Summary: According to the report, Tang Junbing, a "deep sea doctor" at the "Deep Sea No. 1" gas field, oversees the underwater production system and ensures its stable operation. The report highlights China's advancements in domestic production of equipment like mooring cables, which were previously reliant on imports. The article references Xi Jinping's 2022 call to the platform, where he emphasized the strategic importance of using domestically produced equipment to develop oil and gas resources and enhance energy self-sufficiency. "Deep Sea No. 1" has supplied over 14 billion cubic meters of gas since its commissioning, contributing to both Hainan Free Trade Port and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The report also notes the adoption of digital technologies like AI on the platform, which has lowered the energy consumption per unit output by 40%.
Summary: An urban renewal project in Chongqing's Jiulongpo District included the establishment of a community canteen, which hosted a Lunar New Year banquet for local residents, especially the elderly, with subsidized meals. According to community official Pan Chao, the canteen also serves as a space for community meetings and conflict resolution, fostering a sense of belonging among residents. The canteen manager, Li Heng, reported that the canteen serves over 1,000 people daily, including residents, office workers, and tourists, and adjusts its menu to cater to different tastes.
Summary: Ningbo Zhoushan Port truck driver Zhao Delian, holding six port-related patents, discussed his experience of the port's evolution and its positive impact on his livelihood. Zhao highlighted the convenience brought by digital applications like "Yi Gang Tong" and the improved infrastructure, such as the Liutang Highway Bridge, which shortens travel times. He also emphasized the improvements in port automation and efficiency, despite the reduction in manpower. Zhao expressed confidence in China's foreign trade, stating his work and inventions are inspired by it. Local authorities have addressed drivers' needs by establishing service stations and providing housing.
Summary: The article highlights various cultural activities and technological innovations marking the Chinese New Year, emphasizing tradition and modernity. In Tianjin, Zhang Hongpeng, director of the Ancient Culture Street Management Committee, oversaw renovations to enhance the festive atmosphere. Technology is also highlighted, such as the robotics exhibition at the Haidian New Spring Technology Temple Fair, led by Ren Zixin of Accelerated Evolution. Transportation infrastructure is also highlighted, with staff ensuring smooth operations during the Spring Festival travel rush, and markets remain open to guarantee sufficient supplies. The piece emphasizes the blend of traditional customs and innovative technologies in celebrating the holiday. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports that various regions across China are holding diverse activities for people to gather, reunite, and celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Summary: IOC President Thomas Bach, in an interview, praised China's contributions to the Olympic movement and his personal relationship with Xi Jinping, whom he considers a "true friend." Bach reminisced about Xi's commitment to sports, recalling Xi's emphasis on the importance of sports education and his personal love for soccer. He highlighted the success of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, attributing its success to Xi's vision and leadership and praised the event as "truly unparalleled." Bach also noted that China's participation in sports has broadened significantly under Xi's leadership. He emphasized the unifying power of the Olympic movement in a turbulent world, echoing Xi's message of promoting peace and development through the Olympic spirit.
Summary: According to the Chinese Ambassador to Canada, the atmosphere in Ottawa for the Lunar New Year is very strong, with various celebrations and cultural events taking place. This year is particularly significant for China-Canada relations following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's recent visit to China, the first by a Canadian Prime Minister in eight years, where he met with President Xi Jinping and signed cooperation agreements. The Ambassador highlights increasing direct flights, frequent cooperation, easier exchanges, and warmer public sentiment between the two countries. The Ambassador emphasizes the importance of people-to-people exchanges and mutual respect in fostering a strong China-Canada relationship. The Ambassador also mentions cultural exchange programs and activities aimed at strengthening ties.
Summary: Egyptian China expert Ahmed Drabik stated that celebrating the Chinese New Year in Egypt fostered cross-cultural understanding and highlighted shared values, like the importance of family. Drabik emphasized that the holiday reveals a Chinese society that values tradition and harmony, demonstrating that Chinese modernization is rooted in its civilization. He believes that the inclusion of "Spring Festival - Social Practices of Chinese Celebrating the Traditional New Year" on the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage is the international community's high recognition of the continuity and vitality of Chinese civilization, and promotes mutual understanding in a globalized world, which helps to eliminate prejudice and enhance trust. The "harmony" concept within the Spring Festival shares the same idea of abiding by the laws of nature and emphasizing the relationship between man and heaven and earth in Arabic culture. Drabik advocates for diverse interactions between civilizations to foster mutual understanding and coexistence, highlighting the global significance of Chinese wisdom.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to be able to provide a summary suitable for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Ambassador Zhang Hanhui, speaking at the opening of the "Chinese New Year in Moscow" cultural events, highlighted the shared values between China and Russia reflected in their appreciation for traditional festivals. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted the growing popularity of Chinese New Year celebrations in Russia, marking the third consecutive year of large-scale festivities in Moscow. The event, taking place at Manezhnaya Square, will run until March 1st. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala offered Lunar New Year greetings, praising the resilience and progress symbolized by the horse, qualities important in global trade. She highlighted the resilience of global trade in the past year and the value of a multilateral trading system. Okonjo-Iweala emphasized the need for significant WTO reform to adapt to the changing global economy. She thanked China for its strong support of the WTO and expressed hope that China's reforms could support the reform of the multilateral trading system.
Summary: The 2026 Spring Festival Gala (Chunwan) by CCTV saw expanded global reach, with nearly 4,000 media outlets providing simultaneous broadcasts and reports. Overseas Chinese community leaders expressed that the Gala fostered cultural identity and connection to their homeland through its integration of traditional arts with modern technology, like AI and AR. They were impressed by the presentations of Chinese achievements in various fields. Some also highlighted the Gala's role in promoting intercultural exchange through performances showcasing diverse cultures.
Summary: A China-Europe freight train carrying 110 containers of goods departed from Yiwu, Zhejiang province, bound for Madrid, Spain, via the Alashankou port. This marks the first such train to depart from the Yangtze River Delta region after the Lunar New Year. Railway authorities and local governments collaborated to streamline operations and maintain regular train departures during the holiday. Over the nine-day holiday, more than 40 China-Europe freight trains are planned to depart from Yiwu. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on three families in different regions of China celebrating their first Spring Festival in newly acquired homes. In Gansu, villagers resettled after a flood disaster enjoyed a communal feast in their rebuilt houses. In Hebei, residents who relocated to new apartments as part of an urban redevelopment project celebrated with family gatherings. In Guangzhou, a young couple, beneficiaries of a talent housing program with rental subsidies, chose to spend the holiday in their new apartment.
Summary: An initiative in Qingdao's West Coast New Area called "Young Goose Spark" is attracting young college graduates, many born after 2000, back to their rural hometowns to work in village administration. The "town selection, village hiring" model aims to address the shortage of successors in village leadership and revitalize rural areas by bringing new ideas and skills, such as e-commerce and tourism management. These young returnees are contributing to projects like "Qianhe Courtyard," which promotes cultural tourism and e-commerce livestreaming. According to Liu Luying, the head of the Organization Department of the West Coast New Area Party Committee, this initiative is injecting fresh blood into the village cadre ranks and providing a strong guarantee for promoting the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside. There were no reports or allusions to the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: After the last tourists descend, maintenance workers Wang Xiaoli and Tan Xin begin their nightly inspection of the Huangshan Yungu cable car, ascending into the clouds. They visually, aurally, and olfactorily inspect the cable lines and support structures for any anomalies. The Yungu cable car is Huangshan's oldest, and a crucial link in the mountain's classic tour route. According to manager Zhang Yi, it can safely transport 20,000 people up the mountain daily. Zhao Meijun of the Huangshan Administrative Committee noted that the cable car transported 200,000 visitors during last year's Spring Festival.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: The 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala achieved record-breaking domestic and international viewership, with total domestic media reach exceeding 23 billion. Online engagement surged, featuring nearly 2,000 trending topics and significant interest in artificial intelligence and robotics. The Gala was broadcast in 85 languages globally and featured offline events in countries including the United States, Russia, France and Brazil. International viewers lauded the Gala for its blend of artistic expression and ideological content, highlighting segments featuring robots and celebrating Chinese culture.
Summary: Gu Ailing won a silver medal in the women's freestyle skiing big air final at the Milan Winter Olympics with a score of 179.00. The competition, delayed due to heavy snow, saw Gu overcome a helmet-breaking fall during pre-competition practice. She expressed her desire to show the world her courage despite potential outcomes. Gu also shared her joy at seeing Chinese flags and receiving gifts from spectators, sending New Year greetings for the "Year of the Horse."
Summary: Alibaba's Qwen (千问), a generative AI application, is rapidly expanding its reach in China, achieving over 100 million monthly active users. The application allows users to complete complex tasks with simple voice commands, such as booking travel, ordering food, or accessing government services. Qwen has seen rapid growth in the number of users that are using the application for civil services, such as visa application, resident registration, and housing fund management. The application has become one of the fastest growing AI applications in the world, owing to the deep industrial roots and rich performance ecology of its developer. The application has successfully integrated into user's lives, allowing them to perform tasks easier than before, and has spawned over 200,000 derivative models, with more than 1 billion downloads.
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: <b style="color:red">[Summary Error - Empty Input]</b>
Summary: This article discusses the annual Spring Festival travel rush (chunyun) in China, emphasizing its significance as a journey towards family reunions. It highlights the improved infrastructure, such as high-speed railways and expanded air networks, that have made travel more convenient. The piece underscores the enduring importance of family and the evolving means by which people connect with their hometowns. It also relates the travel rush to China's national development, noting improved infrastructure and rural revitalization efforts that make returning home easier. The article concludes by connecting the Spring Festival travel rush with the sense of national strength and progress in China.
Summary: This article appears to be a masthead or credits section for a publication, listing the individuals responsible for the coordination, layout, and design of the current edition. It names Cheng Chen and Tang Tianyi as the coordinators, and Zhang Danfeng as the layout designer. No political content is present, and therefore no analysis of Chinese politics or U.S.-China relations is possible.
Summary: The article profiles four weather station workers in China, each stationed at the country's northernmost, lowest, highest, and southernmost points. Guo Dayong, at the northernmost station, emphasizes the importance of accurate data collection even in extreme cold. Yang Yang, at the lowest station, meticulously ensures data accuracy, even during holidays. Zhang Xiaoxing, at the highest altitude station, focuses on maintaining equipment functionality to support transportation and local communities. Xu Fengming, at the southernmost station, emphasizes their responsibility to provide accurate weather data crucial for fishermen's safety in the South China Sea.
Summary: The article highlights the dedication of meteorologists stationed in remote and harsh environments across China, who maintain constant weather monitoring and data collection. These individuals, often working in challenging conditions like high altitudes or extreme cold, ensure accurate weather forecasting and contribute to national safety and economic stability, particularly during critical periods like the Spring Festival holiday. Their commitment to service involves sacrifice and continuous operation. The article emphasizes the importance of their work for both daily life and the progress of Chinese modernization through better weather prediction.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and relevant summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Harbin, a UNESCO-designated "City of Music," celebrates the Lunar New Year with musical performances and activities across the city, including at the Harbin Concert Hall and the Harbin Grand Theatre. Local musicians, such as violinist Lin Shuai, perform traditional and contemporary pieces, fostering a sense of family and cultural heritage, while Russian musicians contribute to the city's blend of Eastern and Western musical traditions. The annual Harbin Summer Music Concert attracts international musicians, including those from the U.S., solidifying Harbin as a venue for cultural exchange. The Harbin Ice and Snow World incorporates music into its design, featuring ice sculptures and performances by international artists, including those from Russia and Ghana. The city aims to create immersive experiences that enhance the festive atmosphere for both residents and tourists during the Spring Festival.
Summary: During the Spring Festival in Wuxi, Jiangsu, a UNESCO-designated "City of Music," various musical performances and experiences were held throughout the city, integrating music into the local culture. Events included traditional錫劇 (Wuxi Opera) performances,江南丝竹 (Jiangnan silk and bamboo music) ensembles, and modern pop music concerts. Visitors could also participate in hands-on 二胡 (erhu) workshops and explore ancient musical instruments at the Hongshan Archaeological Site Museum, which featured ancient musical instruments and interactive exhibits. The celebrations culminated in lakeside musical performances in the evenings.
Summary: During the Spring Festival, Inner Mongolia is holding a series of activities, "Come to Inner Mongolia for the New Year in 2026," across its 12 leagues and cities to promote winter tourism. The activities include ice sculptures, lantern festivals, folk customs, and non-intangible cultural heritage experiences. The region is also upgrading services such as emergency supply stations, warm stations, and consumer coupons to attract tourists. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Culture and Tourism Department welcomes visitors to celebrate the New Year with ice and snow. The Manzhouli China-Russia-Mongolia International Ice and Snow Festival breaks national boundaries.
Summary: The Shenyang Ice and Snow Carnival and Lantern Festival, along with other events supporting the 15th National Winter Games, have commenced, marking the beginning of Lunar New Year celebrations in Shenyang. Yue Yang, Deputy Director of the Shenyang Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television Bureau, stated that Shenyang will leverage its strengths in "ice and snow, hot springs, history, folk traditions, and warm services" to present over 180 cultural and tourism activities. The festival features both daytime ice and snow activities and nighttime illuminated lantern displays, accompanied by museum exhibitions, sporting events, and traditional and creative markets across the city. The report does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Please provide the article you would like me to summarize. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Dongluo Village in Jiangsu Province, known for its ancient agricultural heritage, was named a UN World Tourism Organization "Best Tourism Village" in 2025. The village has revitalized itself by preserving its traditional landscape, including its unique "duotian" (raised field) system, while integrating new businesses like cafes and modernized farm stays, creating a blend of rural charm and modern comfort. This transformation has benefited villagers through increased tourism revenue, new employment opportunities, and the return of younger generations. The village's success is attributed to a collaborative model involving the local government, a private enterprise (万科), and the village collective, focusing on sustainable development and community involvement. Dongluo has expanded beyond tourism by developing organic agricultural products and educational programs, creating a more resilient and diversified local economy. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: In October 2025, Dongluo Village in Xinghua, Jiangsu Province, was selected as one of the UNWTO's "Best Tourism Villages" due to its historical and cultural significance, unique natural resources, and agricultural tourism development. Local officials recognized the opportunity early on, recommending Dongluo for its solid foundation and distinct characteristics. The village's success is attributed to its preserved traditional farming techniques, natural wetlands, and innovative "government + social capital + village collective" development model. Officials believe this recognition will put Dongluo on the global tourism map, transform Xinghua into a comprehensive cultural tourism destination, and promote regional economic growth. The award is expected to enhance infrastructure, attract talent, and facilitate high-quality industrial projects.
Summary: The article discusses the "Eight Bowls" (八大碗), a traditional cuisine of Zhengding County in Hebei Province, recognized as a provincial intangible cultural heritage. According to Song Erwei, a representative inheritor of the cuisine, the Eight Bowls consist of four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes, prepared through elaborate processes, including a unique "three steaming" method for the meat. The meal is not merely food but a cultural experience, embodying the history and hospitality of the ancient city. It is a dish served to guests and the older generation will bring their children to teach them about the taste of home. There is no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article discusses the rich and diverse terminology used in ancient China to describe colors, using the novel *Dream of the Red Chamber* as a starting point. It explains that "autumn fragrance" (秋香) is a yellowish-green hue evocative of autumn scenery. Ancient color names were often derived from plants, animals, or natural landscapes. Some color names, like "hundred-herb frost" (百草霜), are metaphorical and allude to objects, rather than directly stating the color. Contemporary companies are also adopting traditional color names to imbue their products with cultural significance.
Summary: Please provide the article. I need the text of the article to provide an accurate and concise summary for professional analysts of Chinese politics.
Summary: Here's a summary of the provided articles: The collection of articles discusses the Chinese tradition of "Bainian" (拜年), or Lunar New Year greetings. One article recounts a visit to border troops in Xinjiang, highlighting the challenges they face in celebrating the holiday and the efforts made to ensure they feel connected to their families, including video calls and special meals. Another reflects on the history and cultural significance of Bainian, emphasizing the importance of respecting elders and ancestors. A third personal story describes a family's tradition of early morning greetings and acts of kindness towards animals, leading to an encounter with magpies that seemed to offer their own New Year's blessings. None of the articles refer to the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: This short text provides contact information for the *People's Daily* and names the designers responsible for the page layout. No political information or mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations is present.
By: 本报记者 董泽扬 宋 飞
"My name is Tang Junbing (唐俊冰), and my colleagues also call me 'Deep Sea Doctor'."
Greeting the morning sun of the South China Sea, the reporter met Tang Junbing (唐俊冰), the underwater supervisor of the "Deep Sea No. 1" ("深海一号") gas field of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (中国海油) Hainan Company (海南公司), at the "Deep Sea No. 1" ("深海一号") operating platform. He introduced himself with a smile.
Who does he treat? "My treatment objects are hidden 1,500 meters deep in the seabed." Tang Junbing (唐俊冰), who has been working for 12 years, "takes the pulse" of the underwater production system by analyzing data.
Watching safety videos, putting away luggage, putting on work clothes... the reporter followed Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) to the mooring system.
"How can such a behemoth stand steadily in the seawater?" Standing on the "Deep Sea No. 1" ("深海一号") platform, which weighs 50,000 tons and is 40 stories high, the reporter couldn't help but ask.
"It all depends on these 16 'sea-stabilizing needles'." Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) touched the anchor chain as thick as a bowl. Below the sea surface, each mooring cable bears a pulling force of 300 to 400 tons every moment. One end of them grabs the anchor piles inserted more than 60 meters into the seabed, and the other end connects to the semi-submersible platform, firmly stabilizing the platform on the sea surface from four directions.
The tough and corrosion-resistant mooring cables once relied solely on imports, "but now the relevant equipment can be completely localized," Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) said.
In April 2022, when President Xi Jinping (习近平) connected with the "Deep Sea No. 1" ("深海一号") operating platform, he emphasized: "Using equipment manufactured by ourselves to develop our oil and gas, improve our energy self-sufficiency rate, and ensure our energy security is a matter of strategic significance."
"The formula alone has been adjusted hundreds of times," Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) said. To replace imports, the research and development team repeatedly tested the corrosion resistance and tensile strength of the materials. The domestically produced mooring cables have now been running stably on "Deep Sea No. 1" ("深海一号") for several years.
Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) led the reporter to walk down from the mooring system. "One of my important tasks is to compare the various instrument data transmitted back from the deep sea every day," Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) said. Due to the special environment, hydrate "ice blockages" often occur in underwater "traffic." Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) led the team to independently master the operation and maintenance technology of the complete desalting ethylene glycol recovery system and promoted the localization of the system, injecting antifreeze-like hydrate inhibitors into the seabed pipelines to remove obstacles in real time and ensure the smooth flow of energy arteries.
Arriving at the first-floor production platform, there is the "brain" of the platform - the central control room. On the large screen, the operating status of 23 deepwater wells is clear at a glance. "This is like doing an 'electrocardiogram' for deepwater wells," Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) explained. The system can monitor the pressure, temperature, and other data of each well in real time, and can deal with abnormalities in a timely manner.
Not only can the data of each well be remotely monitored, but drilling operations can also be remotely controlled. Taking the second-phase project put into operation last year as an example, the drilling formation temperature reached 138 degrees Celsius. The research and development team innovated the "intelligent completion" technology, which can perform "minimally invasive surgery" on underwater equipment without interrupting production. This technology has increased drilling efficiency by 30%.
"This is our inspection robot 'Haibao' (海宝)." The reporter brushed shoulders with "Haibao" (海宝). Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) introduced the platform's digital transformation: the application of new technologies such as digital twins and artificial intelligence algorithms makes the regulation of oil and gas production processes more efficient, and the energy consumption per unit output value has decreased by 40%. "The platform is at sea and also in the cloud. The 'Deep Sea No. 1' ("深海一号") gas field has become a brand-new smart factory," Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) said.
Since the gas field was put into production, it has cumulatively supplied more than 14 billion cubic meters of gas. On the platform, the sign of "China's Offshore Oil Industry Ultra-Deepwater Origin" is particularly eye-catching. "This is the starting point of China's deep-sea oil and gas development." Song Jinlong (宋金龙), the general manager of the "Deep Sea No. 1" ("深海一号") gas field, said that the gas supply pipeline is connected to the national natural gas pipeline network, which supplies both the Hainan Free Trade Port (海南自贸港) and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (粤港澳大湾区).
