On the morning of February 10, the skies cleared, and sunlight filtered through the festive haze rising from the streets and alleys, gilding the ancient city of Langzhong. As the Spring Festival approached, newly posted couplets, red lanterns adorning Zhongtian Tower, and bustling crowds of tourists infused the historic town with exceptional liveliness.

The 'Spring Festival Elder' parade

More than 2,000 years ago, the Western Han dynasty astronomer Luo Xiahong established the first lunar month as the beginning of the year in the "Taichu Calendar". Today, his hometown of Langzhong is hailed as the "Original Hometown of the Spring Festival", drawing visitors from around the world seeking authentic New Year traditions. On that day, the "Vibrant Sichuan" media delegation visited Langzhong to experience this unique festive atmosphere.

Folk Custom Parade in the Ancient City

The ancient city has rolled out a variety of immersive Spring Festival experiences. "Spring has arrived! Good fortune is here! I am Luo Xiahong, the 'Spring Festival Elder'!" boomed a resonant local dialect as soon as one entered the city. In front of Zhongtian Tower, Zhang Zhonghe, dressed in a red robe and holding red envelopes, was portraying the "Spring Festival Elder" for the 12th consecutive year, posing for photos and interacting with tourists.

This year, Langzhong has themed its celebrations "Trace the Origin of the Spring Festival – Celebrate the New Year in Langzhong", launching the 2026 Langzhong Ancient City Spring Festival series featuring eight core events and over 200 performances, including the "Chunguan Shuochun" parade, sedan-chair processions, and Ba Xiang drum dances. Additionally, intangible cultural heritage workshops—such as shadow puppetry, paper-cutting, and door-god painting—are open to public participation.

Tourists experienced traditional handicrafts such as paper-cutting on the streets of the ancient city

Zhang Wei, a provincial-level inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, has extended the operating hours of his Door God Studio. While painting, he explained, "Langzhong door gods are painted directly onto doors, with shoulders and feet aligned vertically and eyes bright and vivid, reflecting the distinctive style of eastern Sichuan and the resilient spirit of Sichuan people." Visitors can join in the creation and printing process, with the studio receiving over 2,000 guests daily.

The streets of Langzhong brim with culinary energy: "Beef sold blackened, vinegar sold as a drink, cold noodles served hot, and steamed buns stamped with seals". Aromas waft from braised beef shops, where long queues form as tourists line up to purchase. Ren Minghua's store now sells over 10,000 yuan worth of goods per day—five times its usual volume. Meanwhile, the Baoning Vinegar specialty shop, which typically earns 4,000 yuan daily, expects sales to rise to 7,000–8,000 yuan during the festival period.

Tourists pose for photos on the streets of the ancient city

From dining and lodging to transportation, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment, Langzhong offers a one-stop Spring Festival experience. Beyond exploring the ancient city, the region has developed new tourism formats such as low-altitude aerial tours and educational travel. The live performance "Grandeur of the Spring Festival" and immersive "Performance+" offerings are now ready. Multiple promotional deals are also available: residents of Nanchong enjoy special ticket prices for "Grandeur of the Spring Festival", early-bird tickets are offered for the show "Legend of Langyuan," and bundled packages—including "Boat Tour + Ao Mountain Sacred Site" and "Low-Altitude Flight + Performance"—are now on sale, enabling visitors to effortlessly enjoy the festive charm of the Chinese New Year.

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】