Colorful celebrations fill China as Year of the Horse begins

Colorful celebrations have been taking place across China to mark the Year of the Horse.

Falling on Tuesday this year, the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is China's most important holiday, marked by family reunions, festive foods and New Year wishes. The official holiday lasts nine days from February 15 to 23

In Beijing's Taoranting Park, a special Chinese New Year garden party has drawn large crowds with its festive scenery, traditional foods, creative products and folk performances.

In Yulin City in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, more than 30 Yangge folk dance troupes from across the country performed with drums, gongs and flowing red ribbons, offering festive blessings for the new year.

In Huzhou City in east China's Zhejiang Province, scenic spots are staging more than 8,000 performances to enrich visitors' cultural experience during the festival.

In Hubei and Fujian, cutting-edge technologies, such as robots and virtual reality, are integrated into traditional festivities, offering people a unique experience. Dance performances featuring both human actors and robots are infusing new vitality into intangible cultural heritage.

"Integrating robotic elements into traditional Chinese culture brings innovation while preserving the authentic festive spirit of Chinese tradition. It truly feels like the atmosphere of Spring Festival," said Yang Ming-hsun, a tourist from China's Taiwan region.

In Tangshan City in north China's Hebei Province, a dazzling sea of lanterns illuminates the night sky, while molten iron fireworks, equestrian shows and acrobatics showcase the unique charm of the traditional festival.

People in Linqing City of east China's Shandong Province also enjoyed a dazzling feast of light along the river to usher in the Chinese New Year.

Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions have recorded a growing number of tourists during the ongoing festival, with inbound visitors exceeding 1.16 million and 998,000, respectively, from February 15 to 20.