Traditional ornaments have become an important medium for coveying people’s happiness and good wish in the Spring Festival. Chinanews, Urumqi, Jan. 30 – There are just a few days away from the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 18 this year), traditional Chinese ornaments like red lanterns and Chinese knots are sold well in most of China’s markets. Most costumers are willing to buy these ornaments to decorate their houses.
Our reporter saw the ornaments including red paper with the Chinese character “Fu” (“Fortune”), red lanterns, Spring Festival paintings and pretty Chinese knots were being sold in a market in Urumqi, northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Mr. Hu, a manager who dealing in traditional ornaments in Xinjiang, said that the sales volume of these merchandises has been doubled in January. He revealed that ornaments related to pigs will sell best sold in 2007, because the year is the Year of the Pig by the lunar calendar.
The revival of traditional ornaments shows that people wish to enjoy a traditional festival. Currently many Chinese cities have prohibited citizens from firing crackers, and people intend to have family reunion dinner on the Lunar New Year’s Eve in restaurants or hotels. As a result, the atmosphere of the Spring Festival has been weakened in these years. However, the customs of eating dumplings, wearing new clothes, firing crackers and offering sacrifice to the Kitchen God are still alive in cities. Traditional ornaments have become an important medium for coveying people’s happiness and good wish in the Spring Festival.
Other merchandises in brisk demand include flowers and herbs, vases and metal craftworks. Many people have bought fresh flowers well before the Spring Festival.