As the Spring Festival approaches, the Orange Isle in Changsha will launch a series of Chinese New Year themed celebrations. Blending the elegance of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) with contemporary charm, the initiative aims to offer residents and visitors a unique Spring Festival experience. The events will officially begin on February 18 (the second day of the Chinese New Year) and runs through March 4 (the sixteenth day of the Chinese New Year), featuring lantern shows, immersive performances, interactive activities, and more.
The celebrations will center on Song Dynasty culture, featuring a variety of beneficial and interactive activities. Upon entry, visitors will receive a complimentary Chinese New Year red envelope containing a lucky scratch card and a Chinese New Year fortune slip. The scratch cards guarantee 100% prizes, allowing visitors to claim new year lucky gifts while also having the chance to win real gold prizes, adding an extra layer of luck to the Spring Festival celebrations.
The events will include rich immersive Song Dynasty-inspired settings and interactive experiences. The "Jiangtian Muxue" Orange Isle Lantern Festival will recreate the elegant landscapes of Song Dynasty, with poetry lantern corridors and riddle-guessing activities. Visitors will experience Huxiang culture and Song-style refinement through light and shadow show. There will be oversized plush installations like the "Fortune Blessings" display, alongside photo spots such as "Win Big!" "Be Well-off!" and adorable stone lion statues in Jiangtian Muxue Cultural Park. Following the evening performances, the area beneath the Gongji Tower will host a "Bounce to the Beat of Song Dynasty" interactive session, inviting visitors to join the rhythm and immerse themselves in the festive new year atmosphere. Additionally, following the show, lucky attendees will be selected to carry lanterns in a blessing ceremony atop the tower, creating a unique New Year's ritual experience.
During the daytime, the Orange Isle will become a Song Dynasty-themed amusement park. From 10:00 to 14:00 daily, visitors can enjoy a rotation of traditional and entertaining activities like kite painting, fortune tossing, and ring tossing. A "God of Wealth" parade will also roam the grounds, bestowing blessings and joy upon guests. Visitors ascending the Gongji Tower can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Changsha's stunning landscape of mountains, rivers, isles, and urban vistas. People are welcome to ring the new year's bell to make wishes for the coming year, experiencing the Song Dynasty lifestyle on the vibrant Orange Isle.
In addition to the touring experience, multiple immersive performances will be presented. The immersive theater blind box show will be staged once or twice daily starting at 14:00, with specific showtimes subject to the day's actual schedule.
The highly-anticipated Huxiang culture-themed light show will return during the period, with one or two performances daily starting at 19:30, subject to actual scheduling. Set against a 600-square-meter water-based backdrop, the production integrates cutting-edge audio-visual technology to recreate the iconic scene of "Snowfall at Dusk over the River." The narrative centers on Song Di's quest for creative inspiration, showcasing the grandeur and vibrant life of ancient Hunan through iconic scenes like Qu Yuan crossing the river and Xin Qiji's sword dance. The show interprets the unique essence of Huxiang culture, bringing a audio-visual feast of aesthetic Huxiang charm to visitors.
The Orange Isle Lantern Festival and Chinese New Year themed celebrations will highlight the culture of Song Dynasty, combining traditional customs with modern recreational formats. The celebrations will present a comprehensive Chinese New Year experience featuring sightseeing, hands-on activities, interactive experiences, and performances. The organizers stated that through diverse formats, they aim to enable both residents and visitors to appreciate the charm of traditional culture during the Spring Festival and enjoy a Chinese New Year filled with fun and warmth. This will further enrich Changsha's Spring Festival cultural tourism offerings and showcase the diversity and vitality of Huxiang culture.
This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.
Translator: Yu Jiangjiang
Chinese source: Voice of Hunan
