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

[onebyone]

Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang (C) delivers a speech at the inauguration ceremony of this year's Happy Spring Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 29, 2018. The Chinese Ministry of Culture will cooperate with local partners to hold a series of events -- including galas, exhibitions and temple fairs -- in more than 400 cities of 129 countries and regions to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 16. (Xinhua/Guo Qiuda)

 

[onebyone]

KIEV - Celebrations for the upcoming Spring Festival started in Ukraine with a ceremonial reception in Kiev last Tuesday, bringing Chinese and Ukrainian officials and businessmen together.

The event organized by the Chinese Commercial Association (CCA) featured an ensemble of captivating performances in a ballroom of a hotel, which was decorated with bright red lanterns to welcome the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The festivity kicked off with a tantalizing show of Chinese and Ukrainian martial arts, with Ukrainian masters performing kung fu and fighting gopak.

The students of Kiev Gymnasium of Oriental Languages staged a dragon dance and a graceful dance with fans and umbrellas.

Among the other highlights of the dinner-show, were classical Chinese songs, the performance of Chinese traditional music instrument Guzheng and the legendary Chinese Opera masks performance.

An extensive dinner banquet was organized to introduce the huge variety of traditional Chinese cuisine to Ukrainians.

Speaking to Xinhua correspondent during the ceremonial reception, Zhou Weijian, the president of the CCA, said that the event is aimed at sharing Chinese culture and traditions with other countries under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

"Given the intensification of Chinese enterprises' activities abroad, their influence in foreign countries is increasing. Therefore, I think it is important to promote Chinese culture overseas. The Chinese culture can boost the 'soft power' of Chinese companies abroad," said Zhou.

About 250 guests attended this ceremonial reception, including Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei, chief executive officers of Chinese and Ukrainian companies, and Ukrainian government officials.

Olga Trofimtseva, Ukraine's Deputy Agriculture Minister, said that for her the Spring Festival means the opportunity to celebrate the Lunar New Year, one of her favorite holidays, for the second time.

Trofimtseva described the event organized by the CCA as a good opportunity to promote understanding between the people of China and Ukraine, as well as to boost business ties between the two countries.

"It is a great chance to discuss partnership in an informal atmosphere, and to make an update on our joint projects and cooperation. I just had several brief talks with our partners and we have outlined the next steps for implementing joint projects," Trofimtseva told Xinhua.

Other guests of the event also expressed their delight with the ceremonial reception and their admiration for the charm of Chinese culture.

Marina Skrypnik, an adviser to Ukraine's deputy infrastructure minister, said that she, like many Ukrainians, knows about the Lunar New Year, but have not had an opportunity before to celebrate it.

"I am participating for the first time in such an event. I really like the program and the approach. Everything is very interesting and well-organized. This event will undoubtedly have a positive impact on relations between Ukraine and China," Skrypnik told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Tkachuk, a senior employee at the Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry, said he had learned a lot about the Spring Festival traditions and became inspired to visit China during the Lunar New Year holiday.

"I really enjoyed the event! It is really difficult to say which performance I liked most. Everything was wonderful and great. I would like to visit China for the Chinese New Year celebrations," said Tkachuk.

The Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on Feb. 16 this year.

Before that time, the Ukrainian capital of Kiev and other cities in the country will host cultural events to celebrate the holiday.

Major celebrations will be held in Ukraine's western city of Lviv from Feb. 14 to Feb. 21, featuring Chinese traditional singing, dancing, arts and crafts, kung fu workshops and Chinese food fair in the center of the city.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201802/03/WS5a757962a3106e7dcc13a98f.html

 

[Adam WANG SHANGHAI MEGA]

Xi extends Spring Festival greetings to veterans
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-02 21:40:44|Editor: Lifang

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends a performance for retired military officials and veterans in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 2, 2018. Xi on Friday extended Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, greetings to military veterans. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday extended Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, greetings to military veterans.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended a performance for retired military officials and veterans in Beijing.

KEY WORDS:Spring Festival

 

[Adam WANG SHANGHAI MEGA]

Spring Festival memory of China: special meanings of New Year goods
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-06 13:14:32|Editor: Liangyu

File photo taken in January, 1955 shows Du Suqin (L) and her little sister making new clothes before the Spring Festival in Zhaizi Village of Hancheng Town of Fengrun County in Tangshan City, north China's Hebei Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Sheng Guo)

File photo taken in February, 1984 shows family members stick Spring Festival couplets in Fengtai District of Beijing, capital of China. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Lyu Quancheng)

File photo taken in February, 1985 shows Villager Xu Zhili (L) from Guanzhuang Village selling fishes in a market in Jinan City, east China's Shandong Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Li Jin)

File photo taken in December 1986 shows a woman packing firecrackers in Songlou Village of Shanggang Town in Jianhu County, east China's Jiangsu Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Zhang Zhi)

File photo taken in February 1989 shows a woman displaying her paper-cuttings in Xujiagou Village of Ansai County in Yan'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/He Ping)

File photo taken in February, 1992 shows people setting off firecrackers in Mohe Village of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Wang Yi)

