Lively markets get visitors into Chinese New Year spirit

A vendor at the XinXing grand market showcases his collection of dinosaur models. [Photo by Zhang Minmin for chinadaily.com.cn]

At the XinXing grand market in Zhucheng, Weifang, Shandong, local intangible cultural heritage (ICH) performances recently attracted many spectators, with the yangko dance, waist-drum performance, and dry-land boat rowing performances all garnering rounds of applause.

Coinciding with the Spring Festival, the market day at the XinXing grand market featured a wide variety of traditional Spring Festival goods such as fried meatballs, stir-fried peanuts, and roasted chicken wings, accompanied by continuous advertising calls, making for a bustling scene.

This market showcased the unique characteristics of Zhucheng's ICH and featured over 30 local ICH items, including exquisitely-crafted paper-cuttings, crystal-clear sugar paintings, and aromatic barbecued meats.

 A performance at the 2024 Spring Festival Shandong Rural Culture and Tourism Festival. [Photo by Zhang Minmin for chinadaily.com.cn]

In addition to the XinXing grand market, the Huanghe grand market was also launched in various streets and districts of Zhucheng.

To highlight the traditional festive atmosphere, Zhucheng has leveraged its "dragon city" image. By integrating activities from Zhucheng Dinosaur Museum, a series of "dragon blessing" events has been launched, inviting people to experience augmented reality photos with dinosaurs and other Spring Festival activities.

In addition, Zhucheng has organized a rich supply of cultural and tourism products and conducted a variety of cultural activities and tourism promotion events to boost consumption, attracting visitors from all over the country to celebrate the Spring Festival. (Edited by Huang Junyao)