Spring Festival celebrations, Lunar New Year events, etc...

TaiShang · Jan 14, 2017

Family reunions... The best time of the year. Arriving home is like a dream and the happiest moment. Yet time flies by so fast and leaving home is heavy on heart.

But that's still weeks away. So, now, just enjoy the beginning of the 'tis the season.

***

Fish dehydrated to greet Spring Festival

Xinhua, January 14, 2017

A villager dries dehydrated fish in the sun to greet the upcoming Spring Festival in Xishu Village of Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Geng Yuhe)

ahojunk · Jan 14, 2017

Jujube cakes made to send best wishes to upcoming Spring Festival in E China
2017-01-12 13:08 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

Villager Meng Guangfeng shows the newly-made steamed jujube cakes in Yanggu County of Liaocheng city, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 11, 2017. Local people here have a tradition of making steamed bun with colorful patterns to send best wishes to the upcoming Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Zhao Yuguo)

Villager Meng Guangfeng arranges the newly-made steamed jujube cakes in Yanggu County of Liaocheng city, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 11, 2017. Local people here have a tradition of making steamed bun with colorful patterns to send best wishes to the upcoming Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Zhao Yuguo)

TaiShang · Jan 15, 2017

Lantern fair held at underground cave dwellings in China's Henan
(Xinhua) January 15, 2017

Photo taken on Jan. 13, 2017 shows night scene of a lantern fair held at underground cave dwellings in Shanzhou District of Sanmenxia, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 13, 2017. The lantern fair displaying 151 illuminated lantern groups kicked off on Friday and will last till Feb. 28. The underground cave dwelling in Shanzhou is a specific architectural style in western regions of Henan. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

Tourists visit a lantern fair held at underground cave dwellings in Shanzhou District of Sanmenxia, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 13, 2017. The lantern fair displaying 151 illuminated lantern groups kicked off on Friday and will last till Feb. 28. The underground cave dwelling in Shanzhou is a specific architectural style in western regions of Henan. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

ahojunk · Jan 16, 2017

Traditional cuisine cooked for Lunar New Year in N China's Shanxi
2017-01-12 14:01 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

The traditional cuisine "Badawan" has became the main dish of banquets as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching. This cuisine takes several complicated procedures and over three hours of cooking, and was listed as Shanxi's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.

Photo shows the traditional "Badawan", a cuisine combined of eight different dishes, in Fengtaiyuan Hotel in Fenyang, north China's Shanxi Province. The traditional cuisine "Badawan" has became the main dish of banquets as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching. This cuisine takes several complicated procedures and over three hours of cooking, and was listed as Shanxi's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

Chef Sun Jinyong prepares soup for "Badawan", a cuisine combined of eight different dishes, in Fengtaiyuan Hotel in Fenyang, north China's Shanxi Province. The traditional cuisine "Badawan" has became the main dish of banquets as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching. This cuisine takes several complicated procedures and over three hours of cooking, and was listed as Shanxi's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

The cook prepares chops for "Badawan", a cuisine combined of eight different dishes, in Fengtaiyuan Hotel in Fenyang, north China's Shanxi Province. The traditional cuisine "Badawan" has became the main dish of banquets as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching. This cuisine takes several complicated procedures and over three hours of cooking, and was listed as Shanxi's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

Chef Sun Jinyong shows two dishes of "Badawan", a cuisine combined of eight different dishes, in Fengtaiyuan Hotel in Fenyang, north China's Shanxi Province. The traditional cuisine "Badawan" has became the main dish of banquets as the Chinese Lunar New Year is approaching. This cuisine takes several complicated procedures and over three hours of cooking, and was listed as Shanxi's Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)

ahojunk · Jan 17, 2017

Spring Festival concert held in SE China's Fujian
2017-01-17 13:58 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

The symphony orchestra of China National Opera House performs during the Spring Festival concert in Shanghang County of Longyan City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 16, 2017. Artists of China National Opera House on Monday gave an art performance to convey greetings to Shanghang people ahead of the Spring Festival, or Chinese traditional lunar New Year, to start from Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Qin Haishi)

Singer Geng Zhe of China National Opera House performs during the Spring Festival concert in Shanghang County of Longyan City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 16, 2017. Artists of China National Opera House on Monday gave an art performance to convey greetings to Shanghang people ahead of the Spring Festival, or Chinese traditional lunar New Year, to start from Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Qin Haishi)

Singer Ruan Yuqun of China National Opera House performs during the Spring Festival concert in Shanghang County of Longyan City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 16, 2017. Artists of China National Opera House on Monday gave an art performance to convey greetings to Shanghang people ahead of the Spring Festival, or Chinese traditional lunar New Year, to start from Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Qin Haishi)

ahojunk · Jan 17, 2017

Lanterns put up on bridge to greet Spring Festival in Lanzhou
2017-01-17 16:25 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

People walk under red lanterns on the Zhongshan Bridge across the Yellow River in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 17, 2017. More than 1,000 lanterns have been put up on the Zhongshan Bridge to greet the Spring Festival, or the Chinese traditional lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

