Dongcheng district sets up host of events to celebrate Spring Festival

As the Year of the Horse draws near, Beijing's Dongcheng district is launching an extensive celebration featuring six major themed sections and more than 100 special activities, running through Chinese New Year to the Lantern Festival on March 3.

"This initiative fully showcases Dongcheng's profound cultural heritage and vibrant modern vitality," said Lei Lei, deputy director of the district's publicity department.

"We hope residents and visitors can savor authentic Spring Festival vibes at temple fairs, embrace the warmth of spring through art performances, enjoy shopping benefits, appreciate cultural classics in a literary atmosphere, and celebrate the New Year with ice and snow activities", he said.

One highlight is the Year of the Horse Blessings temple fair series. The Ditan and Longtan temple fairs, which hold cherished New Year memories for generations, will be held from Feb 17-23.

Blending traditional rituals with the lively atmosphere of a street market, the Ditan Temple Fair features ancient ceremonies, folk festivals, magic shows, and music and dance performances.

Meanwhile, the Longtan Temple Fair will emphasize the fusion of traditional Beijing-style life and modern technology, offering attractions like folk culture displays, innovative opera shows, and robot performances, ensuring fun for all ages. Both temple fairs have online ticketing and QR-code entry. Multiple service and medical aid stations will be set up on-site, along with improved crowd management and enhanced public transport connections.

Other key events include the 34th Dongcheng Spring Festival funfair and the 13th cloisonne art temple fair.

"For the first time, this year's temple fairs will create a fully integrated online-offline experience, allowing residents and tourists to watch shows and participate in interactive activities, even if they cannot attend in person," said Wang Zhilong, general manager of City Walk Culture and Tourism (Beijing).

Performances, markets

As Dongcheng accelerates its development into a "district of drama", this year's Spring Festival performances will highlight "a dialogue between classics and the avant-garde, blending viewing and immersive experience", according to Dongcheng's cultural and tourism bureau.

For example, the 11th Bell and Drum Towers cross-talk gala will be held both online and offline. Meanwhile, 180 premium performances will be staged in 21 theaters, including the theatrical piece Beneath the Red Banner at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, the dance drama A Tapestry of a Legendary Land at the Beijing Poly Theatre, and classic Peking operas at Chang'an Grand Theatre and Tianleyuan Grand Theater.

Moreover, a series of avant-garde dramas and original plays will be launched, showcasing the cutting edge of Beijing's theatrical innovation with appeal to younger audiences.

For children, meticulously crafted productions like Journey to the West at the China National Theatre for Children will highlight themes of growth and teamwork.

Additionally, the Palace Museum, China National Museum, Bell and Drum Towers, and the district's cultural center will host horse-themed exhibitions.

Renowned commercial areas such as Longfu Temple, Wangfujing and Qianmen will host New Year markets and special events, offering residents and tourists the opportunity to shop while experiencing traditional culture and modern life.

For instance, the Wangfujing pedestrian street will introduce over 12 renowned brands, launching a series of first-time exhibitions and shows, and inviting robots from Unitree Robotics for street dance performances.

Qianmen's market will feature dragon and lion dances, Beijing drum performances, and interactive sessions with intangible cultural heritage inheritors. The Dongzhimen business area will host its inaugural New Year goods fair, divided into four areas including those for goods exhibition and sale, food and dining.

Furthermore, time-honored brands in Dongcheng will meet festive consumption demands by launching more than 30 special activities both online and offline. Li Chen, deputy director of the district's commerce bureau, said that besides new products from food and clothing brands, Da Bei Photo Studio will introduce new consumption scenarios for the festival, offering pet photography, washing, and care services.

To advance its culture-for-the-people initiatives, Dongcheng will continue issuing its New Year cultural consumption vouchers until Feb 23. The program covers 16 cinemas, 21 theaters, nine museums and 10 physical bookstores across the district.

Street decor

In addition to its activities, Dongcheng has been constructing a multilayered, comprehensive festival landscape network centered around Chang'an Avenue and the Beijing Central Axis, using major roads such as the Second Ring Road and Chongyong Street as the framework.

As of Feb 5, the district has completed the decoration of 87 streets and alleys, built three landscape installations, adorned three bridge areas, and added 10,300 landscape elements. All lighting features energy-saving fixtures.

"Starting Feb 9, Dongcheng's street landscape lighting will synchronize with streetlights. During the Spring Festival holiday, the district's night lighting will operate in major holiday mode, with the Central Axis from Yongdingmen Gate to Drum Tower fully illuminated," said Yan Feng, deputy director of the district's urban management committee.

"The lighting will also cover 13 major streets, 195 buildings, and key areas such as the Ming City Walls Ruins Park," he added.

The urban management committee has also created a tourism-themed map, recommending two cycling routes and three walking routes that integrate day and night landscape information with cultural and tourism activities along the way.

Dongcheng's culture and tourism bureau plans to introduce a series of high-quality, heartwarming New Year activities, said Shan Feng, the deputy director. One main activity is the bureau's collaboration with the online service platform Meituan to launch more than 50 high-value packages and special experience products, covering more than 30 hotels in the district.

For example, the Beijing International Hotel offers accommodation discounts and traditional folk performances during the Spring Festival holiday, while Beijing Xinqiao Hotel, in partnership with Prince Kung's Palace Museum, offers a fortune experience activity.

The bureau also focuses on upgrading cultural and tourism scenarios and promoting the integration of ice and snow activities with consumer experiences. At Longtan Park's ice and snow carnival, 13 snow play projects and 13 ice challenge activities are open, ranging from snow tube slides to parent-child games.

Meanwhile, the outdoor lawn of Wangfu Central has been transformed into a 700-square-meter ice park, allowing visitors the chance to enjoy high-quality shopping experiences in the commercial district and also go skating.

With a rich array of cultural events, festive landscapes, and consumer-friendly initiatives, Dongcheng is set to deliver a warm, vibrant, and culturally fulfilling Spring Festival for residents and visitors alike. These celebrations not only carry forward the district's timeless cultural legacy but inject vitality into its urban areas, making the festive season a truly memorable experience for all.