdong, it is performed during festivals and major celebrations to bring good luck, ward off evil spirits, and symbolize strength, courage and prosperity.

Meanwhile in Sanya City, south China's Hainan Province, lanterns have been lit to welcome the Year of the Horse as the island embraces full Spring Festival mode. Lanterns, a centuries-old tradition across China, symbolize family, prosperity and hopes for a bright new year.

Crowds also gathered for one of the most spectacular attractions, the molten iron fireworks show, where artisans heat iron until molten and hurl it into the air, creating showers of sparks. Once a ritual to pray for safety and good harvests, the tradition has become a crowd favorite during the holiday season.

Lion dance, lanterns brighten China's Spring Festival celebrations