Though Spring Festival will arrive next week, every corner of the city is now filled with festive atmosphere.
2022 "Red Couplets on City Gate, A Good Start for Suzhou" was held at Panmen Gate yesterday. A pair of 8-meter-long red couplets was hung up on the ancient city gate to welcome the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year.
Aside from Panmen Gate, Changmen Gate, Shemen Gate, Xumen Gate, Jinmen Gate, Loumen Gate, Xiangmen Gate, Qimen Gate and Pingmen Gate have all been decorated with huge red couplets.
Suzhou rail transit stations are also in festive mood. Chinese knots and Chinese character "福" (happiness and good fortune) can be seen everywhere, and red couplets are even pasted up on platform screen doors.
A series of activities in celebration of the Spring Festival kicked off at several stations yesterday afternoon, and the first public benefit market of Suzhou Rail Transit was also opened at Laodonglu Station to showcase the cultural and tourism characteristics of Line 5 through handicrafts, traditional food and cultural and creative products..
More than 2,500 red lanterns and Chinese knots have been put up alongside the streets across the city as the symbols of reunion and prosperity.
Suzhou locals like to visit flower markets ahead of the festival. Sunan Flower Exchange Center and Pishi Street Flower and Bird Market are crowded with customers who come to pick their favorite flowers these days.
Supermarkets are chock-full of commodities that add fun to festive occasions, waiting for people to bring them home. As the major base for people to make preparations for the festival, Fengmen Hengjie Street is bustling with noise and excitement. Shops selling Suzhou-style fried fish, spring rolls, egg dumplings, roasted nuts and other delicacies are extremely busy.
Are you ready for the Chinese Lunar New Year?
