Illustration: Xia Qing/Global Times

As Chinese New Year approaches, folk artists have been practicing walking on stilts on the streets of Jinan, East China's Shandong Province. Dozens of young men stepped on stilts at a height of 1 to 3 meters, jumping on one foot, or dancing to the beat of drums. The thrilling and difficult movements drew applause from passersby. Walking on stilts is a traditional Chinese pastime that dates back thousands of years. A citizen said that it had been a long time since he had seen such a wonderful acrobatic performance on the spot. As soon as the performers on stilts appear, the atmosphere of Chinese New Year is felt. With the adjustment and optimization of the epidemic prevention and control policy in China, various offline activities have picked up across the board. In addition to the emergence of street performers, the number of people in major shopping malls, cinemas, and restaurants has increased significantly, and people's consumption enthusiasm has been high, with a strong festive atmosphere.