With less than one week left before the inauguration of the much-awaited Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday, China is all set to ring in the New Chinese Lunar Year as the clock ticks past midnight on Wednesday, just two days before the inauguration. The Winter Olympics have added extra color and extravaganza to the new year celebrations known as the spring festival this year.
Ahead of the two salient carnivals, festivities have gripped Beijing, the capital of China. Homes across the city have been decorated with the red Chinese calligraphy scrolls wishing good luck in the year of the tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac, lasting from February 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023.
Tourist spots, shopping malls, restaurants, shops, supermarkets, and alleys of the city have worn a festive look as red lanterns and festoons are hanging from the lampposts in every direction. Amazing eye-glittering Olympics billboards and banners all around have brought festive vibes to Beijing. Everyone can feel an air of festivities in the capital of China.
Along with foreigners, Chinese people are earnestly waiting to watch the new year gala on CCTV. People are also flocking in droves to shopping malls for doing their last-minute shopping for the festival. Likewise, local tourism business owners are eyeing brisk businesses as the authorities have taken necessary measures including pandemic control ones to ensure safe and healthy tours for everyone.
Chinese New Year Celebrations usually last for 15 days. Celebratory activities include the Chinese New Feast, firecrackers, giving lucky money to children, the New Year bell ringing, and Chinese New Year Greetings. Most Chinese people will stop celebrating in their homes on the seventh day of New Year because the national holiday will end around that day, however celebrations in public areas can last until the 15th day of the New Year.
Shine.cn reported that the Spring Festival holiday is expected to be one of the most lucrative screening seasons of the year with eight new productions being released. According to box-office tracker Dengta Data, presale movie tickets for Spring Festival have already exceeded 300 million yuan (US$47.2 million) as of last Friday. Among the most highly anticipated releases are epic war film "Water Gate Bridge," drama "Nice View," comedy "Only Fools Rush In" and cartoon "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf: Dunk for Future."
Besides theatrical releases, movie fans will have many alternatives on streaming websites during the Spring Festival. On iQiyi, an array of new Internet films will be offered, including costume drama "Luoyang," romantic comedy "Northeastern Bro" and comedy "Reunion Dinner”, the report said.
People are also ready to feast their taste buds with Tangyuan, dumplings, Nian Gao, spring rolls, and other mouth-watering traditional Chinese dishes during the Spring Festival like every year. Many believe that every food carries a special significance to their lives. They think eggs symbolize a big and healthy family, lobster endless money rolling in, shrimp fortune and wealth, roasted pig peace, duck loyalty, peaches longevity, tofu happiness and fortune for the entire family, and fish represents surplus and wealth.
Amid the new year extravaganza, three Olympic villages have recently been opened to the participants of the most important sports event in the world. Players and delegates of different countries are now pouring into Beijing to show the world their Olympic prowess.
With the hosting of the Winter Olympics, Beijing is going to be the only city to arrange two—both winter and summer—Olympics. The capital of China is also going to set a rare record of getting its Summer Olympics venues used for the Winter Olympics.
Keeping the Winter Olympics in mind, China has had more than three million people involved in the winter and ice games in line with the country’s pledge to the world. On top of all, China will demonstrate its commitment to the concept of a green Olympics by using many high-tech tools for the first time in the history of the Games to ensure that the goal of carbon neutrality is achieved throughout the Olympic Games.
The high technologies will also be used to tackle the toughest challenge facing the Games—COVID-19 prevention and control. China has also designed the venues to be transformed into sites for different uses like community and health centers after the Winter Olympics are over.
With the two carnivals—Chinese New Year and Winter Olympics—around the corner, Beijing has turned into a city of festivities. People from all walks of life are elated to enjoy the Olympics after welcoming the Chinese New Year amid festivities and fanfare.
- Md Enamul Hassan is a news editor at the China Media Group (CMG) in Beijing, China.
