Tourists from home and abroad have arrived in Shanghai to usher in the year of 2025 at Longhua Temple on Tuesday night in both traditional and chic ways.
From dreamlike drone shows and feasts of dazzling lights to bell ringing and dragon and lion dances, tourists from countries such as Germany, Japan, Slovakia and Indonesia and foreign students in Shanghai will celebrate the New Year together in a boisterous and festive atmosphere.
For the first time, the event, which dates back to 1989, has been expanded to the banks of the Huangpu River with a grand celebration and visual feast to wow travelers at Gate M West Bund Dream Center, a former cement factory turned landmark.
The West Bund is illuminated by nearly 1,000 lights, casting a magical glow along the 800-meter riverside promenade. The lights have created a dreamy atmosphere, reminiscent of snowflakes gently falling onto a starry river.
Tourists can enjoy the fun of skating at a large-scale outdoor ice rink by the riverside, a dock light show, winter market, and pop-up performances on the West Bund.
Adding to the magic, Brass Band, China’s iconic jazz brass ensemble, will lead a lively parade along the waterfront, with musical performances and float parades.
“Shanghai is very special because the city combines culture and modern architecture, traditional buildings and modern skyscrapers, for me it’s really amazing,” said Varvara Savilova from Russia.
The main venue for the 2025 Shanghai New Year’s first tour is at the Longhua area.
A giant folk-themed paper-cutting scroll, created by the team of Li Shoubai, a representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Shanghai-style paper-cutting, panoramically showcased the features of Xuhui and Shanghai at Longhua Square, skillfully blending Shanghai’s diverse culture with the festive atmosphere of the New Year and expressing people’s beautiful expectations for 2025.
At the same time, the square’s pool is adorned with romantic river lanterns.
The celebration will climax when the bronze bell was rung at midnight on New Year’s Eve at the Longhua Temple, a traditional way to celebrate the New Year in China.
The bell is struck 108 times, a tradition believed to bring good luck while eliminating grief and worry.
,https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2501016047/