"I'm guarding the platform during the Spring Festival holiday, don't worry, everything is fine." After hanging up the video call with his family, Tang Junbing (唐俊冰) looked out at the sea -
Under the platform's searchlights, flying fish more than 1 meter long skimmed the water surface. "海阔凭鱼跃 (hǎi kuò píng yú yuè - "the sea is wide for fish to leap," a vast world allows talents to give full play to their abilities)," the deep sea, which contains rich mineral resources, is waiting for deeper exploration.
(Reporters An Ran (安然) and Li Siyao (李思尧) participated in the writing of this report)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘 阳
"Let's go!" Chen Dairong (陈代蓉), a 77-year-old resident of the Minzhu Village Community (民主村社区) in the Xiejiawan Subdistrict (谢家湾街道) of Jiulongpo District (九龙坡区), Chongqing (重庆), said with a radiant face, "It's time for the community canteen's reunion dinner!"
Pan Chao (潘超), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Minzhu Village Community (民主村社区党委副书记), introduced that among the community's 3,669 households, there are more than 500 elderly people over 80 years old, and more than 2,400 over 60 years old.
In early 2022, Minzhu Village Community (民主村社区) launched urban renewal with "preservation, renovation, demolition, and addition," and the community canteen became an important project. "Since its completion and operation, the canteen has held reunion dinners for us elderly residents every year," said Chen Dairong (陈代蓉).
This year's reunion dinner had 10 tables, with 100 residents attending. The community specifically reserved some spots for elderly people whose children are not at home and who need care. Dinner started at 6 p.m., but many residents arrived an hour early. The feast included twice-cooked pork, braised茭白, steamed pork with rice flour, and stir-fried ercai... all traditional dishes loved by Chongqing (重庆) people, and also specially added cured meat, sausages, and tangyuan (sweet dumplings).
During the dinner, the canteen also arranged a lottery, and 67-year-old Chen Guangzhen (陈光珍) won a large box of exquisite tableware. Aunt Chen (陈阿姨) happily held the tableware set high above her head, and the surrounding residents applauded, congratulating her on her good luck.
On weekdays at the community canteen, breakfast is ordered at the stalls; lunch and dinner are buffet-style, costing 15 yuan per meal for elderly people over 60 and 18 yuan for other customers.
Li Heng (李恒), the canteen manager, was busy running around, introducing, "We open at 7 a.m. on weekdays, serving 1,000 to 1,200 customers every day, some are residents of Minzhu Village Community (民主村社区), some are residents of other surrounding communities, and there are also employees from nearby office buildings and tourists who come to check in, it's very lively."
"The Chongqing Municipal Finance Bureau (重庆市财政) provides subsidies every year based on the number of elderly people dining, with a subsidy of 2 yuan per person per day for elderly people over 60. Jiulongpo District (九龙坡区) subsidizes 2 yuan per day for operating expenses for each elderly person over 60, and our canteen offers an additional 1 yuan discount, while the rest relies on the canteen to be responsible for its own profits and losses," said Li Heng (李恒). "We want to do projects that can truly bring convenience and benefits to residents."
"We elderly people can't eat things that are too oily or too salty. We reflected this to the canteen staff, and they immediately adjusted the dishes," said Chen Dairong (陈代蓉). "Now the canteen implements staggered dining times. From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., it's mainly for us elderly people, and the dishes are lighter; after 12 p.m., young people from the surrounding office buildings get off work, and they prefer spicier dishes, so the canteen also tries to meet their needs."
"The tables in the canteen are not only dining tables, but also desks, tea tables, and mediation tables for the community's 'Quadrilateral Meetings'," said Pan Chao (潘超). If the community has anything that needs to be negotiated, or if residents have anything that needs to be mediated, they are willing to come to the canteen to talk. "Inviting residents to the conference room makes everyone feel restrained and unable to relax. In the canteen, the environment is relaxing, with a cup of tea in front of each person, people's mentality relaxes, and when things are laid out, the problems are easier to solve."
Pan Chao (潘超) cited an example that last year, right here, the community took the lead, and the State Grid Chongqing Municipal Power Supply Company (国网重庆市区供电公司) joined forces with relevant district-level departments to solicit residents' opinions on the site selection for the relocation of old power facilities, and finally solved this major problem that residents cared about and that concerned the development of the community.
As night deepened, the reunion dinner was coming to an end, and the residents were still chatting lively, exchanging New Year's blessings.
The Minzhu Village Community Canteen (民主村社区食堂) is not just a dining place, but also a bond connecting emotions, a carrier for gathering people's hearts, and a "home" in the hearts of the community residents. Although the community reunion dinner is not a frequent event, the neighbors' sense of belonging to "home" remains in their hearts.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 何 聪 窦瀚洋
"Master Zhao, I heard you have patents?"
"In my spare time, I like to think about doing some inventions and creations." Zhao Delian (赵德连) is a container truck driver at Ningbo Zhoushan Port (宁波舟山港) in Zhejiang (浙江) Province. Over the years, he has applied for six invention patents related to port transportation, such as simple drop box equipment.
Seeing the reporter's curiosity, he readily patted the car door: "Get in!"
The reporter followed Zhao Delian (赵德连) into the nearly 2-meter-high cab. This space of about 4 square meters reveals the details of life. A family photo is clipped behind the sun visor. "I drive long distances, and I live in the car for about 300 days a year. This is my second 'home'."
In the cab, there are Zhao Delian's (赵德连) "treasures" - a stack of design drafts full of sketches and several carefully protected patent certificates. "I recently wanted to design a 'three-dimensional container terminal', so that containers can be automatically stored, retrieved, and dispatched in the smart terminal like goods entering a three-dimensional garage."
The container truck started, and a special landscape flowed outside the window. Countless container trucks carrying colorful containers shuttle between the yard and the port area, forming the active logistics "capillaries" of Ningbo Zhoushan Port (宁波舟山港), the world's largest port.
Zhao Delian (赵德连), 54 years old this year, has been running in Beilun District (北仑区) for more than 20 years. "I am very familiar with these roads." Over the past 20 years, he has personally experienced the pulse of the city and the port. In June last year, the first phase of the Ningbo Zhoushan Port (宁波舟山港) Liuheng Highway Bridge (六横公路大桥) was officially opened to traffic. "In the past, it took 40 minutes to get from Beilun (北仑) city to Meishan Port Area (梅山港区) on winding mountain roads, but now it takes 15 minutes to reach directly by expressway."
Speaking of the changes in the port, Zhao Delian (赵德连) knows them like the back of his hand. In recent years, the popularization of the "Easy Port Pass" application has brought tangible convenience to drivers: paperless processing, advance reservations, precise navigation... "In the past, I had to take paper documents everywhere to find the spot, but now I can just tap my phone and it's smooth sailing."
The car drove into the Beilun (北仑) First Container Terminal of Ningbo Zhoushan Port (宁波舟山港). Passing through the gate and arriving at the designated stacking position, the automated gantry crane in the distance slowly moved over, accurately grabbing the container and placing it steadily, taking only 20 minutes in the whole process. In 2025, Ningbo Zhoushan Port (宁波舟山港) completed a cargo throughput of more than 1.4 billion tons, and the annual container throughput exceeded 40 million TEUs for the first time, achieving a leapfrog improvement in the comprehensive operation level of the port.
"There are fewer people at the terminal, but it is smarter and more efficient." Zhao Delian (赵德连) said with emotion, "Looking back, I have been growing together with foreign trade."
In response to the "key small things" such as the difficulty of eating and resting that are generally reflected by container truck drivers, the local government has built 122 service positions such as "Driver Homes" and "Outdoor Workers' Stations" to high standards, and allocated more than 500 sets of guaranteed housing and more than 800 sets of low-rent apartments. Around everyone's key needs, more than 80 services such as skills training and legal aid have been launched.
After completing a trip, the time was just past 8 pm. "Now I run to Yiwu (义乌) more often, and I can earn 500 yuan per trip!" Zhao Delian (赵德连) said.
"Safety is the most important thing!" This Spring Festival, Zhao Delian's (赵德连) wish is simple and sincere. He gripped the steering wheel, his eyes swept over the family photo, "There are occasional storms outside, but I have great confidence in the country and in foreign trade."
It began to drizzle, Zhao Delian (赵德连) rested for a while, and then embarked on a new long journey. "The ever-changing development of the port inspires my work and inspires my inventions. During the holidays, I have to make a model." Climbing into the cab, he started the vehicle, honked the horn to say goodbye to the reporter, and merged into the traffic.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张宇杰
The Lunar New Year is a cultural imprint etched in the bones of Chinese people, carrying the hope of family reunions and凝聚着向新而行的信心 (níng jù zhe xiàng xīn ér xíng de xìn xīn - "condensing the confidence to move towards the new," embodies the confidence to embrace the new year).
People feel the long history of the Spring Festival in the New Year customs; empowered by technology and creativity, people experience the progress of the festival; the New Year market never closes, and the Spring Festival travel rush adds security. Fine steeds tread on spring, and the mountains and rivers take on a new look.
Cultural activities are popular.
Green bricks and black tiles are adorned with lanterns, and the old streets are full of New Year's flavor. The Tianjin Ancient Culture Street (天津古文化街) is full of joy, and the performances in the square in front of the Temple of the Queen of Heaven (天后宫) are lively.
Zhang Hongpeng (张鸿鹏), director of the Tianjin Ancient Culture Street Management Committee, walks in the crowd, stopping from time to time to carefully observe the restoration details of the outer walls of the ancient buildings. "Restoring the old as before requires 'embroidery' skills."
By adding a new spring atmosphere through micro-renovations, this century-old street has been revitalized while continuing its historical and cultural context. Last year, the Ancient Culture Street adopted an open operation for the first time to carry out the restoration of the Temple of the Queen of Heaven. Today, on both sides of the old street, more than 40 time-honored brands such as Yangliuqing New Year Paintings (杨柳青年画) and Clay Figure Zhang sculptures (泥人张彩塑) are decorated with lanterns and colors, and they have launched works with Spring Festival characteristics, attracting a constant stream of tourists.
On New Year's Eve, the non-heritage lantern festival in the New Year Painting Village (年画村) of Xiaode Town (孝德镇), Mianzhu (绵竹), Sichuan (四川), features colorful lanterns that complement each other. In the village, the Sancai Painting Workshop (三彩画坊) is booming. The most eye-catching on the shelves are rows of innovative New Year painting cultural and creative products.
"The court ladies in this painting are embroidered so delicately, and it feels so comfortable to touch!" Li Juan (李娟), a tourist from Chengdu (成都), couldn't put down a velvet pillow. A companion next to her was trying on a messenger bag in front of the mirror. On the bag, the "boy holding a carp" is lifelike.
"In the past, New Year paintings were pasted on the door, but now they can be carried on the body and held in the hand, which is exquisite and practical," Li Juan said while putting a New Year painting teacup into her shopping basket.
The consumption of Mianzhu New Year paintings continues to heat up, and various New Year painting products are very popular. Nowadays, the New Year Painting Village has developed more than 30 series and more than 1,000 kinds of traditional New Year paintings and derivative products such as New Year painting clothing and New Year painting umbrellas.
The New Year Cultural Temple Fair held by the Hunan Library (湖南图书馆) is full of scholarly elegance and joyful atmosphere. In front of the candied hawthorn stall, Chen Hong (陈红), a citizen, rolled up her sleeves and coated the hawthorns with syrup in a decent manner. Before long, a string of crystal-clear red fruits was freshly baked. "The rich interactive experience of the temple fair makes the New Year's flavor more vivid," Chen Hong said.
Technology empowers new ideas.
Can temple fairs also have a sense of technology?
On February 15, the Wukesong Wanda Plaza (五棵松万达广场) in Beijing (北京) was crowded with people. On the stage that had just been built in the lobby on the first floor, Ren Zixin (任子歆), the market leader of Acceleration Evolution Company, led the team to speed up the debugging of the robots. "At this New Year Technology Temple Fair, we will let more than 20 robots take the stage as 'actors'."
From the third to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the Haidian New Year Technology Temple Fair (海淀新春科技庙会) with the theme of "Qiji galloping, AI (artificial intelligence) celebrating the New Year in Haidian" will be held. This temple fair will set up multiple venues, with the main venue located in Beijing Wukesong Wanda Plaza, and branch venues located in Haidian Joy City (海淀大悦城), Zhongguancun Grand Pacific Mall (中关村大融城) and other places.
"Focusing on the three major contents of 'New Year Custom Culture + Science and Innovation Exhibition + Future Life', we have arranged five special exhibition areas in the main venue," said Qiu Feng (邱峰), vice chairman of the Haidian District Science and Technology Association (北京市海淀区科学技术协会). This temple fair brings together a number of top domestic intelligent robots and sets up diverse and interesting projects such as somatosensory interaction and science popularization experiments. "From cultural experience to cutting-edge exploration, from parent-child interaction to life services, citizens can not only touch the hard-core strength of science and technology innovation, but also feel the warm background of traditional New Year flavor."
On the New Year's stages in many places, humanoid robots bring a visual feast of technology and culture. Some transform into "martial arts masters" in martial arts programs, with every move in place; some perform sketches, sparking discussions about the integration of technology into life.
The vitality of innovation is surging in China during the Spring Festival.
Operation and supply guarantee warmth.
Operation guarantee and market supply also have a lot of cultural flavor.
Social fire masks, Yaozhou celadon (耀州青瓷), and Suide kang head stone lions (绥德炕头石狮) ... The distinctive cultural exhibits complement the imitation Tang Dynasty architecture. In the T5 terminal of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (陕西西安咸阳国际机场), there is not only a rush of footsteps, but also a strong ink fragrance. "Auntie, I'll give you a 'Fu' character to wish you good luck in the Year of the Horse!" At the "Fuyun Chang'an, Calligraphy Welcomes the Spring" cultural heritage event, staff members gave the written "Fu" characters to returning passengers, and New Year blessings were spread to all directions along the journey.
As of now, the number of railway passengers sent during the Spring Festival has exceeded 100 million. It is predicted that the national civil aviation passenger traffic volume during this year's Spring Festival travel season is expected to reach 95 million passengers.
Hefei West Railway Station (合肥西站) in Anhui (安徽) ushered in its first Spring Festival travel "big test." "Someone broke into platform 11!" In the integrated control room of Hefei West Railway Station, an urgent voice broadcast suddenly sounded. The large screen showed that a passenger carrying a child was standing at the end of the platform, looking towards the track from time to time, but the train next to him was about to start. Chen Peng (陈鹏), the station chief on duty, quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie and ran all the way to bring the mother and son to a safe area. "In case of emergency, as long as there is a sign, the on-duty cadres will go straight to the scene and rush to the front," Chen Peng said.
As night falls, in Jiande (建德), Zhejiang (浙江), the ancient town of Meicheng (梅城古镇) is decorated with lanterns and colors, and tourists are weaving. The electricity load of shops and homestays along the street in the ancient town has increased significantly. The State Grid Hangzhou Power Supply Company (国网杭州供电公司) has set up an emergency duty point in the ancient town and arranged special personnel to be on duty 24 hours a day to ensure the safety of electricity consumption for various activities such as folk performances.
Food has become a cultural symbol of many cities. At the "Baoji Guo Bao Rou" (宝记锅包肉) stall in the Dadong Non-Staple Food Market (大东副食品商场) in Shenyang (沈阳), Liaoning (辽宁), the aroma rises with the heat. The chefs cooperate tacitly, and with a "sizzle" sound, the golden meat slices roll in the oil. "We have to prepare hundreds of pounds of goods every day," said Wang Chong (王崇), the store manager.
"We will not close during the Spring Festival holiday, and the reserves of grain, oil, meat, vegetables and fruits are more than twice as much as usual to ensure sufficient supply," said Liu Jing (刘静), the store manager of Dadong Non-Staple Food Market. More than 100 merchants gathered together with special New Year goods to make the "rice bags" and "vegetable baskets" full.
It is another year of reunion. A journey full of dust turns into a deep embrace when you push open the door; a year of hard work is integrated into the New Year's Eve vigil; a pair of couplets with the character "Fu" expresses the good wishes for the coming year. The strong New Year flavor converges into the most solid sense of happiness in the land of China, reflecting the spirit of hundreds of millions of people continuing to struggle and create a better future together.
(Reporters Gong Xiangjuan (龚相娟), You Yi (游仪), Yang Xun (杨迅), Wang Haonan (王昊男), Jia Fengfeng (贾丰丰), Li Junjie (李俊杰), Dou Hanyang (窦瀚洋), and Liu Jiahua (刘佳华) participated in the writing)
Return to TopIn recent days, various regions have held a wide range of colorful activities, with people gathering for reunions and celebrating the New Year.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 恬 王翔宇 何洁琼
Lausanne, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva, is home to the Olympic Museum, where 3,000 years of Olympic history and modern sportsmanship converge. On the occasion of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, Honorary Life President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach gave an exclusive interview to our reporter here.
Inside the Olympic Museum, from the "Lucky Cloud" torch to the "Flying" torch, from "Fuwa" to "Bing Dwen Dwen," from Guo Jingjing's (郭晶晶) champion swimsuit to Gu Ailing's (谷爱凌) dragon-patterned snowsuit, Bach knows the exhibits from China like the back of his hand, and his words are full of high praise for China's contribution to the Olympic movement.
Since 2013, Bach has visited China many times and met, spoken, and corresponded with President Xi Jinping (习近平) more than 10 times, and has been called "an old friend and good friend of the Chinese people" by President Xi Jinping. Recalling his many meetings with President Xi Jinping, Bach said: "I have received many valuable suggestions from him as a friend, and we have always maintained a high degree of understanding and consensus. In my heart, he is a true friend."
In 2017, President Xi Jinping and his wife visited the Olympic Museum with President and Mrs. Bach. At the end of the visit, Bach invited President Xi Jinping to the Olympic champion podium for a group photo. "We wanted to highlight his important role in the world Olympic movement and the Olympic cause in China," Bach said, adding that he still has fond memories of that moment.
Over the past 10 years, Bach has witnessed the leapfrog development of China's sports industry. In his view, this profound change is inseparable from President Xi Jinping. Bach said: "I think he is a visionary and determined leader. He always has the people in his heart and has set the tone for the development of China's sports industry."
"In the past, China's involvement in competitive sports was relatively limited, but now, Chinese athletes are active in all sports." Talking about the driving force behind this leap, Bach believes that this is first and foremost due to President Xi Jinping's high regard for sports. In particular, the successful conclusion of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics not only presented the world with a "truly unparalleled" Olympic event, but also ignited the enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of people to participate in ice and snow sports.
"President Xi Jinping is very fond of football and insists on regular exercise. He knows the value of sports and its contribution to society." Bach clearly remembers that in a conversation more than 10 years ago, President Xi Jinping told him that some Chinese parents, teachers, and even young people themselves believe that sports will distract them and affect their studies. This concept should be changed so that more people realize that sports will not only not delay their studies, but will also benefit them. Bach happily said that in recent years, under the unremitting promotion of President Xi Jinping, love of sports and national fitness have become a common practice in Chinese society.
Talking about the bidding for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Bach recalled that the competition was extremely fierce at the Olympic bid voting site in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He revealed with a smile, "When it was announced that Beijing had won the right to host the 24th Winter Olympics, I was very happy. I deliberately blocked the sign with 'Beijing' written on it in front of my mouth so that people couldn't see my big smile."
Bach said that when he first heard the goal of "driving 300 million people to participate in ice and snow sports," he was skeptical. In his view, China's ice and snow sports started from almost zero, and it was unimaginable not only to achieve this goal, but also to have Chinese athletes in all winter sports events, "but later China really did it."
After seven years of preparation, the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics were finally successfully held. The Chinese people, together with the people of all countries, overcame various difficulties and challenges, and once again jointly created an Olympic event that will be recorded in history, and once again shared the glory of the Olympics.
Bach believes that under the care and promotion of President Xi Jinping, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics "not only had the brilliant performance of China's top athletes winning gold medals in winter sports, but also provided world-class venues and facilities for the world's best ice and snow athletes, and even had almost perfect event organization in all aspects." Bach said, "The 2008 Beijing Olympics was a complete success, and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has once again achieved remarkable success."
In 2017, when President Xi Jinping met with Bach at the Olympic Museum, he wrote in Chinese on the guestbook: "Promote the Olympic spirit and promote peaceful development." Bach strongly agreed with this, "In today's world of intertwined changes and chaos, the Olympic movement should become a force for uniting people and uniting the world in peaceful competition."
Return to TopBy: 王 镝
In Ottawa (渥太华), the capital of Canada, the atmosphere of the Lunar New Year of Bingwu Year of the Horse is very strong. The Spring Festival Gala, dumpling banquet, and Chinese school Spring Festival party arrive as scheduled. The Chinatown (唐人街) Spring Festival parade, the New Year Temple Fair, and the "Ottawa Spring Festival Gala" are highly anticipated, allowing people to immerse themselves in the Chinese New Year experience.
