Chinese enjoy Spring Festival holidays

cctv.com 01-29-2004 09:37

2004 is the Year of Monkey, and Chinese across the country have been ushering in the lunar New Year with gusto, despite the chilly temperatures. High on the Spring Festival agenda have been temple fairs, book fairs, exercising, traveling and enjoying evening performances.

No Spring Festival would be complete without the traditional temple fair. Beijing alone has over twenty fairs, with a variety of themes.

Three stone monkeys have been the highlight of the temple fair at Baiyun Guan, the White Cloud Taoist Temple. Despite being a bit difficult to find, the sight has been worth the effort for many visitors. On offer is everything from snacks to traditional toys, from straw figures to hanging monkeys. Visitors come in search of fun, and find plenty of it.

And visiting book fairs have been gaining in popularity for more and more Chinese. Some of the temple fairs this year have included the more literary way of celebrating the lunar New Year, aiming to attract visitors. From best sellers to historical books, and from children's books and cookbooks, everybody can find something they want.

For anybody looking for some Spring Festival bustle and fun, you can't go past a temple fair. But the more literary-minded might want to see what the book fair experience has to offer. Let's take a look at what else is out there to do.

The more sports-minded have other things in mind. Many have been rushing to bodybuilding centers to exercise their muscles, lest all the festive gatherings will lead to unwanted pounds. And many who prefer fresh air spend the holidays traveling to Beijing suburbs or other provinces, or even overseas. For them, taking a short trip is the best way to refresh themselves.

When evening comes, some enthusiastic fun-lovers head for performances. In the world of dance, the National Ballet of Cuba staged a unique version of the classic, Swan Lake. And one of the most successful Irish dance shows ever to come out of Ireland -- Spirit of the Dance -- also came to Beijing, winning much applause. Not to be outdone, the Russians have also come to down, bringing a thrilling circus performance, which has been keeping audiences on the edge of their seats.

Though the weeklong holiday has come to the end, the happiness from these first few days of the New Year will long linger on.

Editor:Zhang  Source:CCTV.com