Promoting Excellent Traditional Culture: A Spectacular Array of Spring Festival Folk Activities in Chinese Cittaslow Cities / 弘扬优秀传统文化 中国慢城春节民俗活动精彩连连

春节是中国人民最重视的传统节日。“春节——中国人庆祝传统新年的社会实践”已被联合国教科文组织列入人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。春节作为中国内涵最深厚、参与人数最多、影响最广泛的传统节日，焕发着经久不衰的活力，向世界展现出一套“中国式生活哲学”。2026年春节，中国慢城开展了多样的民俗活动，传承优秀传统文化，纪念祈愿新年平安顺遂。

The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese people. "Spring Festival—Social Practices of the Chinese People in Celebration of Traditional New Year" has been inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. As the most culturally profound traditional festival in China with the largest number of participants and the widest influence, the Spring Festival radiates enduring vitality, presenting to the world a philosophy of "Chinese-style living." During the 2026 Spring Festival, Chinese Cittaslow cities launched diverse folk activities to inherit excellent traditional culture and commemorate prayers for a peaceful and prosperous new year.

一、桠溪慢城

春节期间，桠溪慢城汇集了高淳全区的民俗资源进行巡游展演，共有大马灯、中马灯、小马灯、板龙、跳五猖、荡旱船等20种特色民俗轮番上演。河城双龙翻腾起舞，锣鼓唢呐声中尽显祥瑞；马报平安诙谐幽默，把平安顺遂送到心间；手狮舞刚烈中藏着萌趣，差点失传的技艺如今重放光彩；跳五猖是两千年前的宫廷傩舞，五色服饰演绎五行祈福；小马灯由二十多名孩童组成队伍，童声稚趣闹新春；东坝大马灯“江南一绝”气势恢宏，马年限定氛围感拉满。

I. Yaxi Cittaslow (Gaochun, Nanjing)

During the Spring Festival period, Yaxi Cittaslow gathered folk resources from across Gaochun District for parade performances. Twenty distinctive folk art forms took turns on stage, including Large Horse Lanterns Dance (Damadeng), Medium Horse Lanterns Dance (Zhongmadeng), Small Horse Lanterns (Xiaomadeng), Bench Dragons (Banlong), the "Wuchang Dance" (Tiao Wuchang), and the "Dry Land Boat" dance (Dang Hanchuan ).

The twin dragons of Hecheng twisted and leaped to the sound of gongs, drums, and suona horns, displaying auspiciousness. The "Horse Reporting Peace" (Ma Bao Ping'an) performance was witty and humorous, delivering blessings of safety and prosperity. The Hand Lion Dance (Shoushi Wu) combined fierce strength with playful charm—a nearly lost art now restored to glory. The "Wuchang Dance" is a court exorcism dance (nuo dance) dating back two thousand years, with five-colored costumes representing the Five Elements and prayers for blessings. The Small Horse Lantern troupe, composed of over twenty children, brought youthful joy to the New Year celebrations. The Dongba Large Horse Lantern—acclaimed as "the finest in Jiangnan"—presented a magnificent spectacle, creating an immersive atmosphere for the Year of the Horse.

二、富川慢城

富川慢城举办了“上灯炸龙嘉年华”，市民游客齐聚古城里，赏花灯、看演出、品民俗，沉浸式体验传统民俗的魅力。七条祥龙穿街走巷，依次前往九座神楼行祈福之礼，祈求新的一年风调雨顺、四季平安。随后，祥龙齐聚县城中心区域，市民游客将点燃的爆竹奋力抛向翻腾的龙身。震耳欲聋的爆竹声中，祥龙时而昂首腾跃，时而低徊盘旋。龙身被炸得越烂，寓意着来年越吉利。富川“上灯炸龙节”已有400多年历史，是当地一年中最盛大的民俗节庆文化活动之一，已被列入第五批广西省非物质文化遗产名录。

II. Fuchuan Cittaslow (Guangxi)

Fuchuan Cittaslow hosted the "Lantern Lighting and Dragon Bombing Carnival". Citizens and tourists gathered in the ancient town to admire flower lanterns, watch performances, and experience folk customs, immersing themselves in the charm of traditional culture.