This Spring Festival is of extraordinary significance for China-Canada relations—conforming to the "right timing," celebrating China-Canada relations standing at a new starting point; echoing the "geographical advantages," promoting Spring Festival culture to enter thousands of households in Canada; highlighting "harmony among the people," promoting the continuous deepening of mutual understanding between the two peoples.
Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (卡尼) successfully paid a landmark official visit to China, the first visit by a Canadian Prime Minister in eight years. President Xi Jinping (习近平) met with Prime Minister Trudeau, and the two sides issued a joint statement and signed eight cooperation documents. Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Canada relations have opened a new chapter. Many friends have intuitively felt that direct flights between the two countries have increased, cooperation has become more frequent, exchanges have become more convenient, and people's hearts have warmed up. China and Canada, in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, are promoting a new type of strategic partnership between China and Canada, which will better benefit the people of both countries.
Since 2017, the Canadian government has officially declared the first to fifteenth days of the first lunar month of each year as "Spring Festival." Chinese Spring Festival and other outstanding traditional Chinese cultural elements are increasingly widely welcomed in Canada. Various Spring Festival activities are wonderful and colorful, and the atmosphere of the New Year is getting stronger and stronger. In cities such as Ottawa (渥太华), Toronto (多伦多), Vancouver (温哥华), Calgary (卡尔加里), and Montreal (蒙特利尔), people are immersed in traditional New Year customs such as visiting friends and paying New Year's greetings, decorating with lanterns and colored banners, enjoying tea and listening to operas, and dragon and lion dances. Government officials at all levels in Canada and people from all walks of life will actively participate in the celebrations held by local Chinese people. Some wear Tang suits and walk into Chinatown (唐人街) to celebrate the New Year together; some distribute red envelopes to children to convey blessings; some make dumplings and cook yuanxiao (元宵, sweet dumplings), and the Chinese New Year rises in the aroma of food. Recently, the "Happy Spring Festival" overseas New Year opera evening arrived in Ottawa (渥太华) to kick off its Canadian tour. Artists from the China National Peking Opera Company (中国国家京剧院) brought a national quintessence feast to the local audience. Prime Minister Trudeau (卡尼) also sent a congratulatory message to the event, extending sincere blessings to those celebrating the Chinese New Year.
People-to-people connectivity is the most fundamental, solid, and lasting form of connectivity. Since last year, the Chinese Embassy in Canada has participated in the Ottawa (渥太华) City Open Day event, successfully held the theme event "The Contemporary Significance and Inheritance of the Bethune Spirit (白求恩精神)," and the "Panda Cup (熊猫杯)" dragon boat race, enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples. During Prime Minister Trudeau's (卡尼) visit to China, he visited the National Centre for the Performing Arts (中国国家大剧院) and enjoyed the National Centre for the Performing Arts Choir singing "Beijing Welcomes You (北京欢迎你)" and the Canadian folk song "Red River Valley." Shenzhen (深圳)-original dance drama "Wing Chun (咏春)" successfully completed 20 consecutive performances in Toronto (多伦多), celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of friendship city relations between the two cities; the Mayor of Edmonton (埃德蒙顿) was invited to visit Harbin (哈尔滨) to jointly discuss how to transform ice and snow resources into cooperation opportunities; a delegation of Canadian self-media friends visited Beijing (北京), Tianjin (天津), and Hebei (河北), presenting a true China through their lenses. It is believed that the people of China and Canada will surely get closer and closer.
“愿得长如此，年年物候新”. 愿得长如此 (yuàn dé cháng rú cǐ - "May it always be so," expressing a wish for things to remain good and prosperous). In the new year, China looks forward to working with Canada to accelerate the implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, carry forward the spirit of whipping the horse and spurring it on, gather the joint force of ten thousand horses galloping, and firmly be good partners of mutual respect, common development, mutual trust, and mutual cooperation.
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Canada)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 黄培昭
"When the drumbeats sound and the lanterns light up, I am not observing a foreign festival, but walking into a civilization scroll that is unfolding." Speaking of a Spring Festival celebration he recently attended, Ahmed Darraj (艾哈迈德·德拉比克), an Egyptian expert on Chinese issues, said, "Celebrating the Chinese New Year with Chinese friends in Egypt, I feel a sense of cultural closeness, which is the most moving moment of civilization exchange and mutual learning."
On the eve of the Spring Festival, Darraj (德拉比克) was invited to participate in the 2026 Egypt "Happy Spring Festival" series of events held in Cairo (开罗). Watching dragon and lion dances, writing the Chinese character "Fu" (福), listening to Chinese folk music, experiencing traditional tea art... In his opinion, behind these Spring Festival cultural symbols lies a deep and stable value system of Chinese society. Darraj (德拉比克) said: "The Spring Festival is not a simple festive activity, but a complete set of social practices, and it is the way Chinese people understand time, family, nature and the future."
Darraj (德拉比克) noticed that in China, the Spring Festival always unfolds with "going home" as the theme. "No matter where they are, Chinese people will try every means to reunite with their families at this moment." He said that this highly coincides with the Arab society's emphasis on family. In Arab culture, the family is the cornerstone of society, and the New Year and religious festivals also emphasize family affection, sharing and responsibility. "The Spring Festival resonates strongly with me because it reminds people that no matter how the world changes, the family is always a haven of the spirit," said Darraj (德拉比克).
An academic visit more than 10 years ago brought Darraj (德拉比克) together with China. Since then, he has traveled to China many times to participate in cultural exchange activities, and actively promoted cooperation between Egyptian academia and Chinese universities and think tanks, and participated in organizing many Chinese cultural lectures and festival experience activities for Arab youth groups. In his opinion, the Spring Festival is an entry point to culturally bring the people of Egypt and China closer. "By making dumplings, writing Spring Festival couplets, and talking about New Year customs, young people will naturally ask questions: Why do Chinese people attach so much importance to reunion? Why does red symbolize auspiciousness? ... These questions guide them to further understand China's values and development path." Darraj (德拉比克) said that the outside world often interprets China's development achievements with grand narratives, while the Spring Festival shows a social picture of emphasizing affection and righteousness, cherishing tradition, and pursuing harmony and beauty, "which makes people realize that Chinese-style modernization has not severed its civilizational roots, but is constantly moving forward under the nourishment of tradition."
In 2024, "The Spring Festival - the social practice of Chinese people celebrating the traditional New Year" was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Darraj (德拉比克) believes that this is a high recognition of the continuity and vitality of Chinese civilization by the international community. "The reason why the Spring Festival can continue for thousands of years without declining is that it is not a solidified tradition, but is constantly developing." Darraj (德拉比克) cited an example, from staying up late, offering sacrifices to ancestors to digital red envelopes and cloud New Year greetings, people's ways of celebrating the Spring Festival keep pace with the times, maintaining inheritance in change, which is one of the most valuable characteristics of intangible cultural heritage.
In Darraj's (德拉比克) view, the significance of the Spring Festival's application for heritage listing lies not only in "being seen," but also in "being understood." In the context of globalization, cultural exchange should not be a one-way display, but a two-way understanding. "The Spring Festival going to the world is not to ask the world to become like China, but to send an invitation to people of all countries to discover the common emotions of mankind in participating in Spring Festival activities." He said that this kind of cultural exchange based on respect and equality helps to dispel prejudice and enhance trust.
Darraj (德拉比克) pays special attention to the concept of "harmony" contained in the Spring Festival culture. He said that many Spring Festival customs do not highlight the individual, but emphasize "relationships" - the harmonious coexistence between the individual and the family, with society, and with nature, which has an inherent commonality with the traditional Arab culture of following the laws of nature and emphasizing the relationship between people and heaven and earth. "Through diverse interactions such as festivals, education, academics, and folk exchanges, different civilizations can recognize each other more clearly in each other's reflections." Darraj (德拉比克) said, "Just as the Chinese say 和而不同 (hé ér bù tóng - "harmony but not uniformity," harmonious but different; seeking common ground while reserving differences), the world does not need a single model of civilization, but should find a way of symbiosis in diversity. The world significance of the Spring Festival is reflected in this wisdom of symbiosis."
(Reported from Cairo (开罗) on February 17 by this newspaper)
Return to TopLayout Design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
Return to TopThis newspaper's Moscow February 17th dispatch (Reporter Xiao Xin'xin (肖新新)) On the evening of February 16th, local time, the "Chinese New Year in Moscow" series of cultural events officially kicked off in Manezhnaya Square, located in the center of Moscow (莫斯科), the Russian capital.
Zhang Hanhui (张汉晖), the Chinese Ambassador to Russia, stated that the love and importance attached to traditional festivals by the people of China and Russia reflect shared values, including respect and protection for traditional culture, love for family and country, and tolerance, respect, and appreciation for different cultures. On the occasion of this Spring Festival, I wish the Sino-Russian relationship continuous consolidation and development, and wish everyone good health, family happiness, and 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng - "success upon arrival of the horse," instant success; achieve immediate results).
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova (玛丽亚·扎哈罗娃) said that this event is the third consecutive year that the city of Moscow (莫斯科) has held cultural activities to celebrate the Spring Festival. Each year's event is large-scale, full of fun, and unique, bringing surprises to Moscow (莫斯科) citizens and visiting tourists. The Spring Festival is becoming increasingly popular in Russia, and more and more people from Russia and even around the world are coming to Moscow (莫斯科) to experience the Spring Festival celebrations in person. I believe this year's event will bring you more wonderful and unforgettable experiences.
It is reported that this event will last until March 1st.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Geneva, February 17th (Reporter Jiao Qian (焦倩)) World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala sent Lunar New Year greetings via video on Chinese New Year's Eve, wishing everyone "health, prosperity, and success in the new year," and said in Chinese, "Happy New Year!"
Okonjo-Iweala praised the horse as a symbol of vitality, resilience, and progress, qualities that are of great significance in today's global trade arena.
Okonjo-Iweala said that in the past year, world trade has shown extraordinary resilience, once again confirming the value of an open, stable, and predictable trade environment based on the multilateral trading system. The WTO needs to undergo significant reforms to adapt to the ever-changing global economy.
Okonjo-Iweala thanked China (中国) for its strong support for the WTO and looked forward to China's reforms "providing support for our reform of the multilateral trading system."
Return to TopOn the evening of February 16th, the China Media Group's (中央广播电视总台) "2026 Spring Festival Gala" arrived as scheduled. Data shows that the overseas influence of this year's Spring Festival Gala continues to expand. Nearly 4,000 media outlets around the world conducted simultaneous live broadcasts and reports on the Spring Festival Gala, and the number of views of live broadcast videos on CCTV.com's (央视网) overseas social media platforms was approximately 90 million. This "cultural New Year's Eve dinner" integrates cultural flavor and technological sense, accompanying overseas Chinese around the world to spend the festival together.
"For overseas Chinese, the Spring Festival Gala is not only a gala, but also an annual event that connects nostalgia and enhances cultural identity." Luan Wei (栾伟), President of the German Chamber of Commerce in China (德国中国工商会), said that he was deeply impressed by the creative program that integrated artificial intelligence vision and traditional opera. The stage uses augmented reality and intelligent interactive technology to rejuvenate Peking Opera and water sleeves in digital light and shadow, which not only retains the implicit charm of Oriental aesthetics, but also shows the era atmosphere of technological innovation.
"Watch the Spring Festival Gala and share the 'cultural New Year's Eve dinner'." Sun Shangbin (孙尚斌), President of the Indonesian Chinese Chamber of Commerce (印度尼西亚中国商会总会), said that the Chamber of Commerce organized member units to watch the Year of the Horse Spring Festival Gala together, and the scene was filled with a strong New Year's flavor. "Many programs presented China's development achievements in various fields in the past year, which made overseas Chinese feel excited. This has also strengthened everyone's confidence in the future development of the motherland (祖（籍）国)." Sun Shangbin (孙尚斌) said.
"In the dance 'Stepping on the Ground as a Festival', I was deeply impressed by the intermingling of diverse civilizations." Huang Jingjing (黄晶晶), head of the Johannesburg Chinese Culture and Arts Centre (南非约翰内斯堡华星艺术团), said that the wooden clogs dance from the Hani ethnic group in China, the "Achimugu" from the Lisu ethnic group, flamenco from Spain, and the traditional Legényes dance from Hungary were all on the same stage. Dancers from different cultural backgrounds gathered here, dancing out their prayers for a bountiful new year in the neat sound of stepping on the ground. Huang Jingjing (黄晶晶) said: "The Spring Festival Gala is becoming an important bridge connecting different civilizations and promoting exchanges and mutual learning."
"Watching the Spring Festival Gala has become an important activity for everyone to celebrate the Spring Festival." Qiu Yaowei (邱垚伟), President of the Brazilian Federation of Overseas Chinese Youth (巴西华人华侨青年联合会), said, "This year's Spring Festival Gala is more mature in the integration of traditional culture and technological innovation, which is refreshing. Overseas Chinese also have a strong resonance with this, and resonate with the motherland (祖（籍）国) at the same frequency."
Ye Fei (叶非), President of the Chinese Biomedical Association in France (中国旅法生物医学会), said that the martial arts robot program reflects the speed of China's technological progress and fully reflects the innovative vitality of the Spring Festival Gala that keeps pace with the times. In the 1990s, communication conditions were limited, and watching the Spring Festival Gala was almost the only spiritual sustenance for overseas students during the Spring Festival. "More than 30 years have passed, and the way of communication has undergone tremendous changes. Online live broadcasts have enabled simultaneous viewing around the world, and social media platforms have enriched secondary dissemination and interactive participation, but the emotional value carried by the Spring Festival Gala has remained unchanged." Ye Fei (叶非) said.
"The Spring Festival Gala uses artistic methods to present China's economic, technological and social hot spots in the past year, and transforms grand themes into perceptible stories and performances." Li Jinglei (李晶磊), founder of Thailand Dan Dan Professional Translation Company (泰国旦旦专业翻译公司), said that the micro-musical "Every Ray of Light" touched him deeply. The program pays tribute to strivers in different industries. The workers who stick to their posts during the Spring Festival and the people who work hard in all walks of life are rays of light, illuminating the development of all walks of life and the entire society.
"What makes me feel very kind is the presentation of the Yibin (宜宾) branch venue in Sichuan (四川). The former small city has now become brightly lit and modern, showing the new era of Bashu (巴蜀) land." Yang Juan (杨娟), Secretary of the Mexicali Chinese Association of Baja California (墨西哥下加州墨西卡利中华会馆), said that Anhui Hefei (安徽合肥) branch venue Huangmei Opera, Huizhou (徽州) three carvings, hand dragon dance and other intangible cultural heritage elements are integrated into "Heyun Full Jianghuai (合韵满江淮)", Kuafu (夸父) sculpture and actors through light and shadow effects Lingkong palms together, so that ancient mythology echoes with the "artificial sun" nuclear fusion scientific and technological innovation achievements, "vividly showing the motherland's strength to empower tradition with technology and pursue dreams with innovation."
(Reported on February 17th from Berlin, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Bangkok, and Mexico City by reporters Liu Zhonghua (刘仲华), Cao Shiyun (曹师韵), Dai Kairan (戴楷然), Chen Yiming (陈一鸣), Shang Kaiyuan (尚凯元), Zhang Jinruo (张矜若), and Xie Jianing (谢佳宁))
Return to TopThis newspaper's Hangzhou (杭州) dispatch on February 17th (Reporter Liu Junguo (刘军国)) At approximately 10:00 AM on February 17th, a China-Europe train, fully loaded with 110 TEUs of cultural products, daily necessities, and electronic appliances for export, departed from Yiwu West Railway Station (义乌西站) located in Zhejiang Province (浙江省). This is the first China-Europe train departing from the Yangtze River Delta (长三角) region in the Lunar New Year.
The train will exit through the Alashankou Port (阿拉山口口岸) and is expected to arrive in Madrid (马德里), Spain (西班牙), in about 18 days. To better meet the transportation needs of the China-Europe train during the Spring Festival, railway departments cooperated with local governments, operating platforms, and other units, strengthened dynamic communication, reduced the time for container transshipment, and smoothed the China-Europe train transportation channel. During the Spring Festival holiday, the China-Europe train departing from Yiwu (义乌) maintained normal operation, with plans to operate more than 40 trains in 9 days.
Return to TopGansu Yuzhong (甘肃榆中), affected villagers ate hot dumplings in their rebuilt new homes; Hebei Baoding (河北保定), relocated villagers gathered happily in resettlement communities; Guangdong Guangzhou (广东广州), a new citizen couple chose to stay in talent housing to reunite. This Spring Festival, reporters visited 3 families to see their first Spring Festival in their new homes.
——Editor
Resettlement Housing Nurtures New Hope
By Dong Hongliang (董洪亮), Wang Jintao (王锦涛), and Zeng Yichen (曾亦辰), reporters of this newspaper
Hot pot bubbling, braised pork glistening, meatballs crispy... each family contributes a specialty dish, with a plate of freshly cooked dumplings in the middle, steaming hot. At the post-disaster reconstruction resettlement site in Malian灘 Village (马莲滩村), Mapo Township (马坡乡), Yuzhong County (榆中县), Gansu (甘肃), neighbors gathered at the home of villager Li Caie (李彩娥) to celebrate their first Spring Festival after moving.
On August 7, 2025, Yuzhong County (榆中县) suffered continuous heavy rainfall, triggering flash floods. "In the blink of an eye, the house was washed away," said Li Caie (李彩娥). Also washed away were her cross-stitch embroidery, the fiddlehead ferns in the jar, and her husband Zhang Zheng's (张正) auto repair shop. "Where is home, where do we live?" At that time, she was full of anxiety.
Unexpectedly, it wasn't long before she heard that resettlement housing would be built. In less than 100 days, new houses sprung up. On November 18, Li Caie's (李彩娥) family moved into a new three-bedroom, one-living room house with good ventilation and lighting. "My parents-in-law, my son, and the two of us each have a room." Li Caie (李彩娥) calculated that with all the subsidies added up, her family only paid a little over 100,000 yuan.
Speaking of the new house, everyone has endless "good" things to say. The foundation is deep, the walls are insulated... "Just look at the flowers and plants all over the house. The orchids were given by the support cadres, the crabapples were donated by the construction unit, and the red palms were brought by the old neighbors when they came for the New Year's Eve dinner. In the old bungalows, it was difficult to grow flowers because of the stove. Now the living room and bedrooms have heating, and the temperature can be controlled. The government also provided a biomass heating stove. People live comfortably, and the flowers and plants grow steadily." As she spoke, Li Caie (李彩娥) inserted a red pussy willow into a vase, "Inserting pussy willows during the festival, red branches bring good luck!"
Not long ago, Li Caie (李彩娥) changed her online name to "Little Lucky." With the completion of the new home, neighbors reunited, and continuous support, life has a solid foundation. "The auto repair shop has also opened in the village." Li Caie (李彩娥) plans that when the weather warms up, she will go to the fields to resume farming, planting broccoli and cabbage. The village is developing facility agriculture, and she also wants to try planting some mushroom sticks. "With everyone together and a home, the future will definitely be more prosperous."
Relocated Housing is Warm and Convenient
By Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿), reporter of this newspaper
February 16, Lunar New Year's Eve. Yuehecheng Community (悦和城小区) in Lianchi District (莲池区), Baoding City (保定市), Hebei (河北) was decorated with lanterns and colored banners. Knocking on the door of 62-year-old resident Huang Shumei's (黄淑梅) home, the sound of a spatula hitting a wok came from the kitchen, and the aroma of food filled the air; in the living room, adults sat around talking and laughing, teasing the child in their arms, warm and harmonious.
"This is our first Spring Festival after moving into the new home. We invited all the relatives to join in the fun," said Huang Shumei (黄淑梅). Her husband Song Jingtian's (宋景田) two brothers brought their families to celebrate the New Year together.
Yuehecheng Community (悦和城小区) is the resettlement area for Nanliugezhuang Village (南刘各庄村), an urban village undergoing renovation in Baoding City (保定市). Since 2020, Baoding City (保定市) has launched four phases of urban village renovation projects, involving 78 villages. Last August, as a relocated household in the third phase of the project, Huang Shumei (黄淑梅) and Song Jingtian (宋景田) moved into this 90-square-meter new house, and their eldest daughter's family moved into the adjacent 120-square-meter three-bedroom apartment.
