Residents select decorations for the upcoming Spring Festival at a fair along Shanghai Road of Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Jan. 14, 2023. Photo:Xinhua
 

The Spring Festival beginning the Year of the Rabbit is approaching. This is the first Spring Festival after China optimized and adjusted its epidemic prevention and control policy. The strong New Year's vibe and the hustle and bustle recently show that this will be the busiest and most energetic Spring Festival in three years, making the upcoming reunion moment more precious and exciting.

Due to the epidemic and other reasons, for many families, this will also be the first "reunion year" in several years, and everyone's desire for family reunion is greater than ever. The most obvious sign is that an increasing number of people are on the road. According to data from the Ministry of Transport, the total passenger flow during this year's Spring Festival travel season will be about 2.095 billion, which is about 70 percent of that in 2019 before the epidemic. It can be clearly seen that Chinese social life is in a process of rapid recovery. 

With crowds at airports and passenger stations and long queues of cars on expressways, the lively Spring Festival has returned to life after three years. The world is often amazed by the large-scale flow of people during the Spring Festival travel season. In this spectacular scene, the countless bounding pulses of China's gigantic body are showing the Chinese society's vitality and resilience in an unparalleled manner.  

The ancient customs of the Spring Festival have traveled through thousands of years, integrated into the blood of the Chinese people, and become the rhythm of warmth rooted in the deepest hearts of all Chinese people. Whether it is a Chinese citizen traveling overseas or a migrant worker away from home, going home for the Lunar New Year is the most important thing at this moment. No matter how good or bad the past year has been, and no matter how many difficulties there have been, when the Spring Festival's Eve comes, the steaming reunion dinner is the most beautiful meal in the world. In this warm and happy moment, the hard work of the whole year has become worthwhile. This is the Chinese people's family values, and it also sustains the strong cohesion of the big Chinese family.

In traditional Chinese culture, the Spring Festival's Eve is a day to get rid of the old and bring forth the new. It is a product of the Chinese people's concept of time, which means bidding farewell to the past and welcoming the future. This makes the Spring Festival a special moment in the spiritual structure of the Chinese people. In this sense, this year's Spring Festival means "turning the page" of a special period, and the hope for being together for the future. After this Spring Festival of particularly strong festive atmosphere, we will be greeted with a new beginning for a period where all are competing to thrive and everything takes a fresh look.

The new year marks a new beginning, and people can refresh themselves to create new possibilities. This is exactly the optimism in the character of the Chinese nation. The general confidence that China will become better in the Year of the Rabbit also makes this Spring Festival more festive and makes people feel more relaxed. Much of this confidence stems from facts. 

The Chinese economy has shown momentum for an overall improvement, and it will form a stronger growth potential after the Spring Festival. This is the consensus of professionals around the world. In the Year of the Rabbit, China's comprehensive social and economic development is worth expectation. Even though the COVID-19 epidemic may resurge and its risk to life and health may exist for a long time, it has been kept under control. Out of the restrictions brought about by the epidemic, we can finally roll up our sleeves to work harder.

The recovery of the tourism and film markets is an important indicator. Holiday travel has seen "rocketing quantity and prices" again, while the race for the holiday box office has started with seven domestic films scheduled for the Spring Festival holidays and impressive pre-sale box office. Whether traveling with families, going to the cinema or watching the Spring Festival Gala at home, they are all good ways to celebrate the festival. The most important thing is that all family members are together.

In recent years, the promotion of consumption during the Spring Festival holidays has attracted public attention, but it should be pointed out that the Spring Festival is not a big shopping festival, and besides its economic significance, its cultural and spiritual connotations are more important. The Spring Festival is an emotional and cultural bond for all Chinese people around the globe, including Taiwan compatriots. A greeting of "Happy Chinese New Year" can immediately draw people's hearts closer.

For other countries in the world, the China and Chinese people presented during the Spring Festival are the most authentic, amiable, lovely and respectable. Many foreign politicians will extend New Year greetings to the Chinese people during the holidays. Their friendly attitude will be immediately conveyed to the hearts of the Chinese people, making the Spring Festival a rare opportunity to promote harmonious coexistence between different civilizations. The world is more beautiful because of the Chinese New Year.

There will be two lichun or the "Beginning of Spring," the first of the 24 Solar Terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, this year. That is considered to be an auspicious sign in China. In this Year of the Rabbit with two "starters," we have reason to expect that everything will become better in the new year for us, for our families and for our country.