STORY: British expat explores Chinese culture ahead of Spring Festival
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 26, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 28, 2025
LENGTH: 00:02:08
LOCATION: CHANGCHUN, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of street views of Spring Festival
2. SOUNDBITE (English): MARK WINTON, British expat

STORYLINE:

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional holiday in China.

This year's Chinese New Year celebrations are the first since the Spring Festival was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

SOUNDBITE (English): MARK WINTON, British expat
"During Spring Festival it's a busy time and this is where we will go and visit our family members. We will also do activities like putting up pictures on walls to celebrate the Year of the Snake. And we also like to give out red packets. This is a very popular tradition in Chinese and I also like it too. Each year there is an animal that can represent this year. This year it's the snake. This snake is a sculpture. It's (dough sculpture) also an intangible cultural heritage in Jilin Province. Chinese people love this because it represents good luck and a better future, as you see here this is gold because we want wealth.

The traditional way to make the dough is to use flour, rice powder, salt, sugar and honey. But now we have an easier way. We have model magic. It's easy and simple. Now I'm making the base, then shape the dough by pitching it, rubbing it, dotting it, cutting it, even using tools. Finally, hopefully, we have a beautiful snake. It's done. 

A beautiful snake is done. There are many activities we can do during Spring Festival. That was amazing. I was deeply amazed by the Chinese culture and the Spring Festival is coming. "

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Changchun, China.
(XHTV)