Preview of Pingyao New Year activities

Pingyao county's radio, film and TV administration and literature and arts federation in Shanxi province are busy preparing for the annual Pingyao Chinese New Year event, which, the organizers say has many activities planned, according ot the local pingyao.gov.cn, on Feb 5.

For example, the local arts center, which was built out of an old factory, has a group of artists from the Shanxi Merchant Culture Troupe busy rehearsing performances for the festival, starting on Feb 18, along with readings, traditional dragon and lion dances, local plays, and other items of interest, says Wang Xiubin, a member of the troupe.

There will also be an art exhibition with a "Chinese Dream and incorruptible government" theme open to the public soon. The president of the literature and arts federation, Zhao Yongping, has explained that they are calling for arts works from 11 cities and counties in the province in cooperation with the Shanxi Artists Association, county regulators, and its publicity department.

Another interesting activity the federation has organized gets calligraphers to write spring couplets for the public in two ways: one where the work can be done on the spot at the opening ceremony of the festival, for both tourists and locals, for free; or, another in cooperation with local banks, where artists take their work out to local communities and households in person, Feb 11 - 16 just before the festival. The handwritten couplets will be a highlight of this year's festival, with around 80,000 works handed out to the public.