"The new home is really warm." Huang Shumei (黄淑梅) had been looking forward to moving into the new house for a long time. "Before, we lived in bungalows in the village. We burned a lot of coal but it wasn't warm. Now the buildings have unified heating, and the government even provides subsidies for the first year, so heating is free!" There were many large items in the house, and buying appliances for the new house coincided with the trade-in policy, which saved nearly 5,000 yuan.
For the relocation of villagers, the resettlement area is equipped with parking spaces for each household. "Before, cars could only be parked on the side of the road, but now they can go directly to the underground garage. The roads around the community are well-connected, making it convenient to go anywhere," Song Jingtian (宋景田) interjected. Not only is it convenient, but life is also rich. "There are multiple recreational activity areas in the community." Song Jingtian (宋景田) most often goes to the exercise equipment area and the children's playground area, exercising himself and taking his grandson and granddaughter to play.
In the evening, hot dishes were served and dumplings were cooked. The whole family sat around the table. "Celebrating the New Year in the new house, life is really sweet!" Huang Shumei (黄淑梅) raised her glass, "Come, let's toast to our new home and to a happy life."
Currently, the first and second phases of the urban village renovation project in Baoding City (保定市), involving 46 villages, have been fully completed. The third phase, involving 23 villages, is in the final stages. The fourth phase has completed 2 villages through off-site resettlement using "housing tickets" and other methods, and has successfully delivered houses and resettled 32,000 households and 120,000 people.
Talent Housing Has Rental Subsidies
By He Linping (贺林平), reporter of this newspaper
"I'm back!" On New Year's Eve, in Luogang Heyuan Community (萝岗和苑小区), Huangpu District (黄埔区), Guangzhou (广州), Guangdong (广东), Qin Yuhua (覃瑜华) carried a pot of golden kumquats home, "A flower market opened at the entrance of the community, so I bought a pot to add some festive atmosphere."
Qin Yuhua (覃瑜华), born in the 1990s, works in drug formulation research at a technology company in Huangpu District (黄埔区). His wife, Cai Yumei (蔡煜梅), is pregnant, so the couple decided to stay in Guangzhou (广州) for the New Year. "This is our first Spring Festival in our new home."
This 91-square-meter new home is the talent housing that Qin Yuhua (覃瑜华) applied for from Huangpu District (黄埔区). It has three bedrooms, one living room, and a south-facing balcony. "It's right next to the subway station, which is very convenient for commuting to work. The community is clean, tidy, and well-managed." Qin Yuhua (覃瑜华) is very satisfied.
"The rent is 2,380 yuan per month, and we can also receive a subsidy of more than 700 yuan," Cai Yumei (蔡煜梅) added, "The market price for the same type of apartment in the same location is nearly 4,000 yuan."
In order to meet the transitional housing security needs of talents without housing, Huangpu District (黄埔区) provides rental housing for various talents. Eligible talents can enjoy a monthly rental subsidy of up to 2,500 yuan for a maximum of 5 years. As of now, there are 11 existing talent housing projects in the district, with a cumulative rental subsidy of approximately 47 million yuan, benefiting approximately 5,000 talents from 1,000 enterprises and institutions. Chen Le (陈乐), regional manager of the Housing Operation Division of Huangpu Anju Group (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. (黄埔安居集团（广州）有限公司), introduced that there are two kindergartens in the area, as well as a public primary school, and the children of renting talents can enjoy guaranteed enrollment.
After moving into the new home, every working day, Qin Yuhua (覃瑜华) and his wife go to the subway station at their doorstep together, and then one goes north and the other goes south, heading to their respective jobs. "Parks and fitness trails are within easy reach, and there is a commercial complex next to the community, which is very convenient," said Qin Yuhua (覃瑜华).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 武少民 王 浩
A small coastal village, the sea breeze blowing. A "village cafe" is located by the roadside, one of the "Qianhe Courtyard" (前河小院) projects in Dachang Town (大场镇), Qingdao West Coast New Area (青岛西海岸新区), Shandong (山东) Province.
Liu Yan (刘燕), the post-00s store owner, is busy making coffee, grinding powder, filtering, and the aroma of coffee wafts. "Recently, many young people have returned home, ordering a cup of coffee, chatting, it's very lively." Liu Yan (刘燕) greeted while busy.
Liu Yan (刘燕) also has another identity - a college student reserve force in Dachang Village (大场村), Dachang Town (大场镇). "After graduating from university, I worked as a food inspector, and later started a photography studio." Always drifting outside, Liu Yan (刘燕) was thinking about home. Seeing the town's "Emerging Goose Spark" (雏雁星火) recruitment, she signed up without hesitation. After written tests, interviews, and organizational review, she became a village accountant.
In 2024, the Organization Department of the Qingdao West Coast New Area (青岛西海岸新区) Working Committee launched the "Emerging Goose Spark" (雏雁星火) program, exploring the "town selection and village employment" model to attract young people to return to work in their hometowns. Today, 143 administrative villages have cumulatively attracted 146 college students to return to their hometowns to take office, most of whom are post-00s.
"'Emerging Goose Spark' (雏雁星火) focuses on the group of college students from this village and township, building a platform for them to return to work in their hometowns, and alleviating problems such as the 'lack of successors' in the village cadre team," said Sun Tao (孙涛), Secretary of the Dachang Town (大场镇) Party Committee.
The return of post-00s brings a new atmosphere. Wu Xuan (吴喧) has a cheerful personality and majored in tourism management in college. After graduation, she worked as an operations supervisor at Shanghai Happy Valley (上海欢乐谷). Now she has become a college student reserve force in Guanzhuangling Village (官庄岭村), Dachang Town (大场镇), helping village cadres enter contracts and manage "three assets" to form electronic archives for easy searching.
The return of post-00s also brings new ideas. Eight villages in Dachang Town (大场镇) jointly established a strong village common prosperity company to create the "Qianhe Courtyard" (前河小院) project, developing cultural tourism projects and e-commerce live broadcasts. Liu Chenglin (刘承霖) is a college student reserve force in Xiushuiwan Village (秀水湾村), Dachang Town (大场镇). She majored in e-commerce in college and now takes the initiative to undertake shooting and editing work, using live broadcasts and short videos to recommend rural delicacies. With the support of policies such as rent exemption and entrepreneurship training, Liu Yan (刘燕) opened the town's first coffee shop.
"'Qianhe Courtyard' (前河小院) project is a big stage for young people. We give full play to our advantages, participate in depth, and work together to make the rural industry bigger and better," said Xu Yunlong (徐云龙), Secretary of the Yinglou Village (营楼村) Party Committee, Dachang Town (大场镇).
"'One college student per village' injects a source of fresh water into the construction of the village cadre team and provides a strong guarantee for promoting the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside," said Liu Luying (刘陆莹), Standing Committee Member of the West Coast New Area (西海岸新区) Working Committee and Minister of the Organization Department.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 朱笑熺
At 5 PM, at the lower station of the Yungu Cableway (云谷索道) in Huangshan (黄山), Anhui (安徽), the last group of tourists stepped off the cable car, but the cableway did not stop running.
In the warehouse, a maintenance vehicle was slowly pushed out and merged into the operating line. Pushing the vehicle were cableway maintenance workers Wang Xiaoli (王小利) and Tan Xin (谈欣), who were about to begin the last task of the day – the evening inspection.
At 5:10 PM, the maintenance vehicle departed. At an altitude of over 1,000 meters in the clouds, the maintenance vehicle swayed from side to side each time it passed a support. In the center of the car, a steel ladder connected to the top; there was no glass on any side, only a steel frame.
Why no glass?
"For convenience of getting on and off, and for easy maintenance," Tan Xin (谈欣) answered quickly.
"Also, for the convenience of seeing, hearing, and smelling," Wang Xiaoli (王小利) stared intently at the cable, and only spoke slowly after the maintenance vehicle passed the support in front of him. What he sees is whether the wheelset has abnormal twisting, what he hears is whether there is noise when the car passes, and what he smells is whether the cable has a burnt odor. "Without glass, you can see more clearly, hear more clearly, and also smell the odor," Wang Xiaoli (王小利) added, his eyes never leaving the cableway.
The maintenance vehicle climbed at a speed of 3 meters per second, and clouds rushed towards them. "Today the temperature is minus 8 degrees Celsius, but the perceived temperature is even lower," Wang Xiaoli (王小利) said.
The Yungu Cableway (云谷索道) is the earliest built and put into use among the three cableways in Huangshan Scenic Area (黄山风景区). Taking the Yungu Cableway (云谷索道) up the mountain, passing by Shixin Peak (始信峰) and Bright Summit (光明顶), checking in at Flying-Over Rock (飞来石) and Welcoming-Guests Pine (迎客松), and finally taking the Yuping Cableway (玉屏索道) down the mountain is a classic route for visiting Huangshan (黄山).
"In terms of transport capacity, it is no problem to safely and smoothly send 20,000 people up the mountain every day," said Zhang Yi (张祎), Manager of the Technology and Safety Department of Yungu Cableway (云谷索道).
"Last Spring Festival holiday, we received 200,000 visitors," said Zhao Meijun (赵美君), a staff member of the Huangshan Scenic Area Management Committee (黄山风景区管委会). "Generally, after the first day of the Lunar New Year, there are more and more tourists."
Wang Xiaoli (王小利) came to Yungu Cableway (云谷索道) in 2015 after graduating from university. From 初出茅庐 (chū chū máo lú - "fresh out of the thatched hut," inexperienced; green) to "expert," he and his colleagues guard this "road" in the clouds day after day. This year, Wang Xiaoli (王小利) continues to spend a busy and meaningful Spring Festival at his post.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 何思琦
China Media Group's "2026 Spring Festival Gala" presented a "cultural New Year's Eve dinner" rich in festive spirit and sparkling with technology to Chinese people around the world and overseas friends, conveying a strong sense of harmony, resonance, and universal celebration. As of 8:00 AM on February 17, the total reach of the Spring Festival Gala across all media platforms in China was 23.063 billion, an increase of 37.3% year-on-year. The total live viewership share in the national television market reached 79.29%, a 13-year high. During the broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala, the average number of people watching (listening) online simultaneously per minute reached 325 million, with the peak number of simultaneous online viewers exceeding 400 million.
New media data broke records. The total number of live and on-demand views of the Spring Festival Gala on domestic new media platforms reached 16.207 billion, an increase of 49% year-on-year. Among them, the cumulative number of live and on-demand views on China Media Group's (中央广播电视总台) own client terminals reached 770 million, an increase of 2.7% year-on-year; the cumulative number of live views reached 605 million, an increase of 60.05 million compared to last year. The cumulative number of live and on-demand views of the "Spring Festival Gala Accessible Version" on CCTV News (央视新闻) and other platforms reached 28.3366 million, an increase of 144% year-on-year.
Online popularity continued to rise, with nearly 2,000 topics trending on hot search lists. As of 1:00 PM on February 17, the total number of views of Spring Festival Gala-related topics across the entire network reached 27.12 billion. Among users of all media channels, young users accounted for 41.82%, an increase of 1.35 percentage points year-on-year. The proportion of attention paid to content related to new quality productive forces such as artificial intelligence and humanoid robots accounted for 20.99%, an increase of 5.4 times year-on-year.
The effectiveness of overseas communication has improved. China Media Group (中央广播电视总台) broadcast and reported on the Spring Festival Gala in 85 languages to the world. The global readership of China Global Television Network's (中国国际电视台) Spring Festival Gala-related reports reached 2.309 billion, and the number of video views reached 843 million, an increase of 32.85% and 43.61% respectively compared to last year. China Media Group (中央广播电视总台) collaborated with nearly 4,000 media outlets around the world to simultaneously broadcast and report on the Spring Festival Gala, an increase of 37.95% year-on-year. The "Spring Festival Gala Overture: Watching the Spring Festival Gala Globally" offline event hosted by China Media Group (中央广播电视总台) was held in the United States, Russia (俄罗斯), France (法国), Germany (德国), Italy (意大利), New Zealand (新西兰), Brazil (巴西), Egypt (埃及), and other countries. 4,062 public screens in 98 countries and 140 cities broadcast and promoted China Media Group's (中央广播电视总台) Spring Festival Gala, with the number of countries and screens covered increasing by 12.6% and 15.8% respectively compared to last year.
Netizens at home and abroad praised, "China Media Group's (中央广播电视总台) Spring Festival Gala highlights both artistry and ideology." The creative presentation of robots and other technological intelligent manufacturing received attention, "'Wu BOT' features robots playing kung fu, which is the strongest combination of Chinese technology and Chinese kung fu!" The ancient charm of Chinese culture and heartwarming songs resonated emotionally, "'He Huashen' is the ultimate romance of Eastern aesthetics! The whole picture is so beautiful that people can't take their eyes off it, it's like a dream," "'Mommy Has a Cinema' is about the passage of time, and the gentle narration of maternal love," "'The Moment You and I Experienced' is the most touching song of this year's Spring Festival Gala, every sentence touches the heart, grateful for all the good things, cherish the present." The program paid tribute to the strivers in ordinary positions, "'Every Ray of Light' and 'Lai Shaiqiu' are grand carnivals for workers, and workers and farmers going to the Spring Festival Gala has become a regular feature." "Yimeng Erjie" Lü Yuxia (吕玉霞) announced the program, evoking empathy from netizens, "No matter where you are, as long as you have passion in your heart, life can be poetry everywhere." The cross-mountain and sea harmony and dance were a pleasant surprise, "The enthusiastic participation of international friends makes the Chinese Spring Festival a cultural bridge connecting the world." The distinctive branch venues boosted the popularity of local cultural tourism, "The four branch venues each have their own charm, with the integration of ice and snow, commerce and trade, technology, and the Yangtze River (长江) style, the collision of tradition and modernity is super exciting, and the new spring atmosphere of galloping steeds is directly full!" "I want to check in! This is simply a super-strong cultural tourism promotional video for various places"...
Return to TopThe paper reported from Livigno, Italy, February 17th (Reporters Chen Chenxi (陈晨曦), Zeng Huafeng (曾华锋), Wang Liang (王亮)) On the evening of February 16th, local time, the freestyle skiing women's big air final of the Milan Winter Olympics was held at the Livigno Snow Park. Chinese athlete Gu Ailing (谷爱凌) won a silver medal with a total score of 179.00 points. This is Gu Ailing's second silver medal at this Winter Olympics, and also her fifth freestyle skiing medal since participating in the Winter Olympics. Another Chinese athlete, Liu Mengting (刘梦婷), performed at a high level, scoring 166.00 points to finish seventh.
Due to heavy snow, the final's start time was delayed by more than an hour. During pre-competition training, Swiss star Gremaud regrettably withdrew due to a fall injury, and Gu Ailing also broke her helmet during her last practice jump. "At that time, I was really afraid of a concussion. While waiting for the competition to start, I took a nap in the room, which was also a way to adjust my mentality," Gu Ailing said. Since she could compete, why not try? Regardless of winning or losing, she wanted the world to see that she dared to compete.
During the competition, Gu Ailing successfully completed her first-round move, scoring 90.00 points. Other athletes also showed good competitive form, with multiple high scores appearing on the scene. At the end of the first round, Gu Ailing was temporarily ranked third. In the second round, Gu Ailing had a flaw upon landing, scoring only 61.25 points, and her ranking dropped to seventh. At the crucial moment, Gu Ailing completed a high-difficulty aerial triple cork 1260 in the third round, scoring 89.00 points. In the end, the sum of her two best scores was 179.00. Canadian athlete Megan Oldham won the gold medal with 180.75 points, and Italian athlete Flora Tabanelli won the bronze medal.
The day of the competition coincided with Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve. After leaving the arena, Gu Ailing not only sent everyone New Year's greetings of "Happy Year of the Horse," but also shared the warm moments inside the venue: "The viewing area was full of Chinese national flags (五星红旗), and some spectators gave me very cute dumpling blind boxes."
On February 21st, local time, Gu Ailing will also participate in her third event at this Winter Olympics - the freestyle skiing women's halfpipe.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 谷业凯
"Help me book round-trip tickets from Nanjing (南京) to Sanya (三亚) for the Spring Festival holiday, for two adults and one child, staying for 4 days, departing on February 18th or 19th." Ms. Sun (孙女士) from Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu (江苏) is a travel enthusiast. In the past, she had to spend a lot of time booking air tickets before traveling, often worrying about which platform offered the best value for money. This year, she briefly stated her needs, and the Alibaba (阿里巴巴) Qianwen (千问) application intelligently analyzed the Spring Festival travel season ticket price trends and provided several flight options.
On the eve of the Spring Festival, AI ordering methods represented by "ordering milk tea with one sentence" attracted many consumers to try enthusiastically. On February 6th, Qianwen (千问) received 10 million orders in just 9 hours. All these orders were placed by consumers using a single sentence command. Then, artificial intelligence helped complete the entire process from consumption decision-making, transaction payment to fulfillment services.
"With the support of technology, the current platform is no longer a simple 'guess what you like,' but 'understand what you need'," said Xu Fei (徐飞), director of the Research Center of Taotian Group (淘天集团). In scenarios such as learning, work, and people's livelihood services, the new generation of AI assistants is also showing its skills. It can explain knowledge points step by step like a teacher, and students can interrupt and ask questions at any time; it can accurately identify nearly a hundred electronic invoices with different formats, extract key information, and generate clearly structured tables. Mr. Lin (林先生) from Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang (浙江) recently unlocked a new experience on Qianwen (千问), "I asked 'How to apply for a passport with a Hangzhou (杭州) hukou,' and it told me what I needed to prepare, and then directly led me to the application portal." Currently, Qianwen (千问) calls on Alipay's (支付宝) government service capabilities to realize "one-sentence inquiry" for 50 livelihood service items such as visas, household registration, and housing provident fund.
Wu Jia (吴嘉), president of Alibaba's (阿里巴巴) Intelligent Information Business Group, introduced that Qianwen (千问) has achieved a high delivery success rate in tasks involving application development, office work, learning tutoring, and consulting research. The complex task capabilities of AI assistants such as "making a website with one sentence" and "producing a report with one sentence" have liberated users from complicated and repetitive tasks.
Generative artificial intelligence is accelerating its integration into daily life and production fields, becoming an important engine for promoting the digital and intelligent transformation of the economy and society. As of December 2025, the number of generative AI users in China reached 602 million, an increase of 141.7% compared to the end of 2024. Qianwen's (千问) C-end monthly active users exceeded 100 million, becoming one of the fastest-growing AI-native applications in the world. "The development of artificial intelligence has entered the stage of real-world application. In the future development of global large models, companies with deep industrial foundations and rich fulfillment ecosystems will occupy an advantageous position," said Hong Yong (洪勇), deputy researcher at the Ministry of Commerce Research Institute (商务部研究院).
Behind the deep and solid intelligent applications is the continuous consolidation of China's (中国) AI development foundation. Taking Alibaba (阿里巴巴) as an example, it has continued to increase its investment in scientific research over the past 10 years. Currently, the number of derivative models of the Qianwen (千问) model has exceeded 200,000, and the number of downloads has exceeded 1 billion.
Making artificial intelligence have the potential to "**向实扎根、向上生长**" (xiàng shí zhā gēn, xiàng shàng shēng zhǎng - "rooting in reality and growing upwards," to develop practically and progressively), embedding cutting-edge technology into the "smoky" daily life. Zheng Sishou (郑嗣寿), product leader of Qianwen (千问) AI assistant, said that the product will further leverage the advantages of the model and ecosystem, connect the real world, penetrate into daily life, and serve the majority of users.
Return to TopBy: 闵方正
Crowds are like woven fabric, footsteps hurried. It's the Spring Festival travel season again, and hundreds of millions of feet are etching the trajectory of returning home on the land of China. Railway stations welcome a continuous stream of returning travelers, highway networks pulsate with endless streams of light, and airport halls echo with symphonies of various local accents... Reunion, this simple theme, draws hundreds of millions of people across mountains and seas to a rendezvous called "New Year."
Today's Spring Festival travel scene has become richer with the development of the economy and society. High-speed railways have reshaped the distance between mountains and rivers, and civil aviation airliners have woven a network in the clouds; roadside service points, pet consignment, boarding assistance, and heartwarming services make the journey home more convenient... The progress of the times has diluted the melancholy of "the moon is brighter in my hometown" and rejuvenated the meaning of "though miles apart, we share the beauty of this moment together." Tools are being upgraded, forms are changing, but the spiritual core of reunion has not faded—home is the warmest place in our hearts. The road to reunion is enduring and becoming wider and wider.