People walk under red lanterns on the Zhongshan Bridge across the Yellow River in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 17, 2017. More than 1,000 lanterns have been put up on the Zhongshan Bridge to greet the Spring Festival, or the Chinese traditional lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Fan Peishen)

samsara · Jan 17, 2017

Migrant motorcyclists brave cold, hunger, accidents to get home for Chinese New Year

Global Times, 2017/1/15

Thousands of riders wait for free gas at a station in Foshan,
South China's Guangdong Province on January 13. Photo: IC

Riders wrap their feet in layers of plastic bags to keep them warm and dry. Photo: IC

Guo is strapped to her father's back to keep her from falling off the bike. Photo: IC

A policewoman helps a boy put yellow warning signs around his ankles. Photo: IC

Riders hit the road wearing everything they have, padded coats, raincoats, helmets and gloves. Photo: IC

Many carry all their luggage on their motorcycles. Photo: IC

As soon as young Guo got out of school, her parents dressed her in a raincoat and strapped her to their motorcycle, along with packed bags of daily necessities and gifts.

They were riding from Jiangmen, South China's Guangdong Province to Pingnan township, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, conquering more than 400 kilometers to be with their family.

The Spring Festival travel rush, known as the chunyun, started last Friday. Official statistics show that 8.5 million trips were made on the first day. Last year, a record 2.98 billion trips were made during the 40-day holiday period.

Among these trips, many were made by migrant workers on motorcycles, especially in the south of China. Just in Guangdong alone, about half a million motorcycle trips are made every year. These people often have no other choice, as public transportation is too expensive for them, but they need to get home. Many only see their "left behind children" once a year.

Chang He, director of 2011 documentary 1,350 km that examines such motorcycle trips, said in interviews that the film crew heard many tragic stories along the way. One source told them about a couple who rode a motorcycle home one year with their child. The child sat in the middle and was bundled up tightly to defend against the freezing rain. By the time the couple got home, they found the child had suffocated to death.

In the documentary, Wang Zhengnian, his wife and three friends spent five days riding 1,350 kilometers. They rode from dawn till dark, had to endure icy rain, bad road condition and often had nothing to eat. At night, all five of them slept in one room at cheap hotels to save money. Furthermore, they had no smartphone and had to rely on paper maps for directions and often took detours by mistake.

Every year, local governments, companies and volunteers try to make this process easier for the homecoming motorcyclists. Stations are set up along major roads to provide free gas, bike maintenance, heating and hot rice porridge. This year, insurance companies also started offering free bus trips in some areas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Being someone who was born in a small town, I do understand and treasure the traditional celebration at home. These are the touching pictures and great efforts to reach home under various limitations. Were I at their positions, I would have ridden the motorcycle to get home too, even if I would have to ride a thousand of kilometers, if it's the only means I could afford. Wish all travelers being safe at home for celebration. Btw the great wave of human traveling across China for the Spring Festival celebration has been starting on the last Friday, 13 January 2017.

TaiShang · Jan 18, 2017

samsara said:
Being someone who was born in a small town, I do understand and treasure the traditional celebration at home. These are the touching pictures and great efforts to reach home under various limitations. Were I at their positions, I would have ridden the motorcycle to get home too, even if I would have to ride a thousand of kilometers, if it's the only means I could afford. Wish all travelers being safe at home for celebration. Btw the great wave of human traveling across China for the Spring Festival celebration has been starting on the last Friday, 13 January 2017.

Well said. The power of one's love for home-family and the strength of tradition helps overcome the difficulties. People's dedication and love is only to be respected.

***

Couplets, paper cuttings made to greet upcoming Spring Festival in E China

(Xinhua) 16:02, January 17, 2017

Children show paper-cutting works in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 17, 2017. Communities in Hefei on Tuesday invited calligraphy enthusiasts and paper-cutting artists to make couplets and paper cuttings for local people and migrant workers to greet the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

Children write couplets in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 17, 2017. Communities in Hefei on Tuesday invited calligraphy enthusiasts and paper-cutting artists to make couplets and paper cuttings for local people and migrant workers to greet the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

People show Chinese character "Fu", meaning "happiness" in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 17, 2017. Communities in Hefei on Tuesday invited calligraphy enthusiasts and paper-cutting artists to make couplets and paper cuttings for local people and migrant workers to greet the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

Calligraphy enthusiasts write couplets in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 17, 2017. Communities in Hefei on Tuesday invited calligraphy enthusiasts and paper-cutting artists to make couplets and paper cuttings for local people and migrant workers to greet the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

ahojunk · Jan 18, 2017

Folk art 'datiehua' performed to celebrate New Year in N China
2017-01-16 15:57 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

Sparks pour down as a performer sprays burning hot iron water to simulate display of fireworks at Cixian County, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 12, 2017. The performance was held as a traditional way to celebrate the New Year. (Xinhua/Zhao Hongyu)