Seven auspicious dragons paraded through streets and alleys, proceeding to nine deity pavilions to perform blessing rituals, praying for favorable weather and peace throughout the four seasons. Subsequently, the dragons converged in the central area of the county town, where citizens and tourists vigorously threw lit firecrackers at the churning dragon bodies. Amidst deafening explosions, the dragons reared and leaped or circled low. The more damaged the dragon body became, the greater the auspiciousness for the coming year.

With a history of over 400 years, Fuchuan's "Lantern Lighting and Dragon Bombing Festival" is one of the most magnificent folk cultural celebrations of the year and has been listed in the fifth batch of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Intangible Cultural Heritage.

三、南澳慢城

南澳舞草龙是广东省省级非物质文化遗产，起源于明清时期，村民采田剑草编扎成龙身，插满香火，以“聚草成龙、香火绕身、腾舞火龙、化龙入海”四步仪式，祈愿风调雨顺、五谷丰登。作为南澳当地最具代表性的过年习俗，每年大年初二晚上，舞草龙队伍从天后宫“起龙”，踏着震天锣鼓巡游、“化龙”。整个巡游队伍，浩浩荡荡，除了舞草龙，还有麒麟献瑞、渔灯巡游、腰鼓欢腾，更添年味。

在南澳，游客可以亲手为草龙插上一炷香，让心愿随香火萦绕龙身；可以加入巡游队伍，跟着鼓点踏步前行，感受新春佳节的欢乐；更能见证最庄严的“化龙”仪式——按照龙尾放下、龙头放上的顺序，将草龙整齐堆叠，伴随着鞭炮齐鸣与虔诚祈愿，点火引燃草龙，然后将灰烬投入大海，寓意“送龙归海”，将一年的祈愿托付给壮阔海域，期盼新的一年风平浪静、鱼虾满舱。

III. Nan'ao Cittaslow (Shenzhen, Guangdong)

The Grass Dragon Dance (Wu Caolong) of Nan'ao is a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage of Guangdong Province, originating in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Villagers collected field thistle grass (Tianjiancao) to weave the dragon body, inserting it with countless incense sticks. Through four ritual steps—"gathering grass to form the dragon," "incense enveloping the body," "fire dragon leaping," and "transforming the dragon into the sea"—they pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

As the most representative New Year custom in Nan'ao, every second evening of the Lunar New Year, the Grass Dragon Dance troupe "raises the dragon" (Qi Long) from the Tin Hau Temple (Goddess of the Sea Temple), parading to the thunderous beat of drums for the "dragon transformation" (Hua Long) ceremony. The entire procession is grand and spectacular. Besides the Grass Dragon Dance, there are also Qilin (mythical beast) blessings, fishing lantern parades, and waist drum performances, adding to the festive atmosphere.

In Nan'ao, visitors can personally insert an incense stick into the grass dragon, letting wishes waft with the smoke; they can join the parade procession, marching to the drumbeats to feel the joy of the Spring Festival; and they can witness the solemn "dragon transformation" ceremony. Following the tradition of placing the tail first and the head last, the grass dragon is neatly stacked, and with the sound of firecrackers and devout prayers, it is set ablaze. The ashes are then cast into the sea, symbolizing "returning the dragon to the sea"—entrusting a year's prayers to the vast ocean, hoping for calm winds, peaceful seas, and full fishing nets in the new year.

四、高青慢城

高青慢城黄河大集以常家镇黄河楼为主会场，引进国潮风筝秀，现场设置超3万平黄河嬉雪乐园、骑马体验、舞龙舞狮等非遗互动；安澜湾景区打造冰糖葫芦年货会，配套演艺演出，美食游乐，丰富市民春节娱乐生活；常家镇常盛社区举办“乡村好时节·艺术乡间”马年春节联欢会活动，黑里寨镇济川村举办四季村晚活动。

IV. Changjia Cittaslow (Gaoqing, Shandong)

The Gaoqing Cittaslow Yellow River Bazaar (Huanghe Daji ) took Changjia Town's Yellow River Tower as its main venue, introducing a national trend kite show. The site featured over 30,000 square meters of Yellow River Snow Play Park, horseback riding experiences, and intangible cultural heritage interactions including dragon and lion dances. The Anlan Bay Scenic Area created a candied hawthorn (Bingtanghulu ) New Year goods fair, complemented by performance shows, gourmet food, and amusement facilities to enrich citizens' Spring Festival entertainment. Changjia Town's Changsheng Community hosted the "Good Times in the Countryside—Art in the Countryside" Spring Festival Gala for the Year of the Horse, while Heilizhai Town's Jichuan Village held the "Four Seasons Village Evening" event.

