The old town of Xinjiang's Kashi is adorned