Traditional temple fairs and festive activities are being held across China as the country continues to celebrate the Year of the Horse.
While major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shenyang highlighted the historical appeal of their temple fairs, others sought to promote their fairs with local folklore and regional flavors.
At a temple fair in Alxa Left Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, visitors enjoyed traditional cultural parades, acrobatics, and lion dance performances.
Jinci Temple in Taiyuan, north China's Shanxi Province, is bustling with visitors enjoying traditional dance and folk performances, and intangible cultural heritage showcases.
Lion dances and aerobatic shows have been entertaining tourists at the foot of Maijishan Mountain in Tianshui, in northwest China’s Gansu Provinces, while Jizhou Kiln Scenic Area in Ji'an, in Jiangxi Province, launched a series of Spring Festival-themed activities that blend tradition and modernity, and resonate with the charm of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
This year, the sub-venues of the China Media Group 2026 Spring Festival Gala in four cities have become one of the most popular destinations for holidaymakers.
At Harbin Ice and Snow World in Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, tourists from all across the globe have been enjoying this world-famous winter wonderland, bedecked with Spring Festival decorations.
In Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, one of the filming locations for the Gala, the 'Eye of Beautiful Anhui,' opened its broadcast stage to the public free of charge, showing off the high-tech broadcasting set-up to curious visitors.
The floating bridge in Fotang Ancient Town, Yiwu, Zhejiang, which was also featured in the Spring Festival Gala, has become another popular spot linked to the broadcast, as has Yibin, in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
I watched the performances of the CMG Spring Festival Gala at its sub-venue in Yibin, so I came to the venue for a visit today. It is very beautiful and I am very happy. The venue is decorated with colorful lanterns, it's very festive," said Sun Yan, a tourist from Chongqing Municipality.
Night time celebrations, with light shows and performances staged across China, also provided some breathtaking views and memorable moments.
A light show featuring 4,000 drones creating incredible images of horses and lanterns in the skies above Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province, dazzled visitors.
In Guangfu Ancient City in Handan, in north China's Hebei Province, people enjoyed night cruises on the river, whose banks were bedecked with Spring Festival decorations giving a unique view of the ancient city.
Haidong City, in northwest China's Qinghai Province, has been hosting a series of activities themed "Returning to the Hometown for the New Year", while on an old street in Funing County, in Yancheng City in east China's Jiangsu Province, performances of intangible cultural heritage such as iron flowers and fire kettles, thrilled visitors.
East China's Fujian Province hosted more than 280 intangible cultural heritages activities, while Longyan City staged opera performances blending historical heritage with modern elements to visitors from all over the world.
"Staging the cultural heritage of Han opera at an ancient town is a perfect match. The performance was wonderful and breathtaking, I got so excited watching it. The town is filled with a New Year festivity," said tourist Wang Ying.
Temple fairs, themed activities held across China to celebrate Chinese New Year
