Chengdu Spring Festival Survival Guide

Posted 2021-04-29 ChengduExpat

It’s that time of year again, Chinese New Year has crept up on us and you find yourself with no plans. It's the world’s largest annual human mass migration and instead of joining in with the exodus, you’ve decided to stay behind in the hope of missing all the insane travelling crowds and inflated ticket prices. That or you just spent all your money on a Christmas holiday.

Then as more people leave and everything starts to shut, you realise you’re in a ghost town. Your favourite noodle shop is no longer open and you’re left staring at your hob contemplating cooking for the first time since you moved in. Don’t fret though as you’re not as alone as you feel, we’re here to help you make the most of Chengdu during this quiet period.

What’s Closed or Open?

As mentioned before, this period is the time where most establishments close. All enterprises and public institutions (such as banks) in China will take a 7-day holiday and your favourite tiny local noodle shops will most likely all be shut with the owners off celebrating. Western restaurants aren’t exempt from this either so here’s a list of the restaurants shut for the holidays.

 List of businesses closing:Feel free to comment down the post if there are some places we missed

Not everyone gets a holiday though, so you don’t have to starve. Most supermarkets and malls (Taikoo Li, MixC, Galleria, IFS, Joy City, Yintai Centre etc) will be open just with limited hours as well as some bigger chain Chinese restaurants so local families can still enjoy their hot pot. 

Many western restaurants are usually over the holidays but to be on the safe side, message their WeChat account beforehand. 

 List of businesses that stay open:

Local and national public transport also runs as usual, with only a few smaller buses cancelling their routes but expect intercity trains to be incredibly expensive and busy.

Lantern Festivals 

The Lantern Festival is an essential celebration during In Chinese New Year, celebrating both the first day of New Year and the start of Spring. Traditionaly lanterns were lit to celebrate and over time the Lantern Festival became a staple of the new year period. Zigong Lantern Festival is the most famous, but Chengdu is also hosting some of it's own:

1) Panda Lantern Show @ Longquan:

The 50th Chengdu International Panda Lantern Show at Qicai Tianye Scenic Spot in east suburban Chengdu. As the largest lantern show in the city, this one is expected to bring audiences can expect a real show to be put on.

Time:

Feb.10 - March 10

Tickets:

40RMB/ 60RMB

Location: 

Flower Town 七彩田野，三圣乡

No.88 Jinjiang Liuxin Road, Longquanyi District 

龙泉驿区晋江柳路号

How to get there ?

Bus: 186、172、258

During Chinese New Year you can also get shuttle bus from Global Center or Sichuan Normal University direct get there 

2) Wuhou Temple Grand Fair (Guang Miao Hui):

Many people go to traditional temple fairs during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) for ritual praying, entertainment, . They’re a window into the past and a great opportunity to experience local culture and traditions. Traditional cultural performances such as playing diabolo, traditional magic, puppet shows and so on can be seen. Besides, people can buy all kinds of daily things at very low prices and have a fun day out (if you're not afraid of crowds).

The main stage of the Wuhou Temple Fair will put on several award-winning performances including two sets of dances of Sichuan Opera, several local bands and three bands from Europe will perform. Here you can shop for some trinkets and gorge on local snacks. If you're stuck at home and want to experience a festive day out look no further. 

Time:

Feb.13 - March 4

Ticket:

30RMB

Location: 

Wuhou Temple 武侯祠

Wuhou Street No. 231/ 武侯街231号

How to get there ?

Line 3 Gaoshengqiao station is the closest subway station to there 

  Mix City Pink Valentine’s

ALL PINK: This year is the first time ever that Valentines Day and Chinese New Year coincide on the same day. To celebrate this, The Mix City shopping mall is hosting a Valentine's event where lovers can pose in a specially constructed pink city and a sea of pink roses.

Location: 

Mix City 万象城

How to get there ?

Subway Line 4 Shuangqiao Road 

Chengdu Bus Rapid Transit: WannianChang Station

Du Fu Thatched Cottage New Year Couplets

Writing and displaying Spring Festival Couplets (chunlian) is an ancient Chinese tradition. Traditionally displaying them outside their doors. Written vertically with black or gold characters on red paper and composed of a pair of poetry lines side by side. There will be a competition for the best Festival Couplets, organised and judged by the Chengdu Art Institute. The winning entries will be displayed at Du Fu Thatched Cottage from February 10th to March 10th.

Tickets:

30RMB

Location: 

No,37 Qinghua Road, Qingyang District 青羊区青华路37号

How to get there ?

Subway Line 4 Dufu Cottage station 

Bus: 19、35、58、82、151

 Loose yourself in Lights

, a new immersive audio visual experience is coming to Taikoo Li. Conceptually inspired by .zip – the uncompressing and generating of compressed files – this new, incredibly striking multi media exhibition is showing until April 21st 2018. 9 artists use their imagination to display unique spaces, allowing the audience to explore the relationship between immersive spaces and self experience and to evaluate how technology is shaping our lives.

Online Tickets: 128rmb pp or 228 for 2 people or 150rmb on the door

M071, Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu. 

成都远洋太古里M层M071号

 Chinese NY Films

Just like Christmas, the Lunar Festival has its own cinematic offerings. Produced in China and Hong Kong the genre of these films is called "hesuipian" devoted to Lunar New Year. The films are usually illogical, uplifting comedies, with a focus on families and happy endings to make viewers feel warm and fuzzy. Holiday favorites include the "All's Well, Ends Well" series (the 1992 classic stars Stephen Chow and Maggie Cheung), "Fat Choi Spirit" and "It's a Mad Mad World." All cinemas will will be open just so you can go check these seasonal films. 

-Monster Hunt 2-       -A Beautiful Moment-

-The Monkey King 3: Kingdom of Women -     -The Faces of My Gene-

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