Sun Fengling, the Journalist of the All-media, and Li Mengqiu, the Correspondent

As the 2026 Spring Festival arrives, warmth fills the air, and the festive atmosphere runs high. Across Xiangyang in Hubei Province, a series of carefully curated “fostering+” cultural and sports events have been organized around the overarching theme of fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. Artistic performances, folk parades, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and cross-regional exchange activities have been seamlessly integrated into the Spring Festival celebrations. Amid laughter and joy, people of all ethnic groups come together, strengthen bonds, deepen mutual understanding, and promote interaction and integration, jointly painting a vibrant Spring Festival tableau showing that “the Chinese nation, united as one family, working together to achieve the Chinese Dream.”

Folk Activities Were Popular, and Specialty Shops Thrived

Bright red lanterns hang high, and auspicious Spring Festival couplets welcome visitors. During the 2026 Spring Festival, the Ancient City of Xiangyang, under the theme “One River and a Millennium City Showing the Charm of China,” closely integrated efforts to foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation with the preservation and inheritance of traditional culture.

On February 17 (the first day of the lunar new year), from Prince Zhaoming Tower to Linhan Gate, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air as crowds gathered for the grand folk parade titled “Galloping Horses Entering a Thousand Homes to Joyfully Celebrate the Spring Festival.” Nearly 150 performers formed four themed groups, delivering a grand and festive celebration of folk culture—rich in traditional  Spring Festival motifs—to Xiangyang’s residents through a combined format of “mobile procession + centralized performance.”

At 9 a.m., the Loong and lion dance troupe took the stage, officially opening the festivities. At 9:30 a.m., the parade procession advanced along the bluestone-paved North Street in a grand and orderly formation. In the Hanfu showcase formation, performers dressed in a variety of traditional costumes carried themselves with poise and elegance, their flowing sleeves adding a striking visual highlight to the Ancient City of Xiangyang. Within the comprehensive folk arts formation, land boats swayed gracefully, donkey characters appeared lively and playful, while clam spirits and big-headed dolls charmed onlookers with their endearing expressions. They frequently interacted with residents lining the street, creating moments of delight and drawing bursts of laughter from the crowd. Following closely behind, the waist drum and Yangko dance formation brought powerful, rhythmic drumbeats and swirling red ribbons into motion. The performers, spirited and perfectly synchronized, conveyed the joy of the Spring Festival to every spectator along the route.

“This is what a truly authentic Spring Festival feels like! Traditional culture should come alive and thrive in this way,” many residents at the scene exclaimed. “The immersive and interactive format allows people to experience festive customs that they can see and touch, bringing them closer to the unique charm of fine traditional Chinese culture and giving them a strong sense of cultural fulfillment and happiness.”

During the holiday, North Street was alive with the vibrant bustle of everyday life, intertwined with a spirit of ethnic harmony. Long lines formed early in front of a shop famous for its intangible cultural heritage brown sugar cakes, while the lively calls of a fried dough twist vendor stirred feelings of nostalgia among passersby. Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles and Xinjiang barbecue coexisted harmoniously alongside Xiangyang yellow rice wine and local clear broth dishes, together creating a vivid tapestry of diverse flavors.

“Walking along this historic street, tasting cuisines from different ethnic groups while absorbing Xiangyang’s cultural heritage, makes the Spring Festival especially meaningful,” said Li Jia, a visitor from Wuhan.

During the Spring Festival, visitor numbers to the Ancient City of Xiangyang rose sharply. As a key outcome of the scenic area’s recent upgrades, the “Red Pomegranate Shop” became a major holiday consumption hotspot. Inside the flagship exhibition area on the first floor of the Prince Zhaoming Tower, a wide array of cultural and creative products featuring multi-ethnic patterns, along with bookmarks incorporating elements of the Hanshui River, were on display. The Xiangyang Confectionery Shop in Guanjia Lane was especially popular. Its “Little Tuanzi Premium: Spring Festival Gift Box,” jointly launched with Xiangyang New Media Group, saw pre-holiday sales approach 10,000 units and was shipped to major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. “We carefully select ingredients from different regions and simmer them slowly over low heat. Each product carries the heartfelt spirit of ethnic integration,” said shop owner Yang Ping. By blending traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, this intangible cultural heritage delicacy has become a favored gift choice for the Spring Festival.

