Spring Festival rep materializes as a cartoon character

A cartoon character, nian yeye, or Grandpa Year, representing China's Spring Festival culture, has been unveiled in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The character is designed as a logo for this year's Luoxia Hong Spring Festival Cultural Expo, held in the Sichuan town of Langzhong in Southwest China, which dates back 2,300 years.

This year's expo started on Jan 2 and lasts until Feb 8. Over the 38 days activities to take place include artistic performances, such as Chuan opera, said Shen Yifan, deputy mayor of Nanchong municipal government.

The festival has been held since 2018.

Reunion is the theme of this year's event, and the main venue is designed in the shape of a lantern, about 40 meters in diameter and nearly 10-stories high.

The character nian yeye is based on a prototype of the ancient Chinese astronomer Luoxia Hong, who lived during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC to 24 AD). Luoxia, born in Langzhong, invented the tai-chu calendar, created the 24 solar terms and laid the foundations for today's Chinese lunisolar calendar.

"As one of China's most important national festivals, Spring Festival needs a cultural symbol, like rice dumplings for Dragon Boat Festival, and Santa Claus for Christmas," said Tian Zhaoyuan, professor of anthropology at East China Normal University.

Naming the character yeye and the depiction of it carrying a red lantern aims to convey the idea of peace and harmony.