Mountains and rivers are silent, roads and bridges are the proof. The Spring Festival travel season, this long road home, is resonating with the magnificent course of national development. Year after year of vast migration witnesses the increasingly perfect national infrastructure network; the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside makes more hometown lights amiable, reducing the helplessness of "having to travel far away." The taste of the New Year's Eve dinner contains our simple yearning for a better life, and also embodies the dedication and devotion of countless frontline workers during the Spring Festival travel season. This is the warm and resilient Chinese power in each of our hearts.
Return to TopCoordinated by: Cheng Chen (程晨), Tang Tianyi (唐天奕)
Layout design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
The Northernmost
Guo Dayong (郭大勇), observer at the Beiji Village (北极村) National Basic Meteorological Station in Mohe City (漠河市), Heilongjiang Province (黑龙江省):
The more remote the place, the more people are needed to take responsibility
I have spent 35 springs, autumns, and winters at the northernmost meteorological station in the motherland, at 53 degrees north latitude. Guarding an observation field, guarding the observation equipment that accompanies me day and night, and also guarding a responsibility that has never wavered.
The cold in Beiji Village (北极村) is a chilling cold that is etched into the bone. The average annual temperature is only minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, and the extreme low temperature can reach minus 53 degrees Celsius. The cold wind blowing on the face is as painful as a knife cut. When I initially chose this job, I felt that the more remote the place, the more people were needed to take responsibility. I didn't expect that this responsibility would last for most of my life.
Our meteorological station is located on the edge of Beiji Village (北极村). The other three staff members are all locals who started working in the same year as me. A 24-hour rotating shift system is an unshakeable rule here. Once we encounter extreme weather, everyone will volunteer to come to the post to support.
My daily work starts with observations at 7:45 in the morning. In winter, I put on heavy cold-proof clothing, tighten my snow boots, and put on two layers of thick gloves. When I open the door, I have to face knee-deep snow. After more than ten minutes of outdoor work, my face will be frozen stiff and numb, my eyelashes and eyebrows will be covered with thick white frost, and the exhaled hot air will instantly turn into white mist, but I must hold my breath and concentrate on accurately recording each set of data.
"A slight difference in the data may affect subsequent analysis and judgment." This is what I have kept in mind since I started in this industry. During my 35 years of perseverance, what I remember most is the ice jam disaster in 2013. At that time, the Heilongjiang River (黑龙江) opened, and the floodwaters, carrying huge blocks of ice, rushed to the shore, and were about to flood the meteorological station.
"Save the data and equipment first!" With the station chief's order, my colleagues and I, without taking the time to go home to notify our families, rushed into the duty room, packed and transferred the precious paper observation data, and worked together to lift the heavy observation equipment to a high place. When the floodwaters flooded the yard, we were still standing in the cold ice water, reinforcing the fence of the observation field, until the danger was relieved, and then we remembered to call home to report that we were safe.
To say the biggest difficulty in the work, besides the extreme cold, is loneliness. In the past, without mobile phones or the internet, when I felt lonely on the night shift, I would go out and shout a few times. But fortunately, there are colleagues who accompany each other and warm each other: if someone's family has something going on, others will take the initiative to cover the shift; whoever cooks well will often show off their skills, and the small kitchen in the duty room is always filled with the aroma of food, diluting a lot of the hard work.
Working the Spring Festival shift is already the norm for us. In previous years, when working the Spring Festival shift, we would sit around the table, eating New Year's Eve dinner while staring at the data on the screen, and from time to time we would have to get up and inspect the equipment. Outside the window were fireworks all over the sky, and inside the house were warm lights and the sound of blessings rising and falling, which was also a unique flavor.
This year, like usual, I observed, recorded, and reported data on time during the Spring Festival. As long as I can see the data lights flashing on the instrument, I feel that this perseverance is particularly meaningful.
Over the past 35 years, watching the data we recorded provide support for local bridge construction and airport construction, and escort the development of the ice and snow economy and cultural tourism industry, my heart is full of a sense of accomplishment. Now, Beiji Village (北极村) has become a well-known scenic spot, and hundreds of thousands of tourists come here every year to see the aurora and enjoy the snow scenery. Our weather forecast has become information that tourists and villagers pay particular attention to.
Whenever I hear someone say "The weather forecast in Beiji Village (北极村) is really accurate," I feel that all the cold and loneliness are worth it! In the future, I will continue to stick to this place and do a good job in meteorological observation in the extremely cold land.
(Reported and compiled by Guo Xiaolong (郭晓龙), reporter of this newspaper)
The Lowest
Yang Yang (杨扬), observer at the Dongkan (东坎) National Basic Meteorological Station in Turpan City (吐鲁番市), Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (新疆维吾尔自治区):
Seemingly boring work does not allow for the slightest carelessness
At this moment, I am on duty at the Turpan (吐鲁番) Agricultural Meteorological Experimental Station (Dongkan (东坎) National Basic Meteorological Station). This is my twentieth year on duty during the Spring Festival.
Our meteorological station is -48.8 meters above sea level, and is currently the only national basic meteorological station on land in China that is below sea level.
Nowadays, the requirement for meteorological data is minute-level, and not a minute of data can be missing. The first thing I do when I get to the office is to open the quality control and service webpage to see if there is any erroneous data that needs to be processed. Based on checking the data of the ground observation software, I manually perform manual quality control processing on the erroneous data.
For example, if the data shows that there is snowfall during this period, but in fact there is no snowfall, we have to manually correct it and go to the observation field to check whether the instrument and equipment have malfunctioned. Or, if snowfall is monitored but there is no precipitation, that is, the weighing instrument cannot sense the trace amount of snowfall, then the precipitation is blank, and it is necessary to manually perform quality control processing on the nighttime precipitation in the data.
Next, I have to log in to various business systems to check the data transmission rate and equipment operation. When data is missing or suspicious, it is necessary to carefully check the system and network, and use methods such as uninstalling data and re-transmitting or supplementing records in the Tianyuan (天元) system in the ground observation software. After processing all the data, according to convention, I have to go to the observation field to maintain the equipment. I have a habit of comparing the monitoring data of artificial frozen soil and automatic frozen soil to see if there are any differences, and strive for accurate data.
During the Spring Festival duty shift, our mobile phones must be kept on for 24 hours. In case of an emergency, we must rush to deal with it as soon as possible. The Xinjiang (新疆) Meteorological Information Center will review the data transmitted to the system. If there is any doubt, the staff will notify us to check it at any time. The Xinjiang (新疆) Equipment Support Center will also notify us as soon as possible to check the equipment status for hourly data that has not been uploaded in time.
I remember one year when I was on duty during the Spring Festival, I received a call in the middle of the night saying that the hourly and minute data had not been transmitted in time. At that time, I didn't care about the darkness and the long distance, so I drove to the unit. After various inspections and troubleshooting, I finally found that it was a network failure. After processing the data and restoring it to normal, I realized that my clothes were covered with dust, and I was sweating all over in the middle of winter.
Another year, we encountered a month of continuous drifting snow, which is very rare in Turpan (吐鲁番). I dealt with trace amounts of snowfall and various errors as soon as possible, and did a good job in the duty log of the meteorological data business system and made notes. In addition, I also maintained daily telephone communication with the meteorological station to keep abreast of future weather trends and take precautions in advance.
In order to do a good job in the Spring Festival duty work, we have prepared emergency plans and conducted multiple emergency drills for power outages and network outages before the festival, just to be able to find problems and solve them in the shortest possible time. We are also equipped with generators to ensure power supply during temporary power outages, so as to ensure the transmission of business data.
Seemingly boring work is backed by important ground observation data, which is an important reference for forecasting the weather. There can be no carelessness, and it is necessary to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
Love what you do. This ordinary perseverance is a vivid portrayal of the meteorological workers' conscientiousness, rigor, and sense of responsibility.
(Reported and compiled by Li Yanan (李亚楠), reporter of this newspaper)
The Highest
Zhang Xiaoxing (张晓星), observer at the Ando (安多) Meteorological Station in Nagqu City (那曲市), Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区):
Guarding the meteorological defense line on the snowy plateau
On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (青藏高原), with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, there is the world's highest manned meteorological station - the Ando (安多) Meteorological Station in Nagqu City (那曲市), Tibet Autonomous Region (西藏自治区). During this year's Spring Festival holiday, I cooperated with observers Tudeng Jiancai (土登坚才) and Cuomu Yuzhen (措姆玉珍) to guard the meteorological defense line in the wind and snow.
"These two automatic meteorological stations have failed." After discovering the system prompt failure that day, my colleagues and I quickly set off for repairs. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway (青藏铁路) and the Qinghai-Tibet Highway (青藏公路) pass through Ando (安多), so it is necessary to ensure the normal operation of the automatic meteorological station during the Spring Festival to ensure the Spring Festival travel season and the transfer of herdsmen.
Ando (安多) has "three mores": more wind, more snow, and more cold weather. It is winter, and the daytime temperature is only about minus 10 degrees Celsius, and it can drop to below minus 26 degrees Celsius at night; the average wind force is 7-8, and occasionally there will be winds of level 10 or above.
Sure enough, when we arrived at the automatic meteorological station site where the failure occurred, we encountered strong winds. In the wind, people could not stand still, and the meteorological equipment was also shaking. We could only hold the equipment with one hand and carry out repairs with the other. It took a full hour and a half to restore the equipment to normal. Immediately afterwards, we went to repair the Bang'ai Township (帮爱乡) Sancun (三村) automatic meteorological station, and also went to Gangni Township (岗尼乡), 135 kilometers away, to communicate about the new frozen soil observation station.
The journey was far, and it took us two days to go back and forth. We could only eat dry food along the way, but no matter how difficult it was, we had to repair the equipment to ensure the transmission of meteorological data.
This is my second Spring Festival duty shift. I remember that during the Spring Festival duty shift last year, a wind of level 10 or above blew in Ando (安多) on New Year's Eve, and an automatic meteorological station in Duoma Township (多玛乡) failed. I, Tudeng Jiancai (土登坚才), and Dunzhu Ciren (顿珠次仁), director of the Ando County (安多县) Meteorological Bureau, set off immediately and rushed into the night. Halfway through the car, it got stuck in a snow ditch and could not move. It was already late at night, and the temperature dropped to minus 32 degrees Celsius. The three of us tried our best but could not push the vehicle, and we were cold and tired. Fortunately, nearby herdsmen lent a helping hand and finally got the car out of the ditch. After arriving at the site, we repaired the equipment against the strong wind and returned to the bureau. It was already the first day of the Lunar New Year.
The Spring Festival duty shift is more responsible than usual. Not only do we have to increase the frequency of inspections and rush to repair automatic meteorological stations, but we also have to be on standby 24 hours a day, forecast the weather in a timely manner, respond to inquiries in a timely manner, and cooperate with the local government to do a good job in emergency work. This requires us to ensure meteorological services with the highest standards and the fastest speed, and guard the meteorological defense line on the snowy plateau.
I was born in Yunnan (云南). After graduating from university in 2022, with the dream of supporting the west, I came to work at the Ando (安多) Meteorological Station. When I first came, the altitude sickness was particularly serious, with headaches and hypoxia. I didn't sleep soundly for a whole month. Coupled with the harsh natural conditions and the heavy workload, I felt a little confused.
Nearly four years have passed, and I have become accustomed to this plateau and have long regarded it as my second home. Whenever I see the equipment I maintain restored to normal operation, the weather forecast helps the herdsmen, and the lightning protection supervision eliminates safety hazards, I feel very accomplished and deeply feel that my work is of great significance.
The Spring Festival duty shift is about guarding a responsibility. Standing guard during the Spring Festival and protecting the people of Ando (安多) to spend a safe and happy Spring Festival can live up to this responsibility.
(Reported and compiled by Li Hongmei (李红梅), reporter of this newspaper)
The Southernmost
Xu Fengming (许峰铭), observer at the Shanhu Island (珊瑚岛) National Baseline Climate Station of the Sansha City (三沙市) Meteorological Bureau, Hainan Province (海南省):
Sticking to the depths of the South China Sea is a responsibility and a mission
"What do you want to do when you grow up?" "I want to go to the rich Xisha Islands (西沙群岛)."
When I was a child reading "The Rich Xisha Islands (西沙群岛)", I had countless times outlined that remote and rich land in my mind. At that time, I never thought that at the age of 22, the distant place in the textbook would become my daily life. After graduating from the Meteorology major of Guangdong Ocean University (广东海洋大学) in 2020, I came to the Sansha City (三沙市) Meteorological Bureau of Hainan Province (海南省) and became a meteorological observer at the southernmost climate station in the motherland - the Shanhu Island (珊瑚岛) National Baseline Climate Station.
Shanhu Island (珊瑚岛) is located in the depths of the South China Sea and is a small island with an area of only 0.31 square kilometers. It is known for its "four highs" - high temperature, high salt, high humidity, and high sunshine. If you don't pay attention to sun protection, you can peel off a layer of skin in one morning.
Ships are the only means of transportation to and from here. If you encounter a cold wave going south in winter, the sea is rough and the waves are high, and it is common for ships transporting supplies to be a month late. I heard from my colleagues that the most difficult time was eating onion mixed with rice every day.
There are a total of 6 people in the department, divided into two groups to take turns stationed, and I spend more than 120 days a year on the island. Checking the meteorological data of 9 island stations and 5 ship stations in the Xisha (西沙) sea area; inspecting the observation field, checking and correcting nighttime weather phenomena and various observation elements; inspecting the greenhouse gas observation system of the atmospheric background station, etc., and filling in the daily inspection form and uploading it to the Tianyuan (天元) system in a timely manner... The schedule on the island is relatively fixed, but every job does not allow for the slightest carelessness. If we encounter a strong typhoon, we must start intensive observations, race against the wind and rain, and update the data every hour.
The most thrilling thing was a sudden failure disposal. That day, the ground temperature and air temperature data suddenly stopped. My colleague Chen Yudong (陈育东) and I rushed into the observation field and pried up stone slabs weighing 50 pounds each in the scorching sun. Under the stone slabs were intricate data cables. We held our breath and checked them inch by inch, and finally found a crescent-shaped small opening gnawed out by a mouse. Replace, debug, and return. When the data was successfully uploaded, our backs were already soaked with sweat.
This year is my second Spring Festival spent on Shanhu Island (珊瑚岛). For us meteorological people stationed on the island, the Spring Festival is never a signal for vacation, but just a slightly special working day. I still remember on the eve of the Spring Festival in 2023, we cleaned up in advance, pasted Spring Festival couplets on the door, and decorated with streamers and small lanterns. The unit sent us snacks and New Year goods that we had chosen ourselves by boat. The small package became the most intimate sense of ritual for us to celebrate the New Year on the island.
The flag-raising ceremony on the first day of the Lunar New Year is a picture I will never forget in my life. Watching the five-star red flag slowly rising in the sea breeze, all the loneliness of perseverance was diluted. This national flag has witnessed the spirit of "perseverance, rigor, dedication, contribution, and inheritance" of generations of Sansha (三沙) meteorological people, making me feel more deeply the responsibility and mission I shoulder.
This is an extremely meaningful job - guarding the southern end of the motherland and practicing the meteorological people's responsibility to defend the territory. As a child who grew up by the sea, I know that behind every meteorological data is related to the safety of fishermen in the South China Sea. We observe the wind and measure the rain, measure the pulse of the sky in the depths of the South China Sea, and protect the lights of thousands of homes.
(Reported and compiled by Jiang Xuehong (蒋雪鸿), reporter of this newspaper)
Return to TopBy: 李红梅
Across the vast land of our motherland, various meteorological stations are distributed. The oxygen-scarce Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (青藏高原), the extremely cold regions of minus 40 degrees Celsius, the uninhabited islands, and the arid and hot basins all have people on duty. These remote meteorological stations are far from prosperity and have harsh conditions, but meteorological personnel guard the tranquility of life day after day, year after year, or even decade after decade. During the Spring Festival, a festival of family reunion, reading their stories of being on duty all year round without rest makes one's eyes fill with tears.
The Spring Festival holiday is precisely a period when cold air is active and rain and snow are frequent, and weather conditions are constantly attracting the attention and concern of people returning home. People visiting relatives and friends or traveling also need to know the weather conditions in a timely manner. Transportation, energy supply, and urban operations also require the保障 service of the meteorological department. Observers are on duty at the meteorological station all day, uploading observation data in a timely manner to support the forecast and early warning of each region, each day, and each weather process, guarding the joyful and peaceful atmosphere of the New Year.
Their guardianship conveys a warm and upward force.
Dedication is their background color. To be stationed on an island, one must learn "essential island-guarding skills" such as growing vegetables, fishing, and cooking, and learn to endure loneliness; in extremely cold regions, one must protect one's fingers from frostbite; in high-altitude areas, one must overcome the problem of not being able to sleep... The harsh natural environment has not stopped them. They are not afraid of hardship and dedicate their youth to the meteorological cause of the motherland.
Perseverance is their quality. Whether the meteorological station is on a plateau, an island, a desert, or in the deep mountains, real-time observation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and all-day duty are essential conditions. Many people are unwilling to go to or stay in these areas. However, meteorological personnel choose to persevere, and many have guarded for a lifetime.
Rigorousness is their pursuit. Regardless of typhoons or heavy rain, observers must work on time every day, release radiosonde balloons, collect observation data, and transmit meteorological data... This data is related to the accuracy of weather forecasts and the scientific nature of global climate research.
Such earnest and meticulous guardianship carries the sincere feelings of serving the people wholeheartedly. On every windy and rainy day, on every snowy day, especially on the special days of the Spring Festival holiday, this guardianship is particularly precious, warming people's hearts and inspiring people to be positive and enterprising.
The weather is unpredictable. In order to understand the "temperament" of the weather, the meteorological department has always gone all out to accelerate the modernization of scientific and technological capabilities, using scientific laws to solve the "code" of the weather. The weather is "online" every day, and meteorological personnel are "online" every day, never stopping.
Today, common weather phenomena have become measurable, and disastrous weather can be predicted in advance. With the continuous leap in meteorological forecasting capabilities, the guardianship of meteorological personnel is more thorough and meticulous, not only guarding the Spring Festival but also guarding ordinary days, and also guarding all walks of life. It can be said that the national economy and people's livelihood all have the shadow of meteorological personnel's guardianship.
In the future, with the advancement of technology, meteorological services will be more precise and refined, guarding the warmth of "small families" and also guarding the prosperity of "big families," and continuously contributing to the construction of Chinese-style modernization.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 祝大伟
Harbin (哈尔滨), Heilongjiang (黑龙江) in northern China, is not just the "Ice City," but also a city immersed in music, awarded the title of "City of Music" by the United Nations in 2010. During the Spring Festival, the musical notes flowing with the flavor of the New Year leap and dance on the cobblestones of the century-old street, echo under the carved window lattices of the Chinese Baroque historical and cultural district, and resonate in symphony at the Harbin Grand Theatre (哈尔滨大剧院) and Harbin Concert Hall (哈尔滨音乐厅)... It makes the city a "never-ending concert hall," forming a Spring Festival echo unique to Harbin in the winter.
——Editor
Musical Notes Dance
Warm Reunion Time
The Harbin Concert Hall (哈尔滨音乐厅) and the Harbin Symphony Orchestra (哈尔滨交响乐团) are a city music landmark and a bright calling card of the "City of Music."
The Harbin Symphony Orchestra (哈尔滨交响乐团) has a long history, dating back to 1908, and the orchestra performs regularly at the concert hall.
"The Spring Festival is spent wrapped in melody." Lin Shuai (林率帅), a native of Harbin (哈尔滨), is the principal violinist of the orchestra and has been working in the orchestra for nearly 10 years. Every Spring Festival holiday, Lin Shuai (林率帅) is busy performing. This year's Spring Festival concert will last from the second day of the first lunar month to the fourteenth day.
"The 'seed' of music was planted by my grandmother." When Lin Shuai (林率帅) was a child, he learned musical instruments from his grandmother, who played the harmonium. Now, his grandmother is 87 years old and likes to play the piano at home. After the New Year's Eve dinner, Lin Shuai (林率帅) and his grandmother always improvise a song. "The violin and piano are a bit like a duet." Lin Shuai (林率帅) said that his grandmother likes traditional tunes such as "Jasmine Flower." Fireworks bloom outside the window, and the music inside the house is melodious. "It's really a wonderful resonance." In Lin Shuai's (林率帅) view, music for the Spring Festival is a moving language that transcends generations and is full of family affection and reunion.
Sometimes, after Lin Shuai (林率帅) finishes performing at the Harbin Grand Theatre (哈尔滨大剧院), he goes to the nearby Harbin Music Museum (哈尔滨音乐博物馆) to relive the city's musical history.
