Pingyao's New Year festival making a name for itself internationally

The ancient county of Pingyao in Shanxi province is wowing tourists from home and abroad with an annual cultural event－Pingyao Chinese New Year.

This year's event started on Jan 11 and will last until Feb 9. With the theme of "Our festival－Spring Festival," it will offer 18 themed activities focusing on five elements: beauty, culture, civilization, fashion and happiness.

The county's chief, Shi Yong, said this year's event takes advantage of new media such as short video streaming platform Tik Tok to create a new experience and attracts global audiences.

According to Shi, there will be three shows that should not be missed. First, the opening ceremony on Saturday presented a star-studded gala night and visual magic.

Friday will be the 23rd of the 12th lunar month of 2019, known as minor Chinese New Year, a week ahead of Lunar New Year's Eve. On that day, guests to Pingyao's landmarks are expected to take part in activities portraying Shanxi merchants' spirit that has been passed down the centuries.

Another event will take place on the 15th of the first lunar month, or Lantern Festival, which will fall on Feb 8 this year. It will feature lantern shows, lion dance and stilt walking. It is expected to bring the atmosphere of Pingyao Chinese New Year to a peak.

"Pingyao Chinese New Year contributes to building cultural confidence. I hope every tourist will find their joy of Spring Festival in Pingyao," Shi said.

Pingyao has long been one of the most popular Chinese cities for domestic and foreign tourists. In 2018, more than 15 million tourists visited. During the weeklong Spring Festival holiday in 2019, more than 450,000 people took part in Pingyao Chinese New Year.

Founded in the 14th century, Pingyao is one of the best-preserved ancient building complexes with old walls, streets, lanes, shops, dwellings and temples.

The city is on UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. UNESCO says it is an outstanding example of a Han people's city in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). It retains all the Han city features and provides a complete picture of cultural, social, economic and religious development in Chinese history.

Pingyao is of great value for academic research into social form, economic structure, military defense, religious belief, traditional thinking, traditional ethics and dwelling forms, according to UNESCO.

Pingyao was also classified as a top-rated tourist attraction in China in 2015.

yinruowei@chinadaily.com.cn