Zhangjiakou tourism festival celebrates Chinese New Year culture

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With a charcoal fire burning bright and fireworks blooming over the sky, the 2019 International Tourism Festival opened in grand fashion at Yuxian county in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province on Sunday.

Titled "Prosperous Chinese New Year", the two-month-long event features holiday-themed performances and delicacies, displays of traditional art and heritage and a dazzling lantern show at the county's central square.

Displays of traditional customs at the 2019 International Tourism Festival at Yuxian /China Daily Photo

Sunday's opening was highlighted by a New Year parade covering a wide array of folk art and performances to the enjoyment of the crowd, ranging from lion dance and drum performances to displays of ancient customs, and yangge, a popular rural folk dance.

People watch lion dance performances at Yuxian. /China Daily Photo

A senior folk dancer /China Daily Photo

Traditional Chinese gong performers /China Daily Photo

Entering the second year of the Zhangjiakou International Tourism Festival and the ninth year of the Yuxian Folk Culture Tourism Festival, officials from the city government said they hope the county could become a popular model city for winter tourism in North China, combining well-preserved traditional culture with modern snow sports.

Zhangjiakou, in Beijing's neighboring Hebei, will host the 2022 Winter Olympics along with the capital.

With a history of 1,439 years, Yuxian county boasts a unique ancient architectural complex. Its famed paper-cutting techniques and folk performances were passed down from ancient times. In 2018, Yuxian was listed as a National Famous Historical and Cultural City by the State Council, China's Cabinet.

Running through March 8, the festival also opened its gate to international visitors this year in order to promote its history and culture to a wider audience.

Muhammad Shahzaib, a Pakistani student who currently studies medical science at Hebei North University, was among 20 international students from the college that toured the ancient county on Sunday.

He said he enjoyed the unique cultural experience and was quite impressed by the jubilant performances as well as the colorful costumes of local performers.

(Cover Photo: People bundle around a flaming charcoal fire to get warm on a chilly winter day, as well as offer blessings for the upcoming lunar New Year. /China Daily Photo)

Source(s): China Daily