China Travel

Confucius hometown celebrates Xiaonian Festival 2023/1/21 source: Print

People in Qufu City of east China's Shandong Province, the hometown of ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, held a variety of activities around the Xiaonian Festival to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

Xiaonian, or "Little New Year", falls on the 23rd or 24th day of the last month of the Chinese traditional lunar calendar, marking the start of the countdown to the Spring Festival.

At the Kong Family Mansion, where descendants of Confucius once lived, couplets and Fu banners were written to pass on the Lunar New Year traditions and culture to the next generation.

"Our family come to write couplets and the Chinese character fu every Spring Festival and stick them on the gates and walls of the mansion. It's a tradition. We hope we can bring our blessings to everyone," said Kong Xiangsheng, 75th generation descendant of Confucius.

"We've prepared a wide range of traditional activities in Qufu for the upcoming Spring Festival. We sincerely hope everyone would come and spend the holidays and receive all the luck and good fortune," said Chu Yanli, vice mayor of Qufu.

The Xiaonian celebrations also featured dragon and lion dances and the display of traditional woodblock printing techniques and works by local artists.

In addition, performers dressed as the Chinese gods Fu, Lu and Shou, representing luck, fortune and longevity, wished visitors a prosperous new year.

Following the ease of China's COVID-19 restrictions, more people are traveling to tourist attractions or their hometowns to reunite with their families for the most important holiday of the year.

"Wish everyone a happy new year and good luck in the Year of the Rabbit. I hope everyone can come out and have fun with me," said a child visitor.

"During the holiday, I plan to go back to my hometown and visit my relatives, which I haven't been able to do in the past few years, and have my children deliver New Year wishes to their elders. I think as the COVID-19 restrictions have been eased, everyone should go out more," said another visitor.


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