Sparks pour down as a performer sprays burning hot iron water to simulate display of fireworks at Cixian County, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 12, 2017. The performance was held as a traditional way to celebrate the New Year. (Xinhua/Zhao Hongyu)

ahojunk · Jan 18, 2017

Robot writes Spring Festival couplets
2017-01-18 08:59 | Ecns.cn | Editor:Yao Lan

AliCloud artificial intelligence ET, shows of its calligraphy skills by writing Spring Festival couplets for Alibaba employees in Alibaba Xixi park in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province on Monday. Employees were invited to "wake up" ET, talk to it, and then get tailored Spring Festival couplets written using its face recognition and voice analysis functions. (Photo/zjol.com.cn)

ahojunk · Jan 19, 2017

Spring Festival gala in E China
2017-01-19 08:45 | Xinhua | Editor:Xu Shanshan

Children perform poetry recitation at a community Spring Festival gala in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 18, 2017. Residents from Changqing Subdistrict in Hefei staged a community Spring Festival gala to welcome the upcoming Lunar New Year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

Children perform classics recitation at a community Spring Festival gala in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 18, 2017. Residents from Changqing Subdistrict in Hefei staged a community Spring Festival gala to welcome the upcoming Lunar New Year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

Residents dance at a community Spring Festival gala in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 18, 2017. Residents from Changqing Subdistrict in Hefei staged a community Spring Festival gala to welcome the upcoming Lunar New Year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

Residents dance at a community Spring Festival gala in Hefei City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 18, 2017. Residents from Changqing Subdistrict in Hefei staged a community Spring Festival gala to welcome the upcoming Lunar New Year. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi)

TaiShang · Jan 20, 2017

'Happy' calligraphy for villagers in Henan
(People's Daily Online) January 18, 2017

More than 10 calligraphers wrote Spring Festival couplets and created decorations with the Chinese character "fu," meaning happiness, at Wude Township in Wenxian County, Henan province on Jan. 16. It is a tradition for Chinese people to hang couplets and "fu" decorations during Spring Festival to wish for good luck and fortune in the new year. (Photo/People's Daily Online)

ahojunk · Jan 20, 2017

New Year decorations seen in Shanghai
2017-01-16 10:27 Xinhua Editor:Xu Shanshan

People pose for photos with the rooster-shaped lantern at the Chenghuangmiao market in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 15, 2017. Chinese traditional elements are seen on the streets in Shanghai to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival, or lunar New Year of Rooster which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)

People walk by New Year decorations at the Chenghuangmiao market in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 15, 2017. Chinese traditional elements are seen on the streets in Shanghai to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival, or lunar New Year of Rooster, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)

People walk by New Year decorations at the Chenghuangmiao market in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 15, 2017. Chinese traditional elements are seen on the streets in Shanghai to greet the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival, or lunar New Year of Rooster, which falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Fei)

ahojunk · Jan 21, 2017

Greetings to Huzhu people ahead of Spring Festival
2017-01-20 13:15 Xinhua Editor:Xu Shanshan

The An'na song and dance troupe perform at the cultural center of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County under Haidong City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Jan. 19, 2017. Artists from local art troupes gave art performances on Thursday to convey greetings to Huzhu people ahead of the Spring Festival, which starts from Jan. 28 this year.

Members of the children's art troupe show costumes of the Tu ethnic group during a performance at the cultural center of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County under Haidong City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Jan. 19, 2017. Artists from local art troupes gave art performances on Thursday to convey greetings to Huzhu people ahead of the Spring Festival, which starts from Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

The Hua'er art troupe perform at the cultural center of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County under Haidong City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Jan. 19, 2017. Artists from local art troupes gave art performances on Thursday to convey greetings to Huzhu people ahead of the Spring Festival, which starts from Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

The An'na song and dance troupe perform at the cultural center of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County under Haidong City, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Jan. 19, 2017. Artists from local art troupes gave art performances on Thursday to convey greetings to Huzhu people ahead of the Spring Festival, which starts from Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)

ahojunk · Jan 21, 2017

National Ballet of China performs in SW China
2017-01-18 09:13 Xinhua Editor:Xu Shanshan

The National Ballet of China perform "The Red Detachment of Women" in Wuding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2017. This special performance was hosted by the Ministry of Culture. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

The National Ballet of China perform "The Red Detachment of Women" in Wuding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2017. This special performance was hosted by the Ministry of Culture. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

The National Ballet of China perform "Pas De Quatre" in Wuding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2017. This special performance was hosted by the Ministry of Culture. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

The National Ballet of China perform "The Red Detachment of Women" in Wuding County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Jan. 17, 2017. This special performance was hosted by the Ministry of Culture. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

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Spring Festival celebrations, Lunar New Year events, etc...

TaiShang

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ahojunk

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TaiShang

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ahojunk

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ahojunk

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ahojunk

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samsara

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TaiShang

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ahojunk

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ahojunk

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ahojunk

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ahojunk

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