Since the start of the twelfth lunar month, Beijing has been gradually embracing the Spring Festival atmosphere, with various places entering "Spring Festival mode" ahead of time. A series of cultural and tourism events have kicked off, offering a rich and diverse celebration of the New Year. This will be the first Spring Festival since the city's successful UNESCO heritage listing, and the festive spirit is already becoming more prominent in the streets, alleys, and hutongs. As the holiday draws near, it's the perfect time to choose your Spring Festival travel destination and immerse yourself in a traditional "Beijing-flavored New Year."

PART.01 Universal Beijing Resort

The "Universal's Chinese New Year" themed events at Universal Beijing Resort will kick off from January 18 to February 23, celebrating the Snake Year with visitors. 

The theme image for the Snake Year Spring Festival is one of the five heroes from the Kung Fu Panda movie series—the Master Viper, who is just and flexible yet strong. 

The "Universal's Chinese New Year Special Show - The Year is Here!" will return with excitement. This is the performance with the most Chinese elements, offering a unique attempt to tell Chinese stories through international movie characters. Expect popular songs, acrobatics, and dragon and lion dances to bring in the New Year.

The Universal Dreaming Golden Plum Tree will make its debut at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, near Blue Gong Lake. Visitors can make New Year wishes under the symbolic meaning of the wax plum flowers. Thousands of wax plum petals will light up every half hour, showcasing a beautiful play of light and shadow, combining modern creativity with traditional cultural connotations. Additionally, the tree's back features a character meet-and-greet stage, where six lifelike golden statues of famous characters stand.

To experience the full festive atmosphere, indulge in the Universal Spring Festival Square, located at Hollywood Theater. Here, you'll find iconic Chinese architecture, a dazzling array of New Year lanterns, and a variety of Spring Festival snacks. Don't miss the Snake Year-exclusive Kung Fu Panda Master Viper sugar figurines and limited-edition Snake Year Kung Fu Panda commemorative buckets containing lanterns, rattle drums, and popcorn tubs.

At the same time, the two resort hotels, NUO Hotel-Universal Beijing Resort and Universal Studios Grand Hotel, will create an immersive Spring Festival experience. The resort area, including Beijing Universal City Avenue, will feature New Year-themed restaurant menus, offering special Spring Festival sets and festive items.

Address: The northwest corner of the intersection of the Jingha Expressway and Dong 6 Haunlu (E.6th Rd), Tongzhou

PART.02 Qianmen Street

From now until January 21, 2025, the "Strolling Through Qianmen " themed route check-in event is being held. This event, themed around the Lunar Snake Year, recommends six routes for consumers to explore, covering six key themes: architectural culture, unique shops, guild culture, treasure-hunting strategies, museum tours, and cultural symbols. These routes connect the historical and cultural landmarks of the Qianmen area. The event also includes Qianmen Post Gifts consumption vouchers and the "New Start for Qianmen" New Product Experience activities.

The event is a hybrid of online and offline interaction. Consumers can access themed route guides, comic maps, and bilingual (Chinese and English) check-in instructions online to better understand and plan their trips. Offline, visitors can collect free themed route brochures from participating merchants in partnership with Postal Savings Bank. By scanning QR codes on event posters at these merchants and making a purchase using a voucher, visitors can collect stamps from five participating shops. After completing the stamp collection, they can exchange their stamps for a limited edition "Qianmen Gift" keychain at the designated Qianmen Visitor Service Center at No. 96 Qianmen during specified times.

Address: Qianmen Dajie ((St), Dongcheng

PART.03 Moshikou Historical and Cultural Block

Moshikou retains the unique charm of old Beijing, with streets paved in bricks and stones and traditional courtyard houses with grey-tiled roofs and walls lining both sides. Recently, Moshikou has undergone a subtle transformation, with lanterns and decorations adorning the treetops, street corners, and small shops. Beautiful installations are found throughout the area, while vibrant neon lights light up the streets day and night, blending traditional flavors with a festive New Year atmosphere.

This year, Moshikou has added several new features, including nighttime lighting displays and floral-themed elements, creating even more creative landscapes. The "Yi Si Double Spring Year, Floral Moshikou" Spring Festival lantern festival and themed landscape displays will soon be unveiled. Are you ready to experience a wave of "floral blessings"?