A variety of engaging and distinctive experiences have added vibrant highlights to Spring Festival tours. The Xiangyang beef noodle shops beneath the Ancient City Wall of Xiangyang have been bustling with customers. Meanwhile, NPCs (non-player characters) dressed in various styles of Hanfu have been hosting traditional interactive games at multiple locations throughout the Ancient City of Xiangyang, reenacting classical etiquette and offering Spring Festival blessings to visitors. These activities allow tourists to immerse themselves in an atmosphere of elegant antiquity while experiencing the dynamic interplay between Xiangyang’s historical culture and diverse ethnic traditions.

“Eating authentic beef noodles while interacting with Hanfu NPCs allows us to taste local flavors and enjoy the festive spirit at the same time,” said a resident visiting with his child.

Books and Intangible Cultural Heritage Enriched the Human Spirit, and Cultural Heritage Transmission Fostered Social Cohesion

On February 17 (the first day of the lunar new year), the Xiangyang Library was filled with the fragrance of books and a warm festive atmosphere. During this year’s Spring Festival, the library launched a series of public cultural events under the theme “Celebrating the Spring Festival with Books,” including reading promotion activities named “Children: Enjoying Reading in the Year of Horse” and “Riding Horseback to Welcome the Arrival of Spring and Enjoying Reading in the New Year,” enabling citizens to experience the charm of traditional Spring Festival customs through reading.

Upon entering the library, visitors were greeted by a strong festive ambiance. A themed backdrop celebrating blessings and the arrival of spring stood out prominently. In the first-floor lobby, the “Accepting Xiangyang Library’s Spring Festival  Blessing and Handsome Horses Welcoming the New Year” event was warmly launched. The library director presented customized Spring Festival gifts to readers born in the Year of the Horse, those surnamed Ma, and other visiting readers, and invited them to participate in a commemorative stamp-collecting activity. The themed exhibition on reunion and family-country sentiments opened simultaneously with a cultural fair celebrating the Spring Festival, allowing citizens to immerse themselves in festive traditions while deepening their understanding of traditional culture and strengthening their sense of belonging.

Intangible cultural heritage represents a treasure of China’s fine traditional culture. During the holiday, various intangible cultural heritage-themed activities were held across Xiangyang, enabling people of all ethnic groups to appreciate craftsmanship and deepen cultural identity through immersive experiences.

On February 12, the Yicheng Mass Art Museum was alive with drumbeats and bustling crowds as the Spring Festival market themed “Galloping Across the Land of Jing and Chu and Celebrating the Spring Festival with intangible cultural heritage” opened. Folk performances such as Chu-style drum dances and lion and kylin dances captivated audiences. Interactive experiences in calligraphy, paper-cutting, and leaf carving proved highly popular, while traditional delicacies such as preserved eggs and Tribute of Chu (Baijiu) filled the air with enticing aromas.

“Come, let me show you how to cut a pomegranate pattern. It symbolizes unity among all ethnic groups, just like tightly bound seeds,” said a paper-cutting inheritor, guiding participants step by step as bright red paper fluttered in their hands. Before long, auspicious pomegranate designs took shape.

“The pomegranate I cut myself is both beautiful and meaningful. I’ll give it to my ethnic minority friends to wish that our friendship remains as close as pomegranate seeds,” said Ms. Chen, a resident, smiling as she admired her creation.

At the Little Jiangxi Guild Hall in Fancheng District, the century-old building has been transformed into the Xiangyang Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, where millennia-old lacquer artistry was showcased during the festival.