File photo taken on Jan. 20, 2005 shows women choosing embroidery threads in a market in Juxian County of Rizhao City, east China's Shandong Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Chen Weifeng)
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-02/06/136952798_15178933500411n.jpg

File photo taken in January, 1997 shows people making lanterns in Wuzhuangshu Village of Baqiao District in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Jiao Weiping)

File photo taken on Feb. 11, 2007 shows a busy village market in Yingchengzi Town of Dalian City, northeast China's Liaoning Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Xu Dewu)

File photo taken on Jan. 26, 2008 shows Jiao Xinde, a paper-cutting artist, displaying his artwork in Nanzhangzhuang Village of Weixian County, north China's Hebei Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Gong Zhihong)

File photo taken on Jan. 4, 2009 shows villagers choosing beddings in Zhuangmu Town of Changfeng County, east China's Anhui Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Li Guangsong)

File photo taken on Jan. 19, 2010 shows farmers engrossed in elaborating tiger dolls at Guanzhuang Village, Wenxi County, north China's Shanxi Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Xue Jun)

File photo taken on Feb. 15, 2015 shows folk artists creating traditional paper-cuttings during a fair in Dagao Village, Tongzhou District, Beijing, capital of China. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

File photo taken on Jan. 25, 2016 shows a villager making red lanterns in Da'er Village of Luozhuang Township in Renxian County, north China's Hebei Province. New Year goods, an indispensable part for Chinese during the Spring Festival, is believed to be the carrier for luck and fortune in a brand new year. It's not the goods but the process that people prepare the goods with their beloved ones that matters the most. Spring Festival, or better known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important festival for all Chinese, which has a history of more than 4,000 years. It is an occasion for home returning, New Year goods preparing, celebrating, and foremost, family reunion. (Xinhua/Song Jie)

 

[TaiShang]

Xi exchanges Spring Festival greetings with Vietnamese counterpart

CGTN
2018-02-08

Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged Spring Festival greetings on Thursday with General Secretary of the Communist Party (CPV) of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, highlighting fruitful results achieved in the development of bilateral ties.

"As the Spring Festival, a traditional festival celebrated by both the Chinese and Vietnamese people, draws near, on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people and in my own name, I extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to comrade General Secretary, and via you to the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people," Xi said in his message to Trong.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two countries made a major step in aligning their development strategies of the "Belt and Road Initiative" and the "Two Corridors, One Economic Belt," and reached the target of 100 billion US dollars for their two-way trade in 2017.

Personnel exchanges between the two sides neared 10 million person-times in 2017, and people in both countries felt a growing sense of gain from the development of bilateral ties, the Chinese leader said.

Noting that 2018 is the 10th year since China and Vietnam established their comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, Xi said: "Looking into the future, the CPC is willing to work with the CPV to strengthen the political lead in developing China-Vietnam relations, carry forward traditional friendship, promote all-round cooperation and continuously expand the scope and depth of the development of bilateral ties."

The development of China-Vietnam ties, he added, should be aimed at the well-being of the two peoples and the development of the socialist cause, and contribute to the progress of human society.

High-level exchanges, and frequent contact between the top leaders of the two countries in particular, have been playing a key strategic role in guiding the development of bilateral relations, Xi said.

"I'm willing to maintain close contact with comrade General Secretary in a joint effort to promote the stable long-term development of the China-Vietnam relations and lift them to a higher level," he said.

@Viva_Viet

 

[TaiShang]

3 billion trips in 40 days! Experience China’s Spring Festival travel rush, and feel efficiency and love

By Liu Ning (People's Daily Online) 09:21, February 09, 2018

The Spring Festival travel rush, known as “Chunyun,” is when hundreds of millions of Chinese return to their hometowns or travel around the country to celebrate China’s lunar new year. This year, travelers will make about 2.98 billion trips during the 2018 Spring Festival travel rush, between February 1 and March 12.

(People's Daily Online/Liu Ning)

It puts enormous pressure on the transportation system. Transportation authorities are making huge efforts to ensure a smooth Spring Festival travel rush.

Train trips are likely to top 390 million, up 8.8 percent year on year. To enhance the railway transportation capability, an additional 1,152 train services will be scheduled before and another 1,330 after the festival, with 3,819 trains operating every day.

Transportation authorities are prepared for the Spring Festival travel rush.

Passengers, however, can enjoy a lot of fun on their way home. Like playing poker on a modern train traveling over 300 kilometers per hour. You can also pre-order food online, which is delivered straight to your seat.

(People's Daily Online/Liu Ning)

"I feel relaxed and happy on my way home, with my family, with my achievements, and best wishes." said Yu Baoping, a passenger on a high-speed train from Beijing to Zhengzhou, Henan province, "The train ride is full of joy and cheers. Many of the passengers are from my hometown. They feel like my relatives."

The number of road trips is projected to reach 2.48 billion, a 1.6-percent decrease from last year, while air travel will likely top 65 million trips, surging 10 percent from last year, while boat trips are predicted to reach 46 million during the period.

(People's Daily Online/Liu Ning)

@AndrewJin

 

[faithfulguy]

Happy new year, everyone.

 

[beijingwalker]

2018 Spring Festival Travel Rush: Toilet Revolution