Address: No. 124, Moshikou Village, Shimen Lu (Rd), Shijingshan

PART.04 Qingcheng Palace at the Altar of the God of Agriculture

On December 21, 2024, the Qingcheng Palace at the Altar of the God of Agriculture, with a history spanning over 560 years since its completion in 1458, was opened to the public for the first time. The architectural complex of Qingcheng Palace is grandly designed and exquisitely decorated. The roofs of the main and rear halls feature the highest royal architectural style, with Wudian (single-eaved) roofs covered in green glazed tiles. The beams and rafters are adorned with golden dragon and imperial seal patterns, while the window decorations showcase intricate patterns of three intersections and six lotus bowls. Inside, the ceiling features a swirling dragon motif, a symbol of the magnificence of Ming Dynasty royal architecture.

Visitors can enjoy and purchase cultural and creative products in the rear hall, and even experience stamping "Fu" characters. The red, square stamp with the "Fu" character combines traditional Chinese cultural elements like woodblock printing and seal stamping.

Four visitors can stand on all four sides of the installation, each holding a dragon-decorated handle, and together press the giant seal. The "Fu" character, written by Emperor Yongzheng, will be stamped onto custom the Altar of the God of Agriculture rice paper. This activity will be available starting now and during the Spring Festival, and the "Fu" characters will be gifted to visitors for free.

During the Spring Festival, except for the afternoon closure on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Altar of the God of Agriculture will remain open as usual.

Address: No. 21, Dongjing Lu (Rd), Xicheng

PART.05 Yongning Ancient City

As the Spring Festival approaches, the streets and alleys of Yongning Town in Yanqing have already embraced their New Year-themed decorations, filling the air with the festive spirit. The "Intangible Cultural Heritage Spring Festival Celebration in Yongning" theme activities will begin from the Little New Year and continue with over twenty events, including traditional flower exhibitions and other local intangible cultural heritage performances.

Located in Yongning Ancient City, the Yanqing · Good Things Cultural and Creative Park is decked out with bright red lanterns hanging high. The park will host a cultural market and intangible heritage craft experience zone, attracting locals and tourists to shop and experience traditional crafts. There will also be live performances of traditional folk customs, such as Bamboo Horse Dragon and Lion dances.

During the Spring Festival, the "Hug - Warm Yi Si" exhibition will be held, marking Yanqing's first contemporary art exhibition. While admiring the artworks, visitors can also participate in the creative process by making their own warm and creative works using pink yarn.

Address: Changchi Lu (Rd), Yongning Town, Yanqing

PART.06 Lumicang Hutong

Lumicang Hutong is named after the Lumicang, a warehouse that stored rice for the official salaries of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In recent years, it has transformed into the Lumicang New Audio-Visual Industry Park, which now hosts various stores such as a general merchandise shop, coffee shops, and eateries. The hutong runs east-west and stretches for hundreds of meters. On the east side is the Zhihua Temple, which recently reopened.

This is the most well-preserved Ming Dynasty wooden structure architectural complex in Beijing. In front of the Zhihua Temple, the hawthorn trees are bright with vibrant red fruit, creating a striking and lively scene.

Every day at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, there is a Beijing music performance at Zhihua Temple. Beijing music is known for its dignified and elegant melodies, and is considered a "living fossil" of ancient Chinese music. The performance is held inside the Zhihua Temple, with seating available on both sides. Additionally, there is a free volunteer-guided tour available at 9:30 AM and 2:00 PM.

Address: No. 5, Lumicang Hutong, Dongcheng

Fulu Rice Shop

Located on the west side of the hutong, Fulu Rice Shop is based on the historical site of Lumicang. It creates a comprehensive space combining rice culture, coffee, food, creative products, and artworks. The shop beautifully blends festive Guochao style (Chinese retro trend) with traditional rice culture.

As the Spring Festival approaches, Fulu Rice Shop has dressed up in festive decorations. Giant snake-shaped "Fu" character stickers cover the entire floor-to-ceiling window, while custom red lanterns give off a vintage charm. Inside, various styles of "Fu" characters adorn the walls, and a goldfish kite, symbolizing abundance, hangs high in the air. Thin red silk cascades from the ceiling, inscribed with rice-related poetic verses, completing the traditional Chinese New Year atmosphere.

Address: No. 70, Lumicang Hutong, Dongcheng

Have you been "marked" by these great spots full of Spring Festival vibes?

Some images courtesy of: WeChat Official Accounts of Universal Beijing Resort, Throughout the Great Wall, Tuoling Ancient Road | Moshikou (sjsmoshikou), Shijingshan District Culture And Tourism Bureau, Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum, Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau, Yanqing Beijing, Yanqing·China, Beijing Evening News, Dongcheng Beijing, Zhihua Temple, Beijing Daily Client.

Translator: BAI Jing

Reviewer: FENG Haoxuan