Foreign Visitors Treated to Special Chinese New Year Market, Fun in the Snow, Hot Springs, Liaoning Cuisine

With the Chinese New Year drawing near, Liaoning Province welcomed 13 special visitors from 8 countries (Congo, Czech Republic, Ireland, Lebanon, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste) to celebrate the Spring Festival with the people of Liaoning in Yingkou and Panjin under the banner of "Celebrating Chinese Festivals with International Friends - Freezing Ice, Freezing Snow yet Heart-Warming Chinese New Year".

Visitors at Hongqi Market in Yingkou hold up a banner which reads, "Celebrating Chinese Festivals with International Friends - Freezing Ice, Freezing Snow yet Heart-Warming Chinese New Year", photographer: Wang Jiangning

The 13 foreign visitors went on an early shopping spree for Spring Festival treats at the century-old Hongqi Market in Yingkou, took in performances of intangible cultural heritage with Northeast drums and Gaizhou shadow plays, wrote Spring Festival couplets, made sugar paintings, and participated in other New Year’s folk activities together with the locals.

Aloysius Miria, a student from Papua New Guinea (first from left), participates in a Gaizhou shadow play, photographer: Wang Jiangning

Congolese student Aubambi Issomgo Lael Shoshana (first from left), interacts with locals on stage, photographer: Wang Jiangning

Participants hold up their "Celebrating Chinese Festivals with International Friends - Freezing Ice, Freezing Snow yet Heart-Warming Chinese New Year" banner at Hejiagou Ski Resort, photographer: Wang Jiangning

The special visitors had an opportunity to participate in winter sports at Hejiagou Ski Resort. Fitted with the latest gear and always under the watchful eyes of their instructors, the guests had a great time mastering the basic skills and movements involved in skiing.

Davie Lovi, a student from the Solomon Islands (left), receives some tutelage from a ski instructor, photographer: Wang Jiangning

John Au, a student from the Solomon Islands (right), watches the sun dip below the horizon, photographer: Wang Jiangning

The visitors were then taken to Liaoning’s Tuanshan National Ocean Park, where they were in time to catch the sun dipping below the horizon and explore the unique landforms created by sea erosion. Although the day was particularly frigid, everyone agreed the beautiful, romantic scenery was worth the trip.

Meanwhile, a visit was also paid to the Liaohe Museum in Panjin, where everyone had the chance to learn about the history of local seafood on the Liaohe Ferry, donning chef’s uniforms and preparing such delicacies as cold seepweed with sauce and five-color Panjin dumplings.

The visitors learn to make dumplings, photographer: Wang Jiangning

The visitors paint crab shells, photographer: Wang Jiangning

The visitors riding in a horse-drawn sleigh, photographer: Wang Jiangning

In Beilu Tianyuan's Heifengguan Ancient Town, the international guests came face to face with the ancient Tang Dynasty and took part in the outdoor activities of the snowy Chinese countryside, hitching a ride through the ancient town in a horse-drawn sleigh, ice skating, and playing the ice games known to every child of Northeastern China, for an experience warm in Chinese winter charm.