“Polishing lacquer beads is like opening a mystery box—each bead features unique colors and patterns, and finishing one takes two to three hours. Visitors not only satisfy their curiosity but also experience lacquer culture firsthand,” explained Kui Peng, head of the guild hall and inheritor of the Li-style lacquerware decoration technique, while guiding children in polishing beads.

Meanwhile, the “Six Entries of Intangible Cultural Heritage” event held at Zhongzhou Guild Hall (Henan Guild Hall) presented a cultural feast combining tangible and intangible heritage. A legend inheritor vividly recounted the classic story of “The Horse Leaping over Tanxi Lake,” while Zhang Yuhui, inheritor of Xianghe Daozhuizi (a folk narrative-singing art), performed the classic piece “A Spring Morning,” captivating the audience with her rich and melodious voice. In the interactive experience zone, activities such as cloisonné painting and Xiangyang sachet-making attracted large numbers of participants. Under the guidance of inheritors, visitors experienced the brilliance of traditional craftsmanship at their fingertips and felt the warmth embedded in these time-honored techniques.

“In this century-old guild hall, we can listen to stories, watch performances, and even make intangible cultural heritage handicrafts ourselves. This Spring Festival feels truly rich in cultural flavor,” an elderly visitor remarked.

Bridging Mountains and Oceans to Deliver Warmth, Compatriots Worked Together to Build Dreams

“Although we are separated by four thousand kilometers, our hearts are tightly connected. On the occasion of the Spring Festival, we send our most sincere wishes. May Tibetan and Han compatriots stand together and welcome the Spring Festival!” Before the Spring Festival, festive “Fu” characters and inscribed scroll calendars were carefully packed into “Cultural Blessing Bags” and traveled across mountains and seas from Jinyuan Residential Compound in the Dongjin New Area to Jingdrol Village in Qonggyai County, Xizang, its paired assistance village.

“We feel especially warm receiving this gift from afar,” said Tashi, a villager from Jingdrol Village, holding the “Fu” character with a happy smile. “This is not just a Spring Festival’s blessing, but a testament to the close bond and mutual support between Tibetan and Han people.”

“The presenting ‘Fu’ activity is not only a way to convey our Spring Festival greetings to our Tibetan compatriots, but also a new starting point for our paired cooperation,” said Guo Yong, Party Secretary of Jinyuan Residential Compound. In addition to the Spring Festival blessing initiative, the residential compound will continue to expand cooperation with Jingdrol Village in cultural exchanges, volunteer services, and joint livelihood projects, building an emotional bridge between inland communities and Tibetan villages so that the flower of ethnic unity may bloom together on the snowy plateau and along the Hanshui River.

In Baokang County, the “Enjoying the 2026 Happy Spring Festival” Spring Festival couplets delivery campaign to rural areas also warmed people’s hearts. Calligraphy enthusiasts from Dongshan Calligraphy Society wrote over 1,000 Spring Festival couplets and more than 500 “Fu” characters on site and distributed them to residents.

“This couplet is beautifully written—so auspicious and festive. Thank you!” said an elderly villager surnamed Wang, expressing his gratitude as he received the couplet. Meanwhile, at the “10,000 Horses Galloping to Welcome the Spring and Pursuing Dreams in Baokang” Spring Festival cultural performance, the original folk program “Pomegranate Red” made a stunning appearance. Dancers holding ripe pomegranates with flowing skirts vividly portrayed the prosperous lives of people of all ethnic groups, united like tightly clustered pomegranate seeds and supporting one another.

In Shuixingtai Residential Compound of Fancheng District, the 15th Laba Festival Market Fair—an annual “New Year Feast” that has continued for fifteen years—brought warmth and joy to residents. “This porridge is perfectly cooked! I look forward to this lively gathering every year. It makes me so happy to celebrate with neighbors of all ethnic groups,” said Ms. Li, a resident, with a smile.