Cultural festival kicks off in west China's Chongqing Fengdu

 

Caption: Fengdu Ming Mountain in Chongqing

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- The Spring Festival blessing cultural festival kicked off on the second day of China's lunar new year in Fengdu County in west China's Chongqing Municipality. 

Lasting through the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar from Jan 23 to Feb 21, the festival is divided into 23 colourful activities in six sections related with various blessing events, according to Chongqing Fengdu Ming Mountain Tourism Group in a statement.

Held amid strong Chinese New Year festive elements, the festival showcased the Chinese people's vision for a better life and their blessings to their families and friends.

In the evening, Fengdu County on both sides of the Yangtze River was illuminated by colourful lights and shadows.

With the sound of the bell signifying good luck, a lifelike phoenix, a flamboyant Chinese auspicious bird, rose slowly from the north bank of the Yangtze River, lighting up the entire Fengdu County and marking the start of the light and shadow show.

A string of activities including the phoenix light and shadow show, flying of blessing lamps, lantern festival, red-envelope sharing and a market fair will give people a warm New Year experience via different aspects such as travel, entertainment, display, music and shopping.

This Spring Festival has seen strong traditional Chinese cultural elements across the downtown areas, scenic spots, as well as streets and alleys of Fengdu.

“Holding a cultural festival to pray for good luck to showcase the charm of traditional Chinese culture in the rich festive elements of the New Year will promote the prosperity of local culture and tourism industry, thus injecting cultural impetus to economic and social development,” it said.

-- BERNAMA