Shining a light on Chinese culture
Lantern Festival event introduces global guests to country's unique heritage, Zhou Huiying and Tian Xuefei report.
As a golden dragon, guided by dancers, weaved and soared through the press center at Yabuli, the ski resort cluster hosting the snow sports at the ongoing 9th Asian Winter Games on Wednesday afternoon, the celebratory atmosphere of Lantern Festival was instantly ignited.
Meanwhile, two lively lions entertained and playfully interacted with the audience, drawing cheers and applause.
"To celebrate the traditional Chinese festival, we have carefully planned a series of activities, hoping that athletes and journalists from all over the world can immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture and enjoy the warmth and happiness of traditional Chinese festivals," said Ning Xiaofeng, general manager of Harbin Yabuli Tourism Investment Group.
At the area designated for writing the Chinese character fu, which symbolizes good fortune, tables were neatly arranged with brushes, ink, paper and inkstones. Participants eagerly picked up brushes to inscribe the auspicious characters on red paper.
Despite many being first-time users of the brush, everyone wrote with great care, showcasing their deep respect for traditional Chinese culture.
Meanwhile, at the Games' main press center in Harbin, over 60 representatives from the Olympic Council of Asia and various delegations, including Hong Kong, China, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Mongolia celebrated the festival together.
