By Wang Kai

 

BEIJING, Feb. 16 (China Economic Net) –Sauntering around fairgrounds, strolling among stalls with New Year groceries on sale, and tasting traditional local snacks... 29-year-old Indian traveler Niranjan was amazed by the jubilant buzz in Beijing during the Spring Festival, the most important festival in China that marks its lunar New Year. 

 

“Here I saw a combination of traditional and modern elements and a blend of local and global vibes. There are time-honored brands on Dashilar Street, international stores at Sanlitun commercial center, transport facilities that are safe and efficient, architecture of antique beauty, eye-catching intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, and astonishing displays of digital technology…I met tourists from various parts of China and different continents in the world. Things that I once saw in videos were unfolding before my eyes. It was an encyclopedic travel experience”, Niranjan told China Economic Net (CEN) reporter. 

 

It was the first time Niranjan celebrated the Spring Festival in Beijing. This year, New Year celebrations start on February 10th as dazzling lighting and dance shows ushered in the Year of Loong, or dragon, a symbol of strength, wisdom, and luck in Chinese culture. 

 

“Beijing is a vigorous, boisterous, and open city. During my 4-day sojourn here, I visited a dozen attractions such as the Temple of Heaven, a dignified complex of sacrificial buildings set in gardens; Nanluogu Lane, an ancient Hutong featuring its specially stores and distinctive foods; Shichahai Scenic Area, a place renowned for its bar street and lake… I had been quite familiar with these names since I have been in China for over three years, but still, I was wowed by the crowded, clamorous streets. I saw that from the elderly to the children, they were kind, enthusiastic, and living an enriched, fulfilling life”, he said.

 

In a folk culture show in Shichahai Hutong, Niranjan wrote for the first time with a writing brush Chinese characters for good luck and auspiciousness as a way to convey his hope and wishes for the New Year. 

 

Niranjan observed that he was not alone in coming to Beijing to celebrate China’s Spring Festival. He told CEN reporter, “Now many countries are celebrating Chinese New Year, and more and more foreigners are visiting China to gain a personal understanding of the country’s history, culture, and social development”. 

 

Prior to his travel to Beijing, he went sightseeing in Harbin, the “ice city” in northeastern China that became a hot cake this winter for its unique tourism resources. Having toured around twenty cities in China, Niranjan is able to speak fluent Chinese while witnessing and recording with his camera the dynamism in this country. 

 

The most impressive travel for him was to a rural primary school in Chongqing, a city in southwestern China. He hailed the transition for local children from “having an opportunity to receive education” to “receiving high-quality education”. “Children are the future of the country. The smart classrooms there allow children in the countryside to break through geographical boundaries and get in touch with a wider world”, he said.

 

He has also been posting videos about his travel experience on YouTube, garnering tens of thousands of followers. “These videos have transformed my stereotypical, outdated impression of China. I want to go there for a visit soon”, reads one comment. 

 

Next, Niranjan will embark on a journey to Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province in southwestern China. There, he will continue to explore the untapped beauty and record the splendor with his lens.