During the Spring Festival, the Harbin Music Museum (哈尔滨音乐博物馆) is crowded with people. Walking into the museum hall, the "City of Music" medal awarded to Harbin (哈尔滨) by the United Nations in 2010 is placed in a prominent position in the middle. The original manuscripts of many musical works such as "I Love You, Snow in the North," "The Ussuri Boat Song," and "On Sun Island" are displayed in the showcases.
"The memory of time is easily locked into musical notes." Lin Shuai (林率帅) said that these musical works nurtured on the black soil are always popular melodies during the Spring Festival and easily resonate emotionally with the citizens.
Musical notes have been sounding for a century. Today, Harbin (哈尔滨) has more than 2,000 mass art groups, holding more than 1,000 music events every year, with about one million participants.
"The city's musical atmosphere has made my musical path possible." Standing on the stage of the Spring Festival concert, Lin Shuai's (林率帅) eyes swept over the vast number of citizens who love and understand music, "The light in the eyes of the audience is warmer than the stage lights." During the Spring Festival, Lin Shuai (林率帅) and his colleagues will complete more than 40 music benefit activities at the grassroots level.
Walking off the stage, in the popular tourist attractions of the city, the sound of the piano rings out, and snowflakes fall on the strings, melting into tiny musical notes. "Music makes the Spring Festival more vivid, gives reunion a rhythm, and allows everyone who spends the New Year in the Ice City to meet the best flavor of the New Year in the jumping of the strings." Lin Shuai (林率帅) said.
Symphony of Chinese and Western
Playing Festive Songs
Harbin (哈尔滨) is one of the first cities in China to come into contact with European classical music. Different musical cultures collide and merge, and urban music and Spring Festival traditions have long coexisted. In Harbin (哈尔滨), festival music covers a variety of art forms such as symphony, folk music, pop music, chorus, song and dance, situational drama, and street dance.
Koshnina Galina (科什妮娜·加琳娜) is a Russian teacher in the Vocal Opera Department of the Harbin Conservatory of Music (哈尔滨音乐学院), majoring in piano art guidance, and has been working at the school for 10 years. Koshnina Galina (科什妮娜·加琳娜) and her colleagues often conduct exchange performances at the Harbin Grand Theatre (哈尔滨大剧院), the Old Synagogue Concert Hall, and other cities. "I teach the performance traditions and techniques of Russian works to my students, and also share them with my Chinese colleagues."
"This year is my eighth Spring Festival in Harbin (哈尔滨)." Koshnina Galina (科什妮娜·加琳娜) said that her Chinese colleagues invited her to celebrate the New Year together, and the whole family sat around a table to share the New Year's Eve dinner, which made her feel a strong sense of warmth.
During the Spring Festival, in the streets and alleys of Harbin (哈尔滨), you can not only feel the jazz music of Central Street (中央大街), but also hear the folk songs on the Songhua River (松花江) bank, music blocks, music parks, music balconies... Spring Festival music presents the characteristics of "borderless integration" and is deeply integrated into the life scenes of citizens.
"Harbin's (哈尔滨) Spring Festival music is based on reunion, creating a lively and peaceful atmosphere." Koshnina Galina (科什妮娜·加琳娜) believes that Harbin's (哈尔滨) cultural tolerance gives vitality to music and provides a broad platform for the exchange of Chinese and Western music cultures, allowing people from different countries to meet music here.
"The tolerance and love hidden in the melody have long been integrated into the city's genes." Zhao Yuanxi (赵远兮), a young teacher at the Harbin Normal University School of Music (哈尔滨师范大学音乐学院), studied cello performance in the United States for nearly 9 years. In 2024, Zhao Yuanxi (赵远兮) returned to Harbin (哈尔滨) for employment and returned to China to celebrate the Spring Festival.
Returning to Harbin (哈尔滨), Zhao Yuanxi (赵远兮) felt like he had entered another music hall. From winter to spring, in more than a year, he deeply felt the collision and integration of Chinese and Western music in Harbin (哈尔滨).
In 1961, the first Harbin Summer Music Concert (哈尔滨之夏音乐会) was held, and it has been held for 65 years and 37 sessions. Since 2023, August 6th of each year has been designated as "Harbin Music Day (哈尔滨音乐日)." During the China·Harbin Summer Music Concert (中国·哈尔滨之夏音乐会) in 2025, large-scale international music competitions will be staged in turn, attracting more than 800 contestants from 39 countries and regions to participate in the music event.
From "Harbin Summer (哈夏)" to the current Ice and Snow Culture and Art Season, Zhao Yuanxi's (赵远兮) international music friends from South Korea, Germany, the United States and other places have come to Harbin (哈尔滨) to meet him. Harbin (哈尔滨) has become another home for their musical performances.
"Musicians from home and abroad are using different 'voices' to jointly play enthusiastic and unrestrained festive songs in Harbin (哈尔滨)." Zhao Yuanxi (赵远兮) said that the flavor of the New Year is the resonance of emotions, and music is the medium of resonance.
Ice Piano and Snow Charm
Passing on the Strong Flavor of the New Year
Under the night, Harbin Ice and Snow World (哈尔滨冰雪大世界) is transformed into a crystal secret realm full of colorful lights.
In the park, the Dream Stage is a prominent "ice and snow music landmark." The designers used the light transmittance of the ice body and light and shadow technology to simulate the flow of strings and sound waves. The entire stage is like a crystal harp lying on the snowfield.
"Music has always been one of the main lines of the design of Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界), which is reflected in both the visible ice buildings and ice sculptures, and the perceptible music activities." Cong Peiyu (丛配玉), director of the design and research and development department of Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界), has worked in this ice and snow world for nearly 10 years.
Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界) is a bright color added to the long winter and the flavor of the New Year. "Through the two-way integration of 'scene musicalization and music scenarization', the abstract musical elements are transformed into an immersive experience, allowing tourists to better feel the unique flavor of the New Year in the ice and snow." Cong Peiyu (丛配玉) and his colleagues are working hard to make the ice and snow spectacle a New Year's landmark for Harbin's (哈尔滨) Spring Festival cultural tourism.
The Century Clock is located on the music axis of Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界). When the clock rings, good luck arrives, and the ice pillars around the periphery receive the signal of the sound waves, and the lights flash rhythmically.
From the first Ice and Snow World (冰雪大世界) to the present, the Century Clock has witnessed the 27 years of persistence of this ice and snow park. "The sound of the clock has been ringing to this day, and it has become a melody with the theme of persistence." Cong Peiyu (丛配玉) has to stay in the park during the Spring Festival.
Inside and outside the park, many music-themed ice building landscapes, such as ice harps and colorful microphone interactive ice sculptures, interweave hearing, vision and touch, allowing everyone to become the creator of ice and snow movements; the "International Music Symphony Live" invites professional performance teams from Russia, Belarus, Ghana and other countries to perform regularly, adding exotic flavors to the Chinese Spring Festival.
The strong festive atmosphere and the hot cultural tourism scene are all recorded by musical notes. Cong Peiyu (丛配玉) also has a special understanding of Harbin's (哈尔滨) ice and snow. "The flavor of the New Year woven with ice and snow and music contains the tenacious and persistent spirit of the city of Harbin (哈尔滨)." Cong Peiyu (丛配玉) said.
From the "ice crystal" shape formed by the combination of steel structure and glass curtain wall of the Harbin Concert Hall (哈尔滨音乐厅), to the snow-sculpted appearance of the Harbin Grand Theatre (哈尔滨大剧院) on the Songhua River (松花江) bank, which is like a snow sculpture cut out by the river wind, to the 138 high-level cultural performances and activities in this ice and snow season... Harbin (哈尔滨) has become an ice and snow and music hall without walls.
The flavor of the New Year in ice sculptures is a tribute to the traditions of the festival; the flowing music is a transmission of the warmth of the festival, and more and more tourists from other places choose to spend the New Year in Harbin (哈尔滨).
"The Spring Festival has become an important window for Harbin (哈尔滨) to show its ice and snow charm and the heritage of the City of Music." In Cong Peiyu's (丛配玉) view, today, the city's "flavor of the New Year" contains the beautiful memories created by all tourists together.
By: 本报记者 姚雪青
In 2025, UNESCO announced that Wuxi (无锡), Jiangsu (江苏) Province, was selected as a Creative City Network, becoming the "World Capital of Music." During the Spring Festival, stepping into Wuxi (无锡), the festive atmosphere is filled with moving melodies everywhere. Here, music can be heard, seen, and experienced. Melodies blend into the daily life of the city, and notes convey a strong festive atmosphere.
The Spring Festival in Wuxi (无锡) can begin with listening to an early opera.
"Push and pull, turn and turn, the mill turns round and round. One person pushes the mill like a bullock cart, two people pull the mill like pulling a sail..."
Entering the Meili Ancient Town (梅里古镇) in Xinwu District (新吴区), which is decorated with lanterns and Spring Festival couplets, the Xiju Opera "Double Mill" (锡剧《双推磨》) is being performed on the "Wu Song Stage" (吴歌台). In the lively melody of gongs and drums, the performance of male and female actors pushing the mill while singing duets makes the surrounding citizens applaud.
"So festive and joyful, full of life. Hearing this makes me feel like it's the New Year!" Wang Jian (王健), a resident living nearby, described his Spring Festival like this: waking up naturally in the morning, taking the whole family to the ancient town to eat a bowl of wontons, and then listening to an early opera. Wang Jian (王健) said that his parents, who are in their 70s, are both opera fans, and they were overjoyed to see the well-known Xiju Opera actor Xue Yan (薛燕) and her apprentice performing on stage today.
Next on stage was the Jiangnan Sizhu ensemble "Early Spring in Meili" (江南丝竹合奏《梅里春早》). The announcer introduced that this program, brought by young folk music enthusiasts from Meicun Street (梅村街道), describes the spring scenery of Jiangnan (江南) and the well-off life, and the applause from the audience was even more enthusiastic. At the beginning of the piece, the rustling sound of the rain stick was like a spring rain falling quietly. Between the bowing of the erhu and the blowing of the flute, the first bird song came, and gradually, the birds went from one or two to a flock, and the artistic conception of ink-wash Jiangnan (江南) slowly emerged...
Subsequently, a new-style erhu artist brought a medley of popular songs, suitable for all ages. From "Love Needs to Be Open and Honest" (《爱要坦荡荡》), "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" (《海阔天空》) to "Qilixiang" (《七里香》). "So good to listen to!" Among the crowd, young people and children sang the loudest. After this song ended, Wang Jian (王健) and his wife took their 9-year-old daughter Tongtong (童童) to the Erhu Experience Hall (二胡体验馆) opposite the "Wu Song Stage" (吴歌台) and started an in-depth experience.
Near noon, the Erhu Experience Hall (二胡体验馆) was already crowded with many parent-child families.
"You see, the erhu is composed of four major parts: the qingan (琴杆), the qintong (琴筒), the qintuo (琴托), and the qinzhou (琴轴). We are now experiencing the final assembly stage." Huang Jianhong (黄建洪), a municipal representative inheritor of "Erhu Art" (二胡艺术), is teaching on site. As he spoke, he took out a piece of chalk and taught everyone the "secret": apply a circle of chalk dust to the connection of the qinzhou (琴轴) before installing it, so that it will not slip.
After assembling the components and installing the strings, who wouldn't want to play an erhu in their hands? There are also on-site trial playing lessons in the experience hall, and Tongtong (童童) was the first to sign up. "The bow should be flicked outwards, and the hand should be pressed inwards, like the posture of picking up chopsticks to eat." Huang Jianhong (黄建洪) taught her hand-in-hand, and the tone gradually became full.
An hour passed, and the children were having so much fun. Wang Jian (王健) bought the erhu and took it home as a Spring Festival gift for his daughter.
During the Spring Festival, erhus with horse-shaped qintou (琴头) are very popular. Staff introduced that another image derived from the "Double Dragon Tube-shaped Jade Pendant" (双龙管形玉佩) of the Hongshan Site Museum (鸿山遗址博物馆) is also a best-selling erhu.
The Yue Kingdom (越国) musical instruments of Hongshan (鸿山) reproduce the ritual and music style of the Wu (吴) and Yue (越) lands 2,500 years ago. Just entering the museum hall, you will encounter an ancient-style music concert. Guzheng, guqin, and erhu play "flash mobs" on the tour route, and citizens and tourists can change into ancient costumes to check in and take photos.
The most popular place in the museum is the fourth exhibition hall on the first floor, "Le Ku Hua Zhang" (乐库华章), which is a centralized display of musical instruments. "Among the more than 2,300 cultural relics from the Warring States period, more than 400 are musical instruments." Liu Yanxin (刘嫣歆), associate researcher of the museum, introduced that this place not only has a large number of musical instruments unearthed at one time and a wide variety, but also reflects the intersection and collision of the two cultural systems of the Central Plains (中原) and Wu (吴) and Yue (越) – there are not only bianzhong (编钟) and bianqing (编磬) from the Central Plains (中原), but also bianju diao (编句鑃), chunyu (錞于), and xuanling (悬铃) unique to the Wu (吴) and Yue (越) regions.
In the exhibition hall, there are also two interactive installations. From the outside, they are two large Yongzhong (甬钟) shapes. When you drill inside, there are multimedia touch screens. Clicking on different patterns will allow you to hear the sounds of different musical instruments, some crisp and some sonorous. Outside the installation, there are also 3D-printed small sculptures and dynamic projections, demonstrating the process of striking the instruments. At this moment, it seems like you are riding on a musical scale and traveling through thousands of years of time.
The Taihu Lake (太湖) in the evening also converges into an ocean of music. The Daxi Port Wetland Park (大溪港湿地公园) in the eastern part of Gonghu Bay (贡湖湾) is a choice for many citizens to relax. On the lawn, bands take turns performing. During the breaks, citizens with talent take the stage to play and sing, and the songs and laughter constitute a New Year's scenery.
According to statistics, nearly 40 music events will be held in the city before and after the Spring Festival, attracting citizens and tourists to participate.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李祉瑶
During the Spring Festival, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (内蒙古自治区) is filled with a strong festive atmosphere. The "Come to Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) for the New Year in 2026" Spring Festival series of activities links 12 leagues and cities across the region, aiming to present tourists with a Spring Festival cultural and tourism feast that runs through the entire Spring Festival, integrating traditional New Year flavors, trendy elements, and interesting ice and snow.
In winter, the ice and snow in Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) are no longer a symbol of cold, but a carrier of fun and joy.
The Daheihe Military Culture Park (大黑河军事文化乐园), the main venue for the event, coincides with the Hohhot Ice and Snow Festival (呼和浩特欢乐冰雪节). The giant ice sculpture complex covering more than 10,000 square meters and 20 groups of Zigong lanterns (自贡彩灯) are "crystal clear in the daytime and dazzling at night," making every casual shot a "blockbuster ice and snow film."
Looking at the entire region, each city has its own unique charm, and the ice and snow activities in different leagues and cities have their own characteristics.
In Genhe City (根河市), Hulunbuir (呼伦贝尔), where the temperature is as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius, tourists hold containers and sprinkle hot water in the Cold Pole Square (冷极广场). The water mist condenses into ice crystals when it encounters cold, freezing the winter spectacle of the "Coldest Pole of China"; in Aoluguya Township (敖鲁古雅乡), the Ewenki (鄂温克族) hunters enthusiastically display reindeer culture, allowing tourists to feel the ethnic customs in the depths of the forest; Arxan City (阿尔山市), Hinggan League (兴安盟), relies on natural powder snow and geothermal resources to launch a "ice and snow + hot spring" double experience; "Ulan Snow Village (乌兰雪乡)" built by Ulanqab (乌兰察布) is composed of 45 characteristic courtyards that replicate the traditional northern style, outlining a strong folk style...
Prairie culture and ethnic customs are popular in the New Year trip. At the 21st Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Ice and Snow Nadam Fair (内蒙古自治区冰雪那达慕) on the Yimin River (伊敏河) in Hailar District (海拉尔区), Hulunbuir (呼伦贝尔), tourists immerse themselves in folk projects, pushing the prairie New Year flavor and ethnic culture to a climax. The Dali Lake (达里湖) winter fishing season in Keshiketeng Banner (克什克腾旗), Chifeng (赤峰), allows tourists to experience the millennium-old fishing and hunting civilization up close. At the site of the 3rd Ulanqab Ice and Snow Nadam Fair (乌兰察布冰雪那达慕), camel endurance races and "Barige (巴日盖)" ice shaga competitions were staged simultaneously.
In addition to large-scale folk activities, intangible cultural heritage inheritance is also quietly integrated into the New Year activities. At the ice and snow activity sites in various places, representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage sit in the middle, teaching tourists how to boil milk tea, make birch bark products, and explain the prairie stories behind the processes; at the intangible cultural heritage market, representative intangible cultural heritage skills at the autonomous region level are concentratedly displayed. The Manzhouli China-Russia-Mongolia International Ice and Snow Festival (满洲里中俄蒙国际冰雪节) breaks national boundaries, and the warmth of transnational cultural exchange quietly dispels the winter cold.
In order to better guarantee winter travel, the service guarantees in various parts of Inner Mongolia (内蒙古) have been upgraded. Major scenic spots throughout the region have carefully set up emergency equipment "supply stations," and many scenic spots' "warm stations" provide convenient services such as ginger tea, hot water, and free charging.
Preferential measures add more benefits to the New Year flavor. Baotou (包头), Ordos (鄂尔多斯) and other places issue cultural and tourism consumption coupons in batches through "government issuing coupons + enterprise profit sharing." Holders of the Inner Mongolia Cultural Tourism All-in-One Card (内蒙古文旅一卡通) can enjoy rights and interests covering core A-level scenic spots such as the Great Prairie and Great Ice and Snow.
"We sincerely invite guests from all over the world to join us for an ice and snow appointment and celebrate the New Year of the Horse with warmer services, richer formats, and a more open attitude," said the relevant person in charge of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Department of Culture and Tourism (内蒙古自治区文化和旅游厅).
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郝迎灿
On January 31st, the opening ceremony of the 2026 Shenyang Olympic Sports Ice and Snow Carnival New Year Lantern Festival and Shenyang's series of activities to support the "15th National Winter Games" was held, kicking off the prelude to Shenyang (沈阳), Liaoning Province (辽宁省) welcoming the New Year. According to reports, the New Year Lantern Festival is carefully constructed to provide a dual day and night tour experience. During the day, the park is mainly focused on the fun and enjoyment of the ice and snow park, meeting the needs of tourists of all ages to play on the ice and snow; at night, the park "transforms" into a world of light and shadow art, with 25 large-scale themed lantern sets lit up one by one.
"We will give full play to Shenyang's four core advantages of 'ice and snow hot springs, historical heritage, folk traditions, and heartwarming services,' and plan more than 180 cultural and tourism activities throughout the city to present a prosperous scene of Shenyang's (沈阳) Spring Festival from multiple perspectives," said Yue Yang (岳阳), Deputy Director of the Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television.
During the Spring Festival, Shenyang (沈阳) will carry out more than 30 cultural and museum exhibitions and study activities, and launch high-quality exhibitions such as the Liaoning Provincial Museum's (辽宁省博物馆) New Year exhibition "Poetry and Painting China" and the Shenyang Palace Museum's (沈阳故宫) centenary "Dan Chen Guo Se" New Year special exhibition. More than 60 sports events and activities are planned to meet the diverse fitness needs of residents. In addition, traditional New Year fairs such as Zhujia (祝家), Zao Hua (造化), and Puhe (蒲河), as well as popular market spots such as Dadong Food (大东副食), Hunhe Bund Ice and Snow Market (浑河外滩冰雪市集), and Xiaoheyan (小河沿), will hold New Year shopping activities; creative trendy markets will also be launched in artistic and cultural districts such as 1905 Creative Park (1905文创园) and Hongmei Creative Park (红梅文创园).
Return to TopLayout Design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 姚雪青
Stepping into the water towns of central Jiangsu, despite the intense cold, Dongluo Village (东罗村) in Xinghua City (兴化市), Jiangsu Province (江苏省), is a vibrant scene.
This is the core area of the Xinghua Duotian (兴化垛田), a globally important agricultural heritage site and a world irrigation engineering heritage site. More than 600 years ago, ancestors "built soil into duos and used duos as fields," creating a unique landscape of crisscrossing lakes and scattered plots. In October 2025, this ancient village added another golden name card: the United Nations World Tourism Organization's "Best Tourism Villages."
How does Dongluo Village (东罗村) innovate in inheritance, allowing old traditions and new life to complement each other in the water town landscape? The reporter walked into Dongluo (东罗) to explore the "code" for comprehensive rural revitalization.
