A 38-day Lunar New Year shopping fair opened in Haikou's Qilou Historical and Cultural Quarter on January 25. Running through March 3, the event spans the entire Spring Festival holiday period of the Year of the Fire Horse, offering a blend of traditional celebration and modern flair for residents and visitors.

The festival's centerpiece is the division of the quarter into five themed zones, each marked by a distinctive sculpture of a horse—an emblem of the upcoming lunar year. The zones are named for five fundamental Chinese blessings: Fu (福, good fortune), Lu (禄, prosperity), Shou (寿, longevity), Xi (喜, happiness), and Cai (财, wealth).

Each zone offers a unique experience: the Fu zone features a range of curated duty-free and international goods; Lu highlights local products and Southeast Asian souvenirs; Shou showcases cultural brands rooted in intangible and traditional crafts; Xi dishes up local snacks and creative desserts; and Cai provides hands-on workshops for traditional customs like writing Spring Festival couplets and making paper cuttings.

Market stalls are filled with a wide array of holiday goods, from snacks and candies to cured meats, festive pastries, drinks, and decorations.

Adding to the fun, a special interactive game will run from January 31 to February 8. Four characters with Southeast Asian themes will be stationed around the area. Residents and visitors can complete challenges with them to collect "blessing fragments" and unlock luck for the New Year.

The festival also includes a series of cultural performances. In addition to those held on opening night (January 25), themed performances and parades will be held on the second and fifth days of the Lunar New Year (February 18 and 21), celebrating Hainan’s traditional customs and delivering blessings, respectively. The event concludes on March 3 with a Lantern Festival finale, featuring a lantern procession and performances.

(Photos: Ma Yiming / Hinews)