Beijing illuminates new winter tourism

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By Xin Wen (China Daily) 08:41, February 20, 2024

On a bitterly cold Beijing evening in late November, 27-year-old Li Chuhan was one of thousands of spectators mesmerized by a light show that looked like spectacular scenes from a Harry Potter movie.

A flock of illuminated giant phoenixes — trailing long, fiery tail feathers — circled, soared and swooped over the lake near the Solana shopping mall in Chaoyang district.

Dressed in a thick coat and holding a camera, Li was surrounded by a group of people and jostled to capture images of the phoenixes, which in mythology are reborn through fire and ashes.

The simulated phoenixes that transfixed the crowd during the Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival were "kites" powered by drones with a series of lights attached.

The festival, held along the Liangma River and across other landmark locations in Chaoyang, featured more than 100 cultural, commercial and tourism events.

Although she was chilled to the bone as she clutched her camera, Li said she hoped more light shows would be held in Beijing in the winter. "It's only on rare occasions that wintry days like these don't dampen people's enthusiasm to go out," she said, adding the night was a precious moment that lifted her spirits.

When it comes to winter spectacles, Harbin in Heilongjiang province traditionally captures the public imagination with its exhibitions of elaborate ice and snow sculptures. However, Beijing is catching up fast. Dazzling light displays in bustling commercial areas, augmented by lanterns hung on suburban trees for Chinese New Year, are trending topics on social media.

A large number of fish lanterns shining blue light on trees lit purple, nicknamed "Big Fish and Begonia" by netizens, have been praised for creating a cool urban atmosphere in Chaoyang's Sanlitun area. Other attractions that have gained attention include glowing spherical lights floating on the Liangma River in Chaoyang that twinkle in various colors, and clusters of red and yellow lights adorning trees in Moshikou Street in western Shijingshan district to welcome the arrival of Chinese New Year.

Shining examples

Experts are hopeful the city's displays, set against the backdrop of modern and older buildings, will prove to be another popular winter tourism attraction.

Li Li is the director of the Light and Shadow Center at the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design's Beijing Planning and Design Consultants Co, the major design institute responsible for the light show in Chaoyang. She believes the multicolored light displays and accompanying performances have added vibrancy to the city's winter skies.

"We wanted a pyrotechnic atmosphere that contrasts with the traditional cold, reinforced concrete image of a metropolis," she said. "We aimed to bring relaxation and pleasure rather than tension and stress to the business districts in Beijing, further restoring the city's charm during winter nights."

According to Li Li, the light shows complement the city's architecture and culture, and strengthen the image of urban cultural districts.

Li Chuhan, the engineer, said that she had never seen such a large number of people on the streets near Solana in winter. Visitors were crammed together as they crossed bridges over the Liangma River, and security guards used megaphones to ensure that the crowds moved safely.

Li Chuhan studied electrical engineering in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, from 2019 to 2022. She recalled that during Chinese New Year, the annual Qinhuai Lantern Festival held along scenic streets near the Confucius Temple added sparkle to the city's celebrations.

Although a Beijing native, she said in the past she had seldom attended lantern fairs in the city due to them being few in number and usually having lackluster decorations.

However, the light show on the Liangma River helped change her mind.

"Unlike the usual displays, the lighting along the river enthralled me," she said. "At a pier, light projections were cast on the wall of a building, constantly changing with the music, creating an artistic atmosphere that made me feel relaxed and joyful.

"That night, the river and shopping mall took on a chic appearance under the lights, with the architecture and nearby walking trails looking like the city of my dreams," Li Chuhan added.

Magical Moshikou

The red lanterns adorning Moshikou Street in Shijingshan district have also struck a chord with Beijingers and visiting tourists.

On the lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, the hashtag "Moshikou" has generated more than 1.16 million views and the topic "Moshikou Street" has amassed over 780,000 views.

Taking pictures at dusk of the Moshikou Street lanterns has become a major trend on social media.

Zeng Huifan, 33, was among those who shared her posts on Xiaohongshu shortly after she visited the street at night.

Inspired by the approaching Chinese New Year, Zeng, an amateur photographer, decided in early January to capture the allure of the red lanterns.

"It's rare to find a place with such a large number of lanterns in Beijing as those areas have been eclipsed by the proliferation of high-rise buildings," she said.