——Editor
Maintaining the "Original Color": Adhering to Traditional Texture
In the eyes of Gu Jihong (顾继红), a photography enthusiast from Taizhou (泰州), Jiangsu (江苏), winter in Dongluo Village (东罗村) is colorful. Walking along the scenic avenue into this water village, the fiery red chicken claw maple, the green umbrella grass, thalia dealbata and water onion, the yellow fluffy reed, and the colorful rural scenery come into view.
After checking into a homestay in the village, Gu Jihong (顾继红) went to the reception center to pick up a tour map. The guide, Bu Yue (卜玥), was about to set off with tourists, and he joined them.
The first stop on the tour route is the exhibition hall at the entrance of the village. A series of graphic and historical materials systematically display the history of Dongluo Village (东罗村). The "treasure of the town hall" in the hall is the duotian (垛田) farming tools donated by the villagers. "Duotian (垛田) families use rakes to loosen the soil after each crop; in the spring slack season, they scoop up the bottom mud and spread it on the duo surface to increase fertility..." The tourists looked at the pictures, discussed this unique farming technique, and also experienced the production links in the old oil mill and old winery on site.
Gu Jihong (顾继红) said that this is his fourth time coming to Dongluo (东罗). More than 10 years ago, he came to Xinghua (兴化) for the first time in the spring, specifically for the rapeseed flowers. Every time he comes since then, he finds that Dongluo Village (东罗村) is quietly changing: the homestay island was built in 2019; the first coffee shop was built in 2022; this time, more and more villagers have opened farmhouses...
"Now tourists come to see rapeseed flowers in the spring, have bonfire parties in the summer, enjoy chrysanthemums and crabs in the autumn, and have tea around the stove in the winter," Bu Yue (卜玥) said, "'One season's scenery' has been upgraded to 'four seasons of beauty'."
Coming out of the exhibition hall, in front of you is the open Pingwang Lake (平望湖). In the winter sun, the lake water is clear and bright, and birds occasionally fly across the water surface. Bu Yue (卜玥) said that the beauty of Dongluo Village (东罗村) originates from the duotian (垛田) and begins with ecology. The village has built bird observation stations and implemented the project of returning polder land to the lake, and the water quality is excellent all year round.
"There are also things that haven't changed: there is still no excessive commercial noise," Gu Jihong (顾继红) said, giving an example: no new high-rise buildings have been built, and the power lines have been buried underground, preserving the original skyline of the water town. Villagers sell their own specialties at the market, and tourists can eat fresh fish just caught from the lake. Here, there is both the simple charm of traditional villages and the convenience and comfort of modern life - this harmonious coexistence of man and nature is the most charming!
Adding "Bright Colors": Accelerating Business Integration
With the development of tourism, the villagers are the biggest beneficiaries.
On a Saturday morning, Luo Baofang (罗宝芳), a villager, was busy. She first completed the village's cleaning work, then went to the lake to purchase fresh fish, and picked vegetables grown in her own garden at home, preparing authentic farmhouse dishes for tourists from Yangzhou (扬州) who had booked a group meal for lunch. Luo Baofang (罗宝芳) said while washing vegetables, "Three small families came for the weekend, including food and accommodation, it's 150 yuan per person."
More than 10 years ago, Luo Baofang's (罗宝芳) husband and son were still working in other places, and she ran a general store at home. The family rarely got together. In 2018, seeing that tourism in the village was gradually becoming popular, her husband and son returned. The couple thought about it and simply transformed the restaurant into a farmhouse and renovated the rooms as homestays.
As more and more tourists came, the original method of each household cleaning the "contracted area" in front of their doors could no longer meet the needs. Two years ago, the village formed a cleaning team and hired Luo Baofang (罗宝芳) to do cleaning, dredging rivers and ponds, and clearing garbage, which greatly improved the quality of the village's ecological environment. "The cleaning team has about a dozen people," Luo Baofang (罗宝芳) said, this part-time job is also thanks to rural tourism.
Her son works in the village's tourism company doing property management. "Eating and living at home, isn't it better than renting a house and eating takeout outside?" Luo Baofang (罗宝芳) is very proud: the family income is about 300,000 yuan per year.
The return of young people has also injected more fashion and vitality into the countryside. Gao Qingying (高庆英), 36, used to work in Shanghai (上海). After returning to her hometown, she opened the "Ji Mu Coffee Shop" (几木咖啡馆). She cleverly combines coffee with seasonal agricultural products, selling "Sunshine Rose Americano" in the summer and launching "Longxiang Taro Milk Tea" and "Osmanthus Latte" in the autumn.
The marketing secret of "Village Coffee" is to promote seasonal agricultural products with each other. A corner of the coffee shop is a small exhibition area for specialty agricultural products. Some tourists who drink a beverage they like want to take some agricultural products home; others who see these fresh fruits also want to taste what it's like to mix them with coffee.
In recent years, more and more villagers have changed from bystanders to participants and builders, sharing the dividends of development. In Dongluo Village (东罗村), there is also a group of young village cadres who are making a living from "tourism."
Every weekend, the water stage is filled with gongs and drums, and Ma Yan (马艳), the 25-year-old secretary of the Dongluo Village (东罗村) Communist Youth League branch, and other cadres transform into actors, performing "Singing Qingqu" and "Playing Big Drums." "After being named the best tourism village, the number of tourists has surged. What kind of performances will they see when they come?" Ma Yan (马艳) said that hiring actors from outside is not only expensive, but also lacks local characteristics. So the village decided to train its own performance team.
These performance team members, selected from the cadres, total 22 people, mainly from Dongluo Village (东罗村), but also with "support" from other villages and towns. Everyone learns new programs while performing on stage. Ma Yan's (马艳) forte is folk song duets and waist drums, "Although it's hard, seeing the smiles of the tourists makes me feel happy."
According to Dongluo Village (东罗村) statistics, tourism has driven 10% of the villagers to achieve re-employment. "Homestay owners" and "live streamers" have become new occupations, and college students have also returned to the village to open coffee shops and cultural and creative shops - the countryside can retain nostalgia and also retain villagers.
Enhancing "Color": Innovating Governance Paths
The transformation of Dongluo Village (东罗村) is inseparable from the support of mechanism innovation.
In June 2017, Jiangsu (江苏) launched the construction of characteristic pastoral villages. Luo Guokang (罗国康), the secretary of the Dongluo Village (东罗村) Party branch, was both looking forward to it and worried: the Duotian (垛田) water town has a unique landform and can bear the word "characteristic," but the village cadres do not have the experience of operating large projects. Where will the technology and funds come from?
In order to integrate various resources, a "test field" was born: in August 2017, the Xinghua (兴化) Municipal Government, Dongluo Village (东罗村), and Vanke Nanjing (南京万科) joined hands to adopt an innovative cooperation model of "local government + social capital + village collective" to create the "Clear Water Dongluo" (碧水东罗) tourism IP and explore a new path for rural revitalization.
The three parties are divided as follows: the municipal government improves infrastructure and supporting construction; the enterprise is responsible for specific construction and daily operation; the village collective contributes the right to use idle collective construction land to the platform company at a price, and villagers can not only find employment nearby through land and housing shares, but also enjoy dividends.
Luo Guokang (罗国康) admitted that some old party members once opposed the introduction of social capital, "**就怕过度开发，搞成四不像** (jiù pà guò dù kāi fā, gǎo chéng sì bù xiàng - "afraid of over-development, making it neither fish nor fowl," afraid of excessive development, making it lose its original characteristics)." Dongluo Village (东罗村) established Xinghua City's (兴化市) first "public opinion collection point" to listen to the opinions of the masses for the development of tourism. The village development is supervised by village representatives throughout the entire process; the construction team does not demolish and build on a large scale, but implements point-like updates on the basis of retaining the traditional residential features such as blue bricks and black tiles.
The auditorium in the village, built in 1953, became a dangerous building due to the loss of its original function and years of disrepair. The easiest way is to tear it down and rebuild it. "It carries the memory of a generation, and the villagers hope to keep it." Liu Zhen (刘臻), the tourism operation负责人 of the Dongluo (东罗) project department of Vanke Nanjing Real Estate Co., Ltd. (南京万科置业有限公司), introduced that the construction plan maintains the red brick and blue tile facade unchanged, only carries out waterproof repairs, internally uses steel structures for safety reinforcement, and carries out modern decoration. Currently, the function of the auditorium is a conference center, and it also holds temporary exhibitions, giving play to new value.
Even the homestay complex that was torn down and rebuilt fully considers the integration with the rural landscape. Liu Zhen (刘臻) gave an example that the predecessor of the homestay complex was an abandoned chicken and duck pen. The company invited Professor Zhang Lei (张雷) from the School of Architecture of Nanjing University (南京大学建筑学院) to design with a classical and fashionable idea - the exterior is blue brick and gray tile, the internal facilities are modern, and 9 homestays are spread out along Pingwang Lake (平旺湖), connected by winding paths. The most wonderful thing is that each house has floor-to-ceiling windows, and the glass reflects the blue sky and white clouds, and the building seems to "disappear" into the pastoral scenery.
Driven by the "demonstration model," many villagers spontaneously updated their houses, improving the overall appearance of the village, and successively opened 7 farmhouses and 9 homestays.
However, relying solely on the development of tourism has high construction costs and a long profit cycle. How to break out of the limitations of "only looking at the scenery" and create multiple values from "a field of rapeseed flowers" and "a duotian (垛田)"?
Since 2018, Dongluo Village (东罗村) has given play to the advantages of active water systems and fertile soil, and invited experts to guide villagers to cultivate organic agricultural products, expand the space for agricultural value-added and efficiency, and take the two-pronged approach of "tourism + agriculture." Liu Zhen (刘臻) introduced that the agricultural brand "88cang" (八十八仓) created by the village has formed a series of products such as Xinghua Rice (兴化大米) and Xinghua Hairy Crab (兴化大闸蟹), thereby developing agricultural planting and picking research and study models - "With the IP of 'Clear Water Dongluo' (碧水东罗), '88cang' (八十八仓) has more stories; and the sales revenue of '88cang' (八十八仓) can in turn subsidize tourism and drive farmers to increase their income," Liu Zhen (刘臻) said.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 姚雪青
In October 2025, Dongluo Village (东罗村), Xinghua (兴化), Jiangsu (江苏) Province, was selected for the United Nations World Tourism Organization's "Best Tourism Villages" list. Why was Dongluo Village selected, and what impact will this have on its future development?
"When we received the letter from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (文化和旅游部) at the end of February 2025 regarding the confirmation of the 'Best Tourism Villages' reserve list, we realized that this was a 千载难逢 (qiān zǎi nán féng - "once in a thousand years," a rare opportunity) opportunity," said Jin Xin (金鑫), head of the Tourism Planning and Development Section of the Xinghua Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Radio, Film and Tourism (兴化市文体广电和旅游局). The bureau's Party leadership quickly responded, holding multiple special meetings to analyze the situation, and ultimately decided to recommend Dongluo Village, which has a solid foundation and distinctive characteristics, to represent Xinghua in the competition.
In mid-May, Dongluo Village successfully passed the expert review, becoming one of the eight villages representing China recommended to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, and ultimately won the honor in October.
What did Dongluo Village rely on to gain favor? The review experts unanimously agreed that it has unique advantages in several aspects.
Profound historical and cultural heritage. Dongluo Village has a long history of more than 600 years, and the village retains the traditional farming techniques of Duotian (垛田). In the years of tourism development, Dongluo Village has never engaged in large-scale demolition and construction for the sake of tourism. The texture and appearance of the countryside have been preserved, and the villagers and the atmosphere of daily life remain, constantly injecting "new vitality" into the "original ecology."
Unique natural resources. Dongluo Village is built next to a lake and lives by the Duotian. The village has crisscrossing lakes and vast waters. There are 42 species of birds in the lake wetland, including the endangered national treasure Oriental White Stork and the near-threatened Northern Lapwing. Dongluo Village has excellent air and water quality all year round, with a green coverage rate of over 57%, where humans and nature coexist harmoniously.
Development of agricultural, cultural, and tourism characteristic industries. Relying on the "dual heritage" resources of Xinghua Duotian Global Important Agricultural Heritage and World Irrigation Engineering Heritage, and utilizing the rich Duotian agricultural culture, the water town characteristic architectural culture, food culture, and folk culture, the local area has created the "Clear Water Dongluo (碧水东罗)" theme IP and developed ecological sightseeing, agricultural experience and other tourism products, which not only attract tourists from all over the world, but also drive villagers' employment and return to their hometowns to start businesses.
Innovative rural development model. Dongluo Village innovates the cooperation model of "local government + social capital + village collective": the government improves infrastructure and public service facilities; professional market teams cultivate new business forms that meet modern consumer demand; and villagers participate through land and housing shares, changing from bystanders to participants and builders - the three parties form a community of interests, injecting continuous endogenous power into rural development.
What does being named "World's Best" mean for Dongluo Village?
Jin Xin (金鑫) believes that being certified by the United Nations World Tourism Organization can place a small village on the world tourism map. This development opportunity will help Xinghua transform from "single scenic spot tourism" to a "whole-area cultural tourism destination."
The more far-reaching impact is that it can drive the upgrading of infrastructure and the improvement of the urban and rural appearance, and generate a "siphon effect" on attracting high-end talents and undertaking high-quality industrial projects, injecting strong impetus into the region's industrial upgrading and high-quality economic development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 史自强
"Nine Buildings, Four Pagodas, Eight Great Temples, Twenty-four Golden Memorial Archways." As a National Historical and Cultural City, the profound heritage of Zhengding County (正定县), Hebei (河北) is not only engraved on every city brick but also flows in a taste memory passed down for thousands of years—Eight Bowls (八大碗).
As early as 2007, its production techniques were already among the list of intangible cultural heritage in Hebei Province (河北省). Visiting tourists never just taste a delicious meal but also experience a drinkable, edible, and vividly historical ancient city.
"Serving the dishes!" With an enthusiastic shout, the Eight Bowls are served. "There is etiquette in dining and ways to treat guests. The Eight Bowls are divided into four meat dishes and four vegetarian dishes. When serving, follow the traditional arrangement of the Eight Immortals table, with the four meat dishes on the outside and the four vegetarian dishes in the middle." Song Erwei (宋二围), the municipal representative inheritor of Song's Eight Bowls (宋记八大碗), recounts them like treasures, "The four meat dishes are fixed: braised pork knuckle, braised pork belly, square (chunk) pork, and meatballs; the four vegetarian dishes are flexible and varied, with dozens of options. They change according to the occasion and season. Common ones include radish, kelp, vermicelli, tofu, glutinous rice balls, etc. Just choose four to match."
The Eight Bowls have a rich taste, and each bowl presents a different kind of "liveliness"—
The liveliness of the four meat dishes is like four exciting movements in a banquet: the braised pork knuckle is ruddy and shiny, rich and mellow; the braised pork belly is layered, with alternating fat and lean meat, melting in the mouth; the square (chunk) pork is cut with distinct edges and corners, fully absorbing the essence of the soup; the meatballs are round and golden, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bursting with savory and juicy meat between the lips and teeth.
The liveliness of the four vegetarian dishes is like four elegant rhythms interspersed: the radish is crystal clear and can resolve the greasiness of the meat; the kelp is dark green and flexible, adding layers to the taste; the vermicelli is smooth and transparent, like silk threads shuttling between the lips and teeth; the tofu is fragrant, soft, porous, with a deep and full flavor.
Different from the snacks on the streets of the ancient city, the Eight Bowls are a grand formal meal that carries the way of treating guests. The essence of its flavor is deeply hidden in the complex process of "one boil and three steams" of the meat dishes.
"The deliciousness of the Eight Bowls comes from the selection of ingredients, knife skills, heat control, and seasonings." Song Erwei (宋二围) introduces that just talking about the selection of braised pork knuckle, you must choose the front knuckle—compared to the hind knuckle, the front knuckle has more lean meat and a better taste.
When making it, put the raw knuckle in a pot with cold water, and boil it for more than an hour to remove impurities, laying the foundation for a mellow base flavor. This is just the prelude. The subsequent "three steams" are even more critical: the first steaming forces out the grease; the second steaming allows the flavor of the spices to deeply penetrate the texture; the final steaming awakens it with rolling hot air, so that it can be perfectly out of the pot and served on a banquet full of guests.
"The knife skills of the Eight Bowls are rules, but also skills." Song Erwei (宋二围) said that cutting into pieces requires straight corners and consistent size; slicing requires uniform thickness and the same length. Every inch reveals order.
Tourists who come for the name always inevitably ask: How should this table of Eight Bowls be tasted?
Song Erwei (宋二围) introduces: If you like lean meat, you can go straight to the braised pork knuckle, especially the gelatinous part where the skin and meat are connected, which is considered a "treasure" in the eyes of experts; if you like fatty meat, you should choose the braised pork belly. After three times of steaming, the grease is completely removed, leaving only the "melting tenderness" that is fatty but not greasy; if you like sourness, choose steamed radish, and the combination of red and white vinegar creates a fresh taste; if you like sweetness, try the glutinous rice balls, the inside is the "soul filling" of sugar, black sesame, candied fruit, and蜜枣; the outer layer is glutinous rice, and one bite is soft, glutinous, and sweet.
For tourists from afar, Zhengding's (正定) Eight Bowls are the culinary scenery of the ancient city. But for locals, the Eight Bowls are a taste memory engraved in their bones, an indispensable reunion ritual on the New Year's Eve dinner table, and a carrier of deep human affection during wedding banquets. Many old Zhengding (正定) people will specially bring their children to order a set of Eight Bowls, and in the fragrant aroma, they will tell the stories of their ancestors. That old soup soaked in time has become the most direct link of inheritance, so that the next generation's lips and teeth will forever remember the taste of "home."
Return to TopBy: 崔 岩
In introducing "soft smoky gauze" in "Dream of the Red Chamber," it is mentioned that this silk fabric comes in four colors: "celadon after rain," "autumn fragrance," "pine green," and "silver red." Recently, a reader inquired: What exactly is the color "autumn fragrance" that is often mentioned in ancient poems and novels? What other names did the ancients have for colors?
Autumn fragrance is a yellow color with a hint of green, carrying the poetic sentiment of "autumn gradually dyeing": In the golden autumn days, the leaves turn from green to yellow, and the air is filled with the fragrance of plants and trees. Depending on the ratio of the mixture, autumn fragrance can be further divided into autumn fragrance yellow and autumn fragrance green.
Celadon after rain, autumn fragrance, pine green, silver red... the ancient names for colors were rich and diverse. Some color names come from plants, such as peach red, lotus red, willow green, etc.; some originate from animals, such as swallowtail blue, parakeet green, etc.; and some are related to the sun, moon, mountains and rivers, such as moon white, twilight mountain purple, and sky water blue.
There are also some color names that do not have a main color name, but are directly named after the name of the object or a defining word, giving rise to endless reverie. Autumn fragrance belongs to this category. Another example is Baicaoshuang (百草霜), this name at first glance easily makes people associate frost with white, or grass with green, but in fact Baicaoshuang is pot bottom ash, also known as pot ink, referring to the soft smoke ink attached to the bottom of the pot or chimney after hundreds of kinds of grass are burned, full of romantic poetry.
Nowadays, some companies also like to draw on traditional colors to name their products, giving them rich cultural connotations. Cold smoke purple, midnight black, mirror porcelain white... these names are not only a link between the material world and the spiritual world, but also add richer colors to our colorful lives.
(The author is an associate researcher at the Dunhuang Costume Culture Research and Innovation Design Center of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (北京服装学院), interviewed and compiled by Shi Fang (施芳), a reporter from this newspaper)
Return to TopLayout Design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)
Return to TopHappy New Year! Greetings for the New Year!
Whenever the New Year approaches, my ears are always filled with endless New Year greetings. Paying New Year's visits is a traditional custom of the Chinese nation and the most Chinese-style New Year etiquette. In each greeting, in each blessing, and in each gesture, how much warm sincerity is condensed, how many beautiful wishes are deeply hidden, and how much profound culture is contained. As time flows to today, the form and content of New Year greetings have also moved from traditional to modern, but the root of the culture has never changed. Let us feel the strong New Year flavor together in the New Year greetings and walk into this uniquely charming Chinese New Year!
——Editor
The Light in the Border Guard Barracks
Dong Xiaqingqing (董夏青青)
At the beginning of this year, I went to a border regiment in Xinjiang (新疆) at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters for an interview. During the chat, everyone began to talk about the preparations for the New Year in various companies. Over the years, people have a relatively tacit understanding of how to spend the "New Year," but for border guards, those originally "conventional" things in daily life are not so easy to achieve. In order to protect the lights of thousands of homes, they have spent one Spring Festival after another in the barracks. Personally paying New Year's visits to their parents, partners, relatives, and close friends and sending warm blessings is a wish cherished by many officers and soldiers.
