The New Year of Xi'an, the essence of China

Before the 2021 Chinese New Year, Timofey Blokh, a young British man, started his journey to find the 'New Year' in Xi'an. Xi'an was the capital of China during the Tang Dynasty, which was the golden age of East Asian civilization. Tim came to Xi'an to study more than a year ago. He loves this ancient city and the fact that everything around him comes from an ancient civilization. This is Tim's first Spring Festival in China and he is very excited. He wants to feel the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year in the city. How will people celebrate the Chinese New Year during the COVID-19 pandemic? Produced by People's Daily Online West USA Inc., the docuseries "Viewing China from Afar" was released online recently, among which the episode 2 follows Tim to take a look at Xi’an.

Along with Tim's 'New Year's Journey' in Xi'an is the writing of Spring Festival couplets, posting of blessings, watching shadow puppets and reading poems from the Tang Dynasty. People are filled with joy and hope for the New Year. Tim likes to take part in the 'Dream Back to the Tang Dynasty’s parade during the Grand Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City event. The colorful light show makes it seem like a fairyland. He enjoys strolling around the lantern show in Tang Paradise, and loves reciting the Tang Dynasty poems written by the great poets more than a thousand years ago. The feeling is as if he went back to the Tang Dynasty.

2021 is the Year of the Ox, and its Spring Festival is special. Due to the pandemic, not only are there a variety of online Spring Festival performances in Xi'an, but there are also live performances. From the start of the Spring Festival holiday to the Lantern Festival, Tim feels that the tradition of the New Year celebration never faded.

Xi'an was the ancient capital of China with the longest history and the largest number of dynasties, influencing Chinese civilization for thousands of years. Tim said, "The traditions of the Chinese New Year are so rich! The new year in Xi'an made me experience the most authentic Chinese New Year.” He said that the reason for his decision to study in Xi'an was because great civilizations originated here. The Chinese language, characters, the study of China (sinology), and the place where Chinese people live overseas being called Chinatown, all originated in the ancient capital of Xi'an.