Spring Festival events roar to life in Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone

The Year of the Dragon is approaching. A giant pink dragon recently made a stunning appearance at Tiexiangsi Waterfront, a parklike commercial area within the Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone in Sichuan province. The lifelike appearance and dreamy colors of the dragon have quickly become a sensation on the internet, gaining widespread popularity.

The dragon marks the commencement of the Spring Festival festivities at the Tiexiangsi Waterfront, heralding a series of vibrant activities in the Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Visitors can participate in activities including music performances and hanfu displays to experience the atmosphere of the Spring Festival in the zone.

This year, regions within the development zone including Jiaozi Road area, Tiexiangsi Waterfront area, West Yulin Road area and other urban cultural landmarks will host a slew of Spring Festival events that feature technology, folk customs and strong interactivity, unlocking new experiences for the Chinese New Year. The activities will continue until Feb 25.

Stunning light shows

The twin towers of the Tianfu International Financial Center on Jiaozi Road, the new landmark of Chengdu in the development zone, will stage a series of immersive light shows during the Spring Festival, drawing inspiration from the rich Bashu Culture — a regional culture that originated in Sichuan province and Chongqing.

From Friday to Feb 24, a captivating light show highlighting Spring Festival celebrations in both ancient and modern Chengdu will be revealed. Inspired by a painting from ancient China by artist Li Gonglin, the show will focus on the breathtaking scenery of Sichuan province. It will depict the natural beauty of Chengdu's majestic rivers and mountains, the millennium-old historical heritage and the joyous atmosphere filled with happiness during the Spring Festival as seen through the eyes of people from ancient to modern times. During the same period, giant couplets will also continuously scroll on the wall of the twin towers.

For Sichuan and Chengdu, giant pandas do not just exist in a panda base or in the wild, but are integrated into the local culture in the form of sculptures, dolls, restaurants and even the front of buses that look like a panda's face. The twin towers' Spring Festival light shows will also include a cartoon giant panda known as Xiongfeixiong.

Starting from Saturday until Feb 15, a collection of themed animations featuring adorable cartoon baby dragons will adorn the twin towers, offering heartfelt wishes to all. These dragons will come together to convey New Year blessings to both residents and tourists, showcasing traditional customs like enjoying sweet glutinous rice balls.

During the Lantern Festival, occurring on Feb 24, the twin towers will showcase traditional Chinese lantern animations, capturing the essence and beauty of the festival with a display of nine lanterns.

Modern celebrations

The 2024 February Flower Market opened its doors to the public on Saturday. Encompassing approximately 4,000 square meters, the market features 76 flower-related enterprises specializing in floral scents, creative products and beverages. This showcases Chengdu's advancements in the garden design industry and the development zone's commitment to enhancing consumption experiences.

Visitors are welcomed to engage in various events, including floral field concerts, new product launches and seminars on Chinese and Western-style flower arrangements, enriching their purchasing experiences.

Waterfront will host a series of dragon and reunion-centered festivities until Feb 25. Apart from the pink dragon, visitors can also enjoy Spring Festival park tours, traditional Chinese music and dance performances, as well as vibrant flower markets. Together, these events will provide visitors with a rich and diverse cultural and artistic experience, infusing the Spring Festival celebrations with vibrancy and liveliness.

Services convey warmth

West Yulin Road, a popular gathering place for fashionable individuals and local residents, will arrange park tours, distribute couplets and establish a museum to exhibit how local residents celebrate the traditional Chinese New Year and showcase the warm relationships among the community members.

An event focusing on demonstrating intangible cultural heritage products will be arranged during the Spring Festival on West Yulin Road. Visitors are welcome to purchase traditional goods for the Spring Festival, enjoy intangible cultural heritage performances and taste traditional delicacies to experience and learn more about the traditional culture.

For workers who are unable to leave their jobs or reunite with family during the Spring Festival holiday, the trade union of Fangcaojie subdistrict hosted an event at the Xiaoyueliang Workers' Family last Saturday, allowing participants to experience the Spring Festival traditions from various regions in China, including Beijing, Northeast China, and Gansu province.

This coming Saturday, the Xiaoyueliang Workers' Family will collaborate with enterprises on West Yulin Road to prepare a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner for workers, fostering a sense of community and celebration during this important holiday.

From Saturday to Feb 16, a variety of activities will take place at the Xiaoyueliang Workers' Family, offering workers, visitors and the public opportunities to make new acquaintances and enhance people-to-people exchanges.