China News Service, Hong Kong, February 9th: Hong Kong people celebrate New Year’s Eve happily
China News Service reporter Dai Menglan
Visiting the flower market, shopping for intangible cultural heritage, and having New Year's Eve dinner with the whole family... Although there was light rain in Hong Kong from time to time on New Year's Eve, many Hong Kong citizens still spent the last day of the Year of the Rabbit in a joyful atmosphere.
The Victoria Park (Victoria Park) New Year's Eve Market, located near Tin Hau MTR Station, is the largest New Year's Eve flower market in Hong Kong. The reporter saw at the scene that day that the market was crowded with people, and citizens carefully selected a "gift of spring" to take back. Family, I look forward to starting a good start for the New Year.
The picture shows Hong Kong citizens purchasing New Year flowers at the Victoria Park New Year Eve Market on February 9. Photo by China News Service reporter Dai Menglan
Mr. Li, the "post-95s" owner of Meilanhua Stall, which specializes in orchids, said in an interview with reporters that he and a group of "post-00s" friends jointly run this stall, and they added innovative elements such as LED lights to the New Year flower packaging. This year is the second time he has participated in the Victoria Park New Year's Eve Market. The overall business situation is better than last year, and the sales on New Year's Eve were higher than in the previous days. The Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Paul Chan, also visited the Victoria Park New Year's Eve Market that afternoon. He purchased orchids and dry goods, shook hands and talked with citizens to wish them a happy new year.
In addition to visiting the flower market, tasting intangible cultural heritage is also one of the options for Hong Kong people to celebrate the festival. A "mobile intangible cultural heritage" exhibition vehicle next to Hing Fat Street in Causeway Bay is quite conspicuous in the dense flow of people. From time to time, people board the vehicle to learn about Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage.
Staff member Mr. Kwan introduced to reporters that the "Mobile Intangible Cultural Heritage" exhibition vehicle was jointly developed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the SAR Government, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office and the Changchun Society Cultural Monuments Resource Center (now known as the "Hong Kong Cultural Monuments Resource Center") As a special event planned, the exhibition truck usually goes to schools and communities for display. On New Year's Eve, more citizens and tourists came to visit than usual. Everyone was more interested in Cantonese dim sum steamers, traditional Chinese calendars and lion head making techniques.
Eating New Year's Eve dinner is an essential part of New Year's Eve. Ms. Dai, the manager of a Hunan cuisine restaurant near Tsim Sha Tsui, said that in order to welcome the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon, the restaurant has recently updated its menu based on the taste preferences of the Hong Kong market while retaining the characteristics of Hunan cuisine. The restaurant's New Year's Eve dinner tables are mostly booked in advance.
"Tonight we are going to try Hong Kong's special Poon Choi for New Year's Eve dinner." At the famous scenic spot Golden Bauhinia Square, Beijing tourist Ms. Gao and her mother took a photo excitedly in front of the Golden Bauhinia sculpture. She told reporters that she had long heard about the beautiful meaning of "full bowls" of Poon Choi. She specially arranged to experience it during her trip to Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year. She will also visit Hong Kong Disneyland next time.
When Liang Jundu, the director of the Hong Kong Oriental Painting and Calligraphy Academy, was preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner, he specially invited several young people from the mainland who were staying in Hong Kong for the New Year to participate, hoping to bring the warmth of home to the young people. He told reporters that on New Year's Eve, he admired several Year of the Dragon paintings at home by his friend Ye Jincheng, a member of the Chinese Artists Association. The dragon is the totem of the Chinese nation, representing authority, strength and auspiciousness. He hopes that in the Year of the Dragon, the world will be peaceful and the country will develop prosperously; Hong Kong will complete the legislation of Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law as soon as possible to ensure social prosperity and stability; I wish my relatives and friends good health and "good luck in the Year of the Dragon, and a one-stop service".
The company of relatives and friends is the collective memory of the New Year. On New Year's Eve, Wan Chai District Councilor Mok Ka-jun posted a photo of himself and his wife taking their baby to register their birth on WeChat Moments. He said with a smile: "My child is finally a person with an identity!" In the Year of the Rabbit, Mu Ka-jun not only achieved His career changed from a middle school teacher to a district councilor and he also became a father. He told reporters that on New Year's Eve, he planned to go to the Tin Hau Temple near Causeway Bay to burn incense. He hoped to spend more time with his family and provide good services to the community in the Year of the Dragon. (over)