五、长白山慢城

长白山慢城在“非遗贺新春·祥瑞满长白”2026年长白山“非遗过大年”系列活动中，开展了百人秧歌、朝鲜族长鼓舞、象帽舞、满族腰铃舞等表演和马年有福鱼皮版画、马年皮雕挂件等非遗制作。

V. Erdaobaihe Cittaslow (Changbai Mountain,Jilin)

During the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Celebrates New Year—Auspiciousness Fills Changbai Mountain" 2026 Changbai Mountain "Celebrating New Year with Intangible Cultural Heritage" series of events, Changbai Mountain Cittaslow presented performances including hundred-person yangko dance (yangge), Korean ethnic group long drum dance (Janggu Wu), ribbon hat dance (Xiangmao Wu), and Manchu ethnic group waist bell dance (Yao Ling Wu), as well as intangible cultural heritage crafts such as Year of the Horse fish-skin printmaking and Year of the Horse leather carving ornaments.

六、双牌慢城

双牌慢城融中华传统“和”文化、湘南农耕文化于一体，以传统文化为纽带，打造系列书法、非遗、民俗活动，将慢城的人文关怀、文化传承、生态坚守与新春氛围深度融合，让市民游客在慢品墨香、慢赏非遗中感受传统年味，传承慢城文化精髓。

VI. Longbo Cittaslow (Shuangpai, Hunan)

Shuangpai Cittaslow integrates traditional Chinese "Harmony" culture with southern Hunan agricultural culture. Using traditional culture as a bond, it created a series of calligraphy, intangible cultural heritage, and folk activities, deeply merging the humanistic care, cultural inheritance, ecological commitment of Cittaslow with the Spring Festival atmosphere. This allowed citizens and tourists to experience traditional New Year flavors while savoring the fragrance of ink and appreciating intangible cultural heritage, inheriting the essence of Cittaslow culture.

七、两当慢城

两当慢城开展了“梨园迎春·戏韵传情”戏曲惠民展演、“民俗贺春·万众联欢”社火秧歌汇演等活动，舞龙舞狮、踩高跷、欢歌起舞，各类精彩节目轮番上演，表演者们用精湛的技艺和饱满的热情，舞出两当人民龙马精神的昂扬气象，现场人山人海、喜气洋洋，尽显新春热闹气氛。

VII. Yunping Cittaslow (Liangdang, Gansu)

Yunping Cittaslow launched the "Pear Garden Welcomes Spring—Opera Rhymes Convey Emotion" opera performance benefiting the people, and the "Folk Customs Celebrate Spring—Mass Revelry" Shehuo (community fire ) and Yangko dance gathering. Dragon dances, lion dances, stilt walking (cai gaoqiao ), and joyful singing and dancing—various splendid programs took turns on stage. Performers used exquisite skills and full enthusiasm to dance out the soaring spirit of the people of Liangdang. The scene was packed with people and filled with cheerful atmosphere, fully displaying the lively festive mood of the New Year.

最后，中国慢城希望把这份诚挚温馨的祝福带给所有慢城，祝愿所有慢城人新的一年龙马精神、万事胜意，祝愿国际慢城马到成功、蒸蒸日上！

Finally, Chinese Cittaslow wishes to bring this sincere and warm blessing to all Cittaslow cities: May all Cittaslow people enjoy the spirit of the dragon and horse (Longma Jingshen) and success in all endeavors in the new year; may the International Cittaslow movement achieve immediate success (Ma Dao Chenggong ) and flourish day by day (Zhengzhang Rishang )!