Wang Jingli wangjingli0715@163.com FOR people in Guangdong Province, no Spring Festival is complete without visiting at least one flower fair. The 2024 Shenzhen Spring Festival Flower Fair is being held until Feb. 9, which is Chinese New Year’s Eve. All city districts, the Dapeng New Area and the Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone have each set up a flower fair this year. They are collectively referred to as 2024 Shenzhen Spring Festival Flower Fair. There are nearly 300 shopping spots with nearly 4,300 stalls across the city that allow citizens to buy flowers and decorations for the upcoming Chinese New Year. Over 1 million people are expected to visit the flower fairs across the city this year. Long-standing tradition Attending a flower fair during the Spring Festival is a long-standing tradition in Guangdong Province’s Lingnan, an area that covers the lands in the south of the Nanling Mountains. The tradition can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Flowers are a necessity when decorating for Chinese New Year because they are regarded as the epitome of fortune, prosperity, and blessings. Each flower or fruit species has its own auspicious meaning. The peach blossom, for example, signifies romance and a happy marriage. Tangerine trees are seen as auspicious because the pronunciation of “tangerine” sounds the same as “auspiciousness” in Cantonese. The butterfly orchid suggests future happiness. Residents can also buy Spring Festival decorations including Chinese couplets (complementary poetic lines used to decorate the entrances to homes), Chinese handicrafts, and delicious snacks at the flower fairs. Holiday spending boom Many vendors at the Aiguo Road flower fair in Luohu District, which opened Saturday, said they are confident about sales this year based on the foot traffic at the venue. The Aiguo Road fair has been held since 1998. A seller surnamed Shen said this was their second time attending the fair. “Aiguo Road flower fair is probably the most popular one. We prepared for a long time and are confidant about our sales,” said Shen. Wei Minglai, deputy director of Luohu District’s urban management bureau, said that there was competitive bidding for stalls at the Aiguo Road flower fair this year. “A total of 311 stalls were auctioned Dec. 30. Both the stated price of a stall and the total auction sales hit a record high, which shows a high level of confidence on the part of merchants,” said Wei. Another vendor, surnamed Wang, at the One Avenue venue in Futian District said that he has sold white willows at the flower fair for five years. “The sales were pretty good. We design each pot of white willows with a special meaning and have improved our products every year to satisfy our customers,” said Wang. “When the flower fair opens, I really feel the arrival of the New Year,” a buyer surnamed Li said. “My family and I visit the flower fair to buy flowers to usher in a year full of blessings and good fortune.” Highlights of venues Near the entrance of the Aiguo Road flower fair, hundreds of yellow lanterns were hung in the sky in the shape of dragon to mark the year of the dragon. The fair also saw the integration of tech elements this year. Visitors are able to scan a QR code at the entrance of the flower market, which allows them to enter the New Year world of the augmented reality (AR) metaverse. After entering the metaverse, visitors can take photos with virtual flowers, animals, and New Year scenes as well as enjoy the flower market in the virtual space. One Avenue’s Tianyuan Street is the center stage of Futian District’s flower fair. A pink dragon was placed at the entrance. The fair also features live performances and floral installations. The Bao’an District flower fair is being held on the 2-kilometer-long Baywalk Bridge to offer a unique shopping experience. The bridge, comparable to the High Line Park in New York City, is elevated above the streets. It spans six major roads and links nearby landmarks such as the Bao’an Library, the Bay Opera of Shenzhen, and OH Bay. The flower fair at the Shenzhen MSU-BIT University in Longgang District is a perfect choice for those who seek to experience a mix of Chinese traditions and Russian architecture and culture. The venue houses more than 100 stalls. Citizens can check the WeChat account “美麗深圳” (mlszgzh) for information on the locations of flower fairs across the city. | 