According to a comrade-in-arms, the comrades in the cooking class are the busiest in the barracks during the New Year. If everyone else has time to call home to pay New Year's greetings, then the comrades in the cooking class have to be busy from the moment they open their eyes in the morning until midnight. Nowadays, the food standard of the company has exceeded people's imagination. Not only has the supply frequency of fruits, vegetables, and meat greatly increased, but the variety is also very rich. However, no matter how rare the New Year's "gift" is, it is not as good as the dumplings made by everyone on New Year's Eve. In border companies at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, cooking dumplings has become a highly technical task. Experienced quartermasters and cooking squad leaders will steam the dumplings until they are half-cooked in advance, and then wait for the hot water to boil before seizing the opportunity to put them into the pot in one go, and then stare at the dial time. This time parameter is valuable data summarized after countless failures. As long as the timing time arrives, they must immediately wave their arms and scoop out the dumpling like a flock of sheep. After the whole dumplings are scooped out, the "commander-in-chief" will then scan the pot with a笊篱 (zhào lí - ladle), calculating how many servings of the "noodle filling soup" that has been boiled can be served.
On that night, most of the comrades in the cooking class held bowls and slurped some sticky "noodle filling soup." Who can eat unbroken whole dumplings? It is not the superior officers stationed in the company for the New Year, but the privates who are spending the New Year in the company for the first year, the female communications soldiers who came to the company from the regiment headquarters to offer condolences, and the family members of officers and soldiers who traveled thousands of miles to visit the company. In order to make the privates feel the warmth of home, the company commander will quietly contact their families and ask them to record New Year's blessing videos, which will be played when they gather together to stay up late. In places where the signal is intermittent, they will ensure that the children who are away from home for the first time can pay New Year's greetings to their relatives remotely. In order to make the company more festive, the female communications soldiers will prepare many programs, take oxygen in the intervals when the programs are staged in turn, and shout in unison at the end: "Happy New Year to all the comrades in the company!" Even in today's era of such developed transportation, it is not easy for family members to rush to the border company on New Year's Eve. The severe winter cold and lack of oxygen are always a natural barrier, blocking many family members who are willing to go up the mountain. According to a comrade-in-arms, in order to rush to the company to see her husband and say "Happy New Year" face to face while watching the countdown, a military wife spent a week, stopping and going, before finally meeting her husband wearing an oxygen mask. The first sentence she said when she saw her lover was: "Why have you never told me that this place is so hard?" Her husband just laughed heartily in front of his comrades and said, "Ask them, we don't think it's that hard."
Indeed, the comrades all know that hardship is relative. On New Year's Eve, they can still see relatives and friends they haven't seen for a year or even many years, but some comrades will never have such an opportunity again. They will always remember those comrades who can never be seen again. During the New Year, many comrades will make appointments to visit the parents of the sacrificed comrades on their way home to visit relatives and pay them New Year's greetings. An instructor once told that in the Spring Festival of the year when a soldier in the company was sacrificed, he and several comrades went to the soldier's hometown to mourn the soldier who was buried in his hometown not long ago in the martyrs' cemetery. Unexpectedly, they met the parents and family members of the sacrificed soldier in the cemetery. After the mourning, the instructor took several soldiers to the home of the sacrificed soldier and placed a Kunlun stone that had been brought down from the plateau and washed round by the river water in his bedroom, which was still kept in its original state.
In the past two years of the Spring Festival, many young people on the Internet have stayed up late with border guards through video. In the rapidly flashing barrage on the screen, a lot of content is auspicious words and good wishes for the New Year, such as hoping that the snowflakes falling on their shoulders can be lighter and more fragrant, so that these most lovely people can feel the brewing of spring in the harsh wind. In fact, on the border of the motherland, whether it is snow that never melts all year round or it is always hot in all seasons, the soldiers have already deeply hidden the warm light in their hearts—this light comes from the most solid understanding of their duties and missions, and from the most simple and sincere love for the lights of thousands of homes shining behind them.
A Casual Talk on "New Year Greetings"
Yu Kexun (於可训)
It's New Year again. These days, everyone is busy paying New Year's greetings. In the past, New Year greetings had to be paid in person, but now "cloud greetings" are popular. Getting up early in the morning, I pick up my mobile phone and busy sending WeChat messages or making phone calls. There are also other ways, many of which are across time and space, without having to go to the door in person.
Paying New Year's greetings is a traditional custom of the Chinese nation, which is said to have started in the Han Dynasty. At first, it was only limited to the imperial court and the family. The imperial court held a court meeting on the first day of the first lunar month, and all officials paid New Year's greetings to the emperor, which was called "Yuanhui (元会)." The family and the country have the same structure, and the monarch and relatives are one. There are also similar blessings from the younger generation to the elders within the family. Later, it was extended to scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants, and became a popular folk custom. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have followed this etiquette, bowing and paying respect to heaven and ancestors, respecting superiors and harmonizing relatives, fully demonstrating the order of heaven, earth, and human relations, and the affection of respecting the venerable, loving relatives, and harmonizing neighbors and friends.
Therefore, paying New Year's greetings has many particularities and contains a deep historical and cultural connotation.
First, let's talk about the object and order of worship. Now everyone remembers the principle of inside first and outside later, near first and far later, that is, first pay New Year's greetings to the elders within the family, and then to the elderly in the village and relatives and friends outside. But in my memory, when I was a child, before paying New Year's greetings to these two types of elders, there was also an important worship, which was to worship heaven and earth ancestors. Some rural areas in China retain the custom of "going out to the sky," that is, setting up an incense table at the gate in the early morning or early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the family is led by the parents to offer incense and worship to the four directions of heaven and earth and the ancestral tablets. It is said that paying New Year's greetings during the Spring Festival evolved from this. In ancient times, sacrificial activities were held at the end of the year and the beginning of the year to worship heaven and earth ancestors and pray for blessings and disaster relief. Later, it was fixed on the first day of the first lunar month and became a festive activity of the Spring Festival.
After this worship is completed, the worship is carried out in the above order. Some places have the saying that "on the first day of the new year, pay New Year's greetings to the family, on the second day of the new year, pay New Year's greetings to the wife's family, and on the third day of the new year, pay New Year's greetings to relatives." In this way, it will continue until around the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. My hometown, Huangmei (黄梅), Hubei (湖北), also has the saying that "paying New Year's greetings to the Land God's Day (the second day of the second lunar month), the more you pay, the more flavorful it is," which shows that it lasts longer.
In such days, everyone holds respect in their hearts, everyone holds prayers in their hearts, looks up to heaven and earth, remembers ancestors, respects family members, and harmonizes neighbors and friends. How much respect and blessing are all in this worship. This is the most solemn ceremony of the year and an unforgettable etiquette in life.
China has a vast territory, and customs vary from place to place. The ways of paying New Year's greetings are also different. The same is paying New Year's greetings, but each has its own way of worship. Generally speaking, it can be roughly divided into two categories. Some places mainly kneel and kowtow, some places mainly bow and clasp their hands, and some places have both. Some places are also divided into young and old. The elders bow and clasp their hands, which is considered a New Year's greeting. Only the younger generation or half-grown children will kneel down and kowtow.
No matter what kind of worship method, worship is an important traditional cultural etiquette in China. In ancient times, there was the saying of "nine worships." According to the different objects, different occasions, and different natures of worship, the "Book of Rites of Zhou (周礼)" made a detailed distinction between the physical movements of worship, that is, the way of worship, and specifically divided it into nine types, called "nine worships." Among the "nine worships," the most solemn is kneeling and kowtowing, called "qishou (稽首)" and "dunshou (顿首)," and the simplest is bending the knees and clasping the hands or bowing and making a bow, called "subai (肃拜)." Today's two ways of paying New Year's greetings, kneeling and kowtowing are similar to "qishou" and "dunshou" in the "nine worships," while bowing and clasping hands are similar to "subai" in the "nine worships," but the physical movements and the objects used are not exactly the same in ancient and modern times.
After paying New Year's greetings became a popular custom, in order to avoid the labor of going to the door and the fatigue of kowtowing, the forms of "sending a card (投刺)" and "flying a post (飞帖)" appeared, that is, writing one's name and blessings on a specially made piece of paper and sending someone to deliver it. New Year's cards evolved from this. In fact, aren't today's forms of sending New Year's information such as text messages and WeChat messages a modern transformation of "sending a card" and "flying a post"? Although today's New Year greetings customs have changed greatly compared with ancient times, the connotation is consistent, and it can be said to be a "creative transformation" of ancient customs.
In addition to "sending a card" and "flying a post," there was also a simplified way for the ancients to pay New Year's greetings, which is what we call "group worship (团拜)." "Group worship" is also a long-standing way of paying New Year's greetings. The "Yuanhui" mentioned earlier can be said to be the earliest institutionalized and highest-level "group worship." This way of centralized worship later became popular among officials, academies, and guilds. Today's various forms of "group worship" have evolved from this.
For contemporary Chinese people, what is particularly touching and has become a custom is the annual Spring Festival Gala. When the New Year's bell rings, the host enthusiastically pays New Year's greetings to the audience in the audience and in front of the TV. Those words of blessing, at that moment, seem to have become the most beautiful language, making Chinese sons and daughters at home and abroad cheer and burst into tears.
Performing Old Etiquette in My Hometown
Li Yunlei (李云雷)
In our place, we pay New Year's greetings before dawn. My father has always followed this old etiquette. He takes me to my grandmother's house to pay New Year's greetings first, then to Grandpa Mei's (梅爷) house to pay respects to the family tree, and then to several uncles' houses to pay New Year's greetings. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, before dawn, my father wakes me up and goes out to pay New Year's greetings. Before going out, I have to pay New Year's greetings to my parents first. After going out, my father walks silently in front, and I follow silently behind. The two of us rarely speak. My father is a bit strict, and I am very afraid of him. My father is very particular about rules. When he pays New Year's greetings to my uncle and aunt, he really kneels on the ground and kowtows. As soon as he kneels down, my aunt hurriedly runs over to pull him up and says, "You are old, why are you still kowtowing? Let the child kowtow." My father chuckles and says, "I have to kowtow when I should. It's once a year." After returning home, I have to follow my cousins to pay New Year's greetings to other elders. We talk and laugh along the way, occasionally throwing a small firecracker, scaring people, and the sky gradually brightens.
Our New Year's greeting team walks into Second Grandpa's (二爷) house, and the entire courtyard is crowded. Jian Ge (俭哥) shouts loudly, "Second Grandma (二奶奶), Happy New Year!" The Second Grandma in the house hears it and quickly lifts the curtain and runs out, saying, "It's Xiao Jian (小俭), it's so far, why are you still running this way?" Second Grandpa, holding a cigarette in his hand, also runs out and pulls out several cigarettes and stuffs them into the hands of several leaders. Jian Ge smiles, "Second Grandpa, don't be busy, wait until we finish kowtowing." As he speaks, he kneels down and kowtows to the portrait of the old man revealed at the open door of the main room. When we see Jian Ge kneeling down, we all kneel down. Second Grandpa stands beside him with his body bent, holding his hands in front of his waist as if holding something—this is the etiquette of receiving, indicating a reply. After kowtowing, Jian Ge stands up and shouts loudly, "Second Grandpa—" and then kneels down again. Second Grandpa quickly comes up to pull him up, saying, "It's enough to kowtow to the old man, we won't kowtow." While talking and laughing, Jian Ge shouts again, "Second Grandma—" Second Grandma, who had just run out, realizes that she forgot to bring food, quickly returns to the house, and at this time, runs out holding a basket full of peanuts, melon seeds, and candies, saying, "Don't kowtow, don't kowtow, quickly eat some melon seeds." As she speaks, she grabs a handful for each person and stuffs it into their pockets, asking as she stuffs, "Whose child is this? Why does he look so unfamiliar?" The person next to her tells her whose child it is, and Second Grandma smiles and says, "You've grown so tall, I used to hold you when you were a child, do you still recognize me?" The child who is asked nods shyly, turns around, and runs away quickly.
For us children at that time, the two families we liked to visit for New Year's greetings the most were my aunt's family and Uncle Yanming's (衍明叔) family across the street from my house. Uncle Yanming works in the county town, and his candies, peanuts, and melon seeds are the best, and there are also foods that other families don't have, such as small tangerines and hawthorn strips. Every time we visit his house for New Year's greetings, we children always compare to see who gets more candies. My aunt is particularly enthusiastic. As soon as we enter her house and shout "Aunt," she comes out holding a small basket. Sometimes we don't want it, and my aunt raises her voice in feigned anger and says, "Quickly stretch out your pockets and fill them up! Your mother won't let you take it? Today your mother doesn't count. It's the New Year, and you've come to your aunt's house. Won't she let you eat something? Just say your aunt said it, and it won't work today!" As she speaks, she stuffs a handful of peanuts and melon seeds into our pockets. Only then is she happy, and she laughs loudly and contentedly, saying, "Okay, go play!" We then run away, covering our pockets, because we are afraid that if we run too fast, the full peanuts and melon seeds will spill out.
In the past, I thought that paying New Year's greetings was just kowtowing. Only after I grew up did I realize that kowtowing does seem a bit outdated in modern society. However, the form of kowtowing is still preserved in our hometown. At the same time, the forms of paying New Year's greetings are becoming more and more diverse, such as paying New Year's greetings by phone, text message, and WeChat. Later, I understood that every culture has its traditional etiquette, and it is reasonable for a person to kowtow to his parents and elders. Therefore, every time I return to my hometown for the New Year, I still do as the Romans do and go to pay New Year's greetings with my brothers, nephews, and nieces. It's just that as time passes, the elders are gradually withering away, and the number of kowtows I make is getting less and less.
Saying Happy New Year Together
Bei Qiao (北乔)
Time brightens up without explanation
Clear, warm, everyone's face is
A lamp, the innocence of children
The splashing water of the spring river, the world never lacks flying
The sound of gongs and drums is as crisp as the chirping of birds
Spring is not coming, but awakening
Just like people put a touch of red in their hearts
Hanging on the lintel, hanging in their eyes, the wind in the sun
Has a shape, all the joy
Can be the same heartbeat, the same expression
Whether the local accent has changed or not, it doesn't matter
The person telling the old stories is also talking about the future
Please believe that love is always there
At this moment, embrace the long life
We just need to say together
Happy New Year
Magpies Pay New Year's Greetings
Lao Teng (老藤)
I told my friend that magpies can pay New Year's greetings to people, but my friend didn't believe it, saying that magpies don't know about the New Year, so how can they pay New Year's greetings? I used "Zifeiyu, anzhiyu zhi le (子非鱼，安知鱼之乐 - "You are not a fish, how do you know the joy of the fish?," how do you know what someone else is feeling)" to explain, and told my own personal experience. After listening, my friend said with emotion that no wonder the ancients all loved magpies. It seems that magpies really have some spirituality.
Many years ago, I worked in the Wudalianchi (五大连池) Scenic Area in Heilongjiang (黑龙江). Because I had to go to the unit that didn't rest during the festival on New Year's Eve to offer condolences to the employees on duty, I couldn't go back to my parents' house for New Year's Eve dinner. I could only rush back early on the first day of the new year to pay New Year's greetings to the two elders.
Our family has always retained the customs of our old home in Shandong (山东). Paying New Year's greetings emphasizes an early start. We start going out to pay New Year's greetings early on the first morning of the new year. When I was a child, I heard my mother say that people who get up late on the first day of the new year will be lazy all year round. Knowing that this was a joke, I took it seriously and never got up late on the first day of the new year. I always wanted to be the first to pay New Year's greetings. The place where I worked was about a dozen kilometers away from the village where my parents lived, so I agreed with the driver to set off early on the first day of the new year.
Our family has always retained the customs of our old home in Shandong (山东), emphasizing an early start for New Year greetings, beginning on the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. When I was a child, I heard my mother say that those who get up late on the first day of the Lunar New Year will be lazy all year round. Knowing this was a joke, I took it seriously, never getting up late on the first day and always wanting to be the first to offer New Year greetings. The place where I work is about a dozen kilometers away from the village where my parents live, so I arranged for a driver to leave early on the first day.
Unexpectedly, I encountered trouble returning home for New Year greetings this time. It snowed heavily during the night, with the snow deeper than my knees. The north-south roads were still passable, but the east-west roads were sculpted by the strong north wind into uneven "bumps," making it impossible for the Jeep to pass. Although the driver was experienced in driving on icy and snowy roads, he was helpless in this situation. The car barely made it to a place called Qing Shi Village (青石村) before it could no longer proceed. Helpless, I asked the driver to return the way he came, and I walked home.
The period around the Spring Festival is the coldest time of the year locally, with temperatures near minus 30 degrees Celsius. Fortunately, the snow stopped and the wind subsided; if the wind had picked up, the road would have been even more difficult to walk. The snow in extreme cold weather is crystal snow, and the surface of the snow is relatively hard. When big cotton shoes step on it, they make a sound like a watermelon being crushed. The sound of firecrackers could already be heard sporadically from nearby Qing Shi Village (青石村). I quickened my pace, tightened my hat, my eyebrows covered with frost, and trudged through the snow where I could not see the road, one foot deep and one foot shallow. As the smoke from every household rose high, I finally made it back. Outside, it was freezing cold, but inside, it was warm and steamy. The food was already laid out on the kang table, and my family was waiting for me. After offering New Year greetings to my parents, I repeatedly apologized for being late. I couldn't say that the heavy snow blocked the road, but rather I had to examine why I didn't leave an hour earlier.
At this moment, my mother said with a smile, "The magpies have given you New Year greetings; the magpies were the first to give New Year greetings this year."
Magpies giving New Year greetings? I looked at my mother, not knowing what she meant.
My mother pointed to the big poplar tree in the yard outside the window and said, "Look, those magpies are still there."
Looking out through the window glass, which had melted the ice flowers, I saw more than a dozen magpies perched on the big poplar tree in the yard. Magpies welcoming you on the first day of the Lunar New Year is an auspicious event that is hard to come by. I understood that it must have been this group of magpies chattering incessantly outside the window early in the morning that made my mother say they were giving New Year greetings on my behalf.
My mother attributed the magpies' New Year greetings to me for a reason. My house is at the southernmost end of the village, and outside the village is the Nemer River (讷谟尔河) wetland, known as Nandianzi (南甸子). This year, because of the heavy snow, the boundless Nandianzi (南甸子) was like a thick cotton quilt, becoming a snowfield without a trace of ink. Before the New Year, I came back to deliver New Year's goods to my parents. Looking at the white expanse outside the window, I said to my mother, "With such heavy snow, what about those resident birds? Where do they find food?"
My mother said, "We must treat the resident birds well. They don't leave with such heavy snow; it's not easy for them."
Most households in the village have corn cribs raised off the ground in their yards, used to store corn cobs. My mother said that she would rub some corn cobs and scatter them in the snow. Corn kernels are no problem for feeding magpies, but siskins can't swallow them, so she would also scatter some millet. Snow rabbits in the Dianzi (甸子) could also come and eat some. My mother said that people celebrate the New Year, and birds and animals should also celebrate the New Year. My mother really did this, and as a result, a group of magpies lingered in front of my house and refused to leave.
I think the magpies are giving New Year greetings not only on my behalf but also on behalf of those resident birds and snow rabbits who enjoyed the corn kernels and millet. It is my mother's kindness that allows these little creatures to experience the joy of the New Year and be able to share the fun with people.
My older brother said that these magpies couldn't be chased away. Just now, your nephew set off a string of firecrackers, and the magpies flew into the sky, circled around, and then fell back down. It seems they have made this place their home.
After breakfast, I came to the yard and looked up at the magpies in the poplar tree. Magpies are naturally lively and active, always jumping happily between the branches. This scene reminded me of the poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Sikong Tu (司空图): "With emerald collar and red beak, they know the opportunity, long avoiding heavy nets, they fly to a safe place. Only because they have always been protected and cherished, they now congratulate the master's return before the window."
Could it be that the magpies are also "now congratulating the master's return before the window"?
I walked to the corn crib, reached out and pulled out two corn cobs, rubbed them into kernels, and scattered them on the snow. The golden corn kernels were set off by the white snow like golden pearls. At this moment, a cheerful cry of magpies came from the big poplar tree. I understood that this was the magpies' second New Year greeting.
Return to TopThis edition's email: dadi@peopledaily.cn
Layout design: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰), Wang Zheping (汪哲平)