The Spring Festival blessing cultural festival kicked off on Jan. 23, the 
second day of China's lunar new year in Fengdu County in west China's Chongqing 
Municipality. Held amid strong Chinese New Year festive elements, the festival 
showcased the Chinese people's vision for a better life and their blessings to 
their families and friends.

In the evening, Fengdu County on both sides of the Yangtze River was 
illuminated by colorful lights and shadows.With the sound of the bell praying 
for good luck ringing aloud, a lifelike phoenix, a flamboyant Chinese 
auspicious bird, rose slowly from the north bank of the Yangtze River, lighting 
up the entire Fengdu County and marking the start of the light and shadow show. 
With the lifelike phoenix flying high above, people came together with hands 
clasped to make Chinese New Year's wishes.

"The festival makes a strong atmosphere of the Spring Festival!" Mr. Su from 
Shanghai said, attracted by rich interactive activities. He sent his blessings 
to the online digital program of light and shadow show, and the blessings were 
then showcased on the night sky of Fengdu.

Lasting through the whole first month of the Chinese lunar calendar from Jan. 
23 to Feb. 21, the festival is divided into 23 colorful activities in 6 
sections related with various blessing events, according to Chongqing Fengdu 
Ming Mountain Tourism Group. A string of activities including the phoenix light 
and shadow show, the flying of blessing lamps, the lantern festival, the 
red-envelope sharing, and a market fair. These activities will give people a 
warm New Year experience via different aspects such as travel, entertainment, 
display, music, and shopping.

One can put lamps onto the river at the pier to send wishes, call out happiness 
on the blessing wall of Phoenix Gate, play a tone of happiness on the music 
walk, write Spring Festival couplets for good luck in the city's square, 
collect the eight blessings of the New Year in Shuanggui Mountain scenic spot, 
take away the small blessing gifts in Xifu Pavilion, beat the drum to light up 
the Fengdu Port Building to express blessings... This Spring Festival has seen 
strong traditional Chinese cultural elements across the downtown areas, scenic 
spots, as well as streets and alleys of Fengdu.

Occupying a unique position in Chinese traditional culture, Fengdu is one of 
the seventy-two blessed places of Taoism. Holding a cultural festival to pray 
for good luck to showcase the charm of traditional Chinese culture in the rich 
festive elements of the New Year will promote the prosperity of local culture 
and tourism industry, thus injecting cultural impetus to economic and social 
development.

Source: Chongqing Fengdu Ming Mountain Tourism Group

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   Caption: Fengdu Ming Mountain in Chongqing