As revelers count down to 2025, cities and towns across China come alive with vibrant celebrations, dazzling light displays, and unique festive activities, all aimed at welcoming the New Year in style.
In Nanjing, located in east China's Jiangsu Province, more than 40 large-scale light installations illuminate the streets, including a stunning 14-meter-tall snake-themed lantern that celebrates the upcoming Chinese New Year of the Snake. This magnificent creation has become a popular photo spot for visitors, enhancing the city's festive charm.
In Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, bridges and iconic landmarks along the Yangtze River are aglow with dazzling light shows, creating a breathtaking backdrop for a spectacular New Year celebration.
In Hotan, in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, people from all ethnic groups gathered in joyous harmony, singing and dancing to celebrate the arrival of the holiday.
In Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, the city's annual lantern fair kicked off with 70 magnificent lantern displays illuminating the night sky in a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors.
Over a hundred unique lantern displays are delighting visitors in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The festival also features traditional performances and delicious food, showcasing the charm of China's rich cultural heritage.
"It's wonderful to see so many beautiful lanterns. There are varieties for everyone --some that children love and others that appeal to us young people. The overall experience is just amazing," said Yinchuan resident Xue Shaohua.
Flowers also play a big role in festive decorations.
In the capital city of Beijing, 10 varieties of iconic flowers from across China, including wintersweet from Xuchang and azaleas from Jiaxing, are gracing the New Year flower markets. Visitors can admire these stunning blooms at major shopping districts and parks, further enriching the celebratory atmosphere.
Meanwhile, in Tianshui of Gansu, and Nanning of Guangxi, orchids such as the moth orchids and dendrobium varieties are blooming brightly, symbolizing new beginnings and hope.
In Shenzhen of Guangdong, chrysanthemums and purple trumpet trees vie for attention, with over 60,000 pots of chrysanthemums at Donghu Park becoming a favorite destination for both locals and tourists for this New Year holiday.
In Da'an of Jilin, winter fishing is in full swing, highlighted by a first catch of over 100,000 kilograms of fish, symbolizing a bountiful year ahead.
In Shexian County, Anhui Province, locals are busy preparing mi guo, traditional rice cakes that are a festive specialty. Nearly every household in rural Shexian produces thousands of mi guo during the festive season, carefully preserving them in water jars to keep them fresh.
Meanwhile, in the winter wonderland surrounding Qinghai Lake, families are enjoying snow football, ice-skating, and a variety of other winter sports.
Festivities in full swing across China to ring in New Year
China's consumer market is buzzing in the new year with a wave of new consumption scenarios and emerging business models which are catering to the public demand for more diverse experiences.
The New Year's Day holiday in China on Wednesday helped spur a consumption and travel boom, as many headed out to do some shopping or enjoy other leisure activities to start the year in style. Data shows that 60 major shopping areas in Beijing recorded a passenger flow of over 8 million, marking a nearly 8 percent increase over the previous year.
In addition, the total single day consumption value in the populous Chongqing Municipality of southwest China exceeded 6.5 billion yuan (around 880 million U.S. dollars) on Wednesday, while hotel bookings in several popular cities during New Year's Eve also saw an 1.1-fold year on year increase.
Up and down the country, streets were busy as many headed out to enjoy the first day of 2025. The first-ever commercial complex set up in a rural township of the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan Province was bustling with visitors during the New Year season.
The complex in Xingjie Town has numerous themed streets and smart grocery markets, becoming a convenient one-stop shopping center for local residents. This development brings also fresh economic opportunities for the town's farmers to sell their fresh produce, and serves as a new platform for consumption in rural areas of the prefecture.
"Our life has become much more convenient thanks to this complex. Now, everything we need is right at our doorstep with a large variety of choices," said Wu Yutian, a local resident in Xingjie Town.
In China's financial hub Shanghai, many shopping malls are embracing the relatively new concept of the "debut economy," which refers to a range of economic activities involving the launch of new products, businesses, services, or technologies, as well as new store openings.
The city has transformed traditional shopping centers into more dynamic hubs of innovation by building grander complexes that feature flagship stores, premier events, and exclusive exhibitions.
The move aims to position Shanghai as a leader in setting fashion trends and defining consumer preferences in China, according to a local official. "Through cultivating the 'debut economy,' we hope to allow more Shanghai brands to lead fashion trends in the building of an international consumption center city," said Liu Min, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.
In central China's Hubei Province, some shopping centers have introduced a host of immersive light exhibitions, enhancing the shopping experience with a captivating series of cutting-edge visual effects.
In the eastern Fujian Province, the picturesque Hua'an County is leveraging its local fishing industry by developing a unique blend of homestays and cultural experiences. Such innovations have been complemented by the launch of over 50 cultural and tourism activities, attracting a surge of visitors from across the country to enjoy the local flavors. "Stepping out of the hotel, I can try delicious food and experience local customs. It's such a delightful experience," said tourist Jiang Yuhan.
With the skiing season in full swing in China's northern regions, a host of tailored features such as ski equipment storage along with special photography services have been introduced and refined to enhance the traveling experience for visitors.
Diversified scenarios, business models fuel consumption boom across China in new year
