The Suhewan MixC World, a large complex right next to the Suzhou Creek in Shanghai's Jing'an district, celebrates the upcoming Chinese New Year with a traditional lantern parade and other activities including themed temple fairs through Feb 24.

Accompanied by drums, the lantern parade performers in traditional costumes held colorful lanterns and weaved through the crowd, sharing "Loong long luck" Spring Festival wishes. Loong is the phonetic spelling of the Chinese character of dragon, and in the Chinese zodiac it's the Year of Dragon this time. The lantern parade is an intangible cultural heritage that originated in Shexian county, Anhui province, and has a history of more than 600 years.

The lantern parade. [Photo/Shangahi Observer]

An open-air fair was held in front of the restored Tianhou Temple, built in 1844 and a place for praying for peace since ancient times. Amids colorful lights, visitors can share New Year blessings and explore more by scanning QR codes.

From Feb 10 to 17, there will be more than ten temple fair performances, including peach tree blessings, lantern parades, traditional dragon and lion dances to welcome the God of Wealth, impromptu dances, and traditional live folk music, creating a delightful, festive experience for visitors.

The Suhewan MixC World also invites the illustrator Zhang Wenqi to hold an exhibition of original illustrations from her new book "Lucky Red Envelope" at Tianhou Temple.

"Lucky Red Envelope" is an interactive picture book with 144 hidden "mechanisms". It tells a heartwarming story about a family celebrating the traditional New Year, showcasing the vivid aspects of Chinese life and culture.

The "Wishing Dragon" sculpture in the Shenyu Li. [Photo/Shangahi Observer]

The Suhewan MixC World is also a must-visit place where fashion and historical styles blend. The recent debut of the "Wishing Dragon" sculpture in the Shenyu Li, a cluster of Shikumen buildings, has attracted many tourists.

From Feb 4 to 25, consumers who participate in activities such as the "Dragon Character Test" lucky draw and the "Find the Dragon" check-in challenge on Xiaohongshu will have the chance to win New Year lucky bags.

Source: Shanghai Observer