As the Year of the Dragon approaches, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism will organize intangible cultural heritage inheritors and time-honored enterprises throughout the city to carry out the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Lunar New Year" event in 2024, featuring a total of over 1,100 activities. The event includes a rich array of intangible cultural heritage projects, bringing together performances, markets, temple fairs, online broadcasts, festive shows, and various other forms.
During the Spring Festival, one notable aspect is the introduction of a premium dragon-themed series of intangible cultural heritage products to the entire city, covering various aspects of people's daily lives. For example, as the Spring Festival involves visiting relatives and friends and exchanging gifts, the inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage, Beijing Lord Rabbit, has specially launched the "Say goodbye to the jade rabbit, smile to welcome the golden dragon" Daoxiangcun and Tongrentang have each released the "Awakening Dragon - Year of the Dragon Limited Pastry Gift Box." Traditional Chinese tea-making techniques and customs have recently been included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Wuyutai and Zhang Yiyuan have respectively introduced the "Abundant Dragon Celebration - Auspicious and Lucky Dragon-themed Tea Gift Box." The Temple Fair will also feature traditional writing tools as intangible cultural heritage products, with a focus on promoting the "Brush Strokes Turn into Gold - Splashing Ink into a Dragon" - Yidege ink and Daiyue Xuan brush Spring Festival prayer set. Additionally, there will be a Chi Dragon Lying on Paper, an auspicious omen - a carved jade ruler and Rongbaozhai woodblock watermark commemorative note that can be collected as art pieces.
For a unique taste of the New Year, Huairou offers the "Dragon Soaring Prosperity - Intangible Cultural Heritage Spring Festival 'Lianqiao Fan." It involves an ancient village, a grand blessing ceremony, a hundred large pots, and a thousand people sharing the "Lianqiao Fan" dish.
This Spring Festival, under the theme of "People's Intangible Cultural Heritage, People's Sharing," Beijing will showcase a diverse "New Year flavor" created by the collision of "Intangible Cultural Heritage + Spring Festival."
Series One
Say goodbye to the jade rabbit, smile to welcome the golden dragon
Jitufang introduces the "Good Luck Lord Rabbit," "Strolling in the Clouds Dragon," "Flying Dragon in the Clouds" series, featuring products such as dolls, ornaments, cushions, bookmarks, and more. These creative handmade items combine traditional culture with auspicious symbolism.
Series Two
Brush strokes turn into gold, splashing ink into a dragon
Yidege's Dragon Year Blessing Ink has a rich fragrance, bright ink, quick drying after writing, and the formula is adjusted based on the climate for a pleasant fragrance. It includes gold powder, symbolizing "Brush Strokes Turn into Gold." The dragon-patterned packaging is novel and aesthetically pleasing. Daiyue Xuan's "Defeating the Dragon and Subduing the Tiger" brush set symbolizes a vibrant new year. Carefully crafted by the Daiyue Xuan intangible cultural heritage team, it is a stylish and practical gift, an excellent choice for Spring Festival.
Series Three
Cute dragons welcome spring, dragons return to stage
The millennium dragon has its origins, searching for China's first dragon—the Jade Pig Dragon. Unearthed as a representative work of the Hongshan Culture in Inner Mongolia, it is named Jade Pig Dragon because its nose resembles a pig. This work is made using traditional Beijing clay rod materials and is entirely handcrafted, symbolizing positivity, peace, and happiness. Tangrenfang utilizes the craftsmanship of the intangible cultural heritage "Beijing Silk Figurine" to create a Dragon Doll gift box set for the Year of the Dragon. The dragon doll is cute and lively, carrying good wishes for the new year.
Series Four
Where there's a dragon, there's spirit, dreaming of distant journeys
Every Chinese person has a dragon within, providing vitality and strength at any stage of life. Jieshengji presents Zodiac Dragon gifts, launching two life-year ropes: Rui Lin Zhao Feng and Qinglong Chuyuan. Lao Yinjiang introduces the traditional craft of national hairpins - Master's hand-made gift "Double Dragon Protecting the Master," Five Blessings auspicious bracelet. Beijing's time-honored brand, Jingqi Laozihao, launches the "Rui Long Transfer Bead Bracelet Series" and the "Rui Long Lacquer Bead Brooch Series."
Series Five
Exquisite dragon charm shows inclusiveness
Ruifuxiang introduces the Dragon Charm silk velvet scarf, using silk jacquard velvet technology. "Dragon Charm" carries the homophonic meaning of twin dragons treading on clouds, simple, atmospheric, and with the restrained charm of the East. The dragon highlights the scarf's theme of twin dragons treading on clouds, symbolizing nobility and auspiciousness. "Charm" symbolizes bringing a sense of ease and smoothness to life, wishing for the assistance of noble people, fulfillment of requests, prosperity, and longevity.
To showcase the totem of Chinese traditional culture—the dragon, Ruifuxiang uses the Yuanbao-shaped handbag as a support. The main element of the overall design is the dragon baby embroidered with intangible cultural heritage Jingxiu, combined with fully handmade sewing techniques to create a practical and innovative dragon head Yuanbao handbag. The totem of the Chinese dragon accompanies the user, traversing the world, showcasing the beauty of Chinese intangible cultural heritage embroidery and craftsmanship to the world, demonstrating the beauty of the compatibility and inclusiveness of Chinese traditional culture.
Series Six
Awakening dragon pastry symbolizes ever-changing
At the beginning of the new year, with the sound of spring thunder, life that has been dormant throughout the winter begins to revive. To adapt to the season, Beijing Daoxiangcun has designed the "Awakening Dragon Pastry." It symbolizes adjusting our state after the awakening of spring, actively and bravely facing the opportunities and challenges of the new year. Beijing Tongrentang Health introduces the Year of the Dragon • Ever-changing New Year Cake Gift Box, wishing for joy in the new year with a taste of health.
Series Seven
Chi Dragon lying on paper, auspicious omens approach
The Chi Dragon paperweight measures 15.6 centimeters in length, 3.8 centimeters in width, and 2.5 centimeters in height. Crafted from Hetian jade from Xinjiang, China, this piece portrays a Chi Dragon (a hornless small dragon) gracefully moving across the elongated paperweight. With a vigorous posture, it symbolizes a smooth journey ahead, successful endeavors, and reaching the pinnacle of one's career, much like reaching the zenith of the midday sun. The exquisite craftsmanship and intricate design of the artwork, coupled with its auspicious symbolism, make it a remarkable piece of art that seamlessly combines practicality with aesthetic appeal.
Rong Bao Zhai Woodblock Watermark presents a selection of three dragon letterheads, namely "Chun Tao Long Qi" (Spring Waves and Soaring Dragons), "Shen Long" (Divine Dragon), and "Yun Long" (Cloud Dragon), carefully chosen from the "Ten Bamboo Studio Letter Paper Collection." Especially introduced is the limited edition commemorative letterhead for the Year of Jia Chen, with only 350 sets available. This commemorative letterhead employs the national-level intangible cultural heritage - Rong Bao Zhai woodblock watermarking technique, integrating relief printing and arch flower skills. Exquisite and elegant, it showcases the profound cultural heritage and the spirit of the dragon in China.
Series Eight
Dragons soaring in prosperity, bringing blessings overflowing
The traditional folk activity of "Lian Qiao Fan" will take place from February 24 to 26 (14th to 16th day of the first lunar month) in Yang Shu Di Xia Village, Liuli Temple Town, Huairou District. During the event, traditional folk performances such as cross-talk, acrobatics, dragon dance, lion dance, and drumming will be staged. Visitors can also participate in interactive activities like ice skating, ice picking, horseback riding, archery, and more.
Series Nine
Unleash the power of the dragon, ever-present like a shadow
The Beijing Dragon Shadow Puppetry Art Theater introduces the "Shadow Puppetry Archaeology Blind Box" featuring the nine offspring of the dragon, each with its unique characteristics. Inspired by the segmented production and dynamic expression of shadow puppetry, the nine dragon offspring are disassembled into different parts, scattered among archaeological stones. After being shattered with an archaeological hammer, the "dragon offspring" gradually come together, forming the complete set of nine.
Series Ten
Dragons ascending, blessings and prosperity follow
The gourd symbolizes "blessings and prosperity." The hand-painted gourd, named "Dragon Babies Celebrating the New Year," features five dragon babies with different patterns representing "fortune," "joy," "happiness," "wealth," and "smoothness." The gourd embodies the wish for "dragons ascending, blessings and prosperity, smooth and safe."
Crafted by the core research and development team of Beijing Gongmei Group in collaboration with Chinese master craftsmen, the "Dragon Soaring Prosperity · Blessings and Prosperity Respect" special edition incorporates techniques such as filigree inlay, gold foil embossing, gemstone inlay, and casting. It creates a unique masterpiece that combines traditional Chinese elements with intangible cultural heritage, conveying auspicious meanings and good wishes while adorned with gemstones for a dazzling and elegant appearance.
Series Eleven
Dragons' fragrance fills the air, traveling thousands of miles in the clouds
The Fahai Dragon and Clouds Spring Festival Gift Box consists of dragon-shaped sachets, dragon cloud incense, and golden dragon incense sticks. The fragrance in the dragon-shaped sachets is a combination of traditional Beijing intangible cultural heritage - the production technique of He Xiang, represented by the inheritor Sun Liang, with precious ingredients such as Agarwood and White Dragon Pine Bark. The golden dragon incense sticks, symbolizing the auspiciousness of the dragon, prosperity, progress, and soaring, are intended to wish for national peace and prosperity.
Series Twelve
Abundant dragons celebrate the New Year, suspicious blessings reach perfection
The Wuyutai Dragon Year Zodiac Pu'er Tea Series Gift Box features illustrations on the cover revolving around the zodiac dragon and the cultural creativity of Wuyutai, depicting an auspicious dragon soaring and bringing good fortune. The century-old Wuyutai sends blessings to countless households, inheriting excellent traditional Chinese culture, and creating a festive atmosphere full of joy and happiness.
Zhang Yiyuan introduces the auspicious gift box for the Year of the Dragon. The gift box features a five-clawed golden dragon as the main visual element, using traditional Beijing embroidery to establish a contemporary expression of Chinese culture. At the same time, incorporating nine jasmine flower elements into the main visual, it reflects the product attributes of jasmine tea and establishes a natural association with the fragrance of tea, conveying good wishes for the new spring.
Translator: ZHANG Bo
Reviewer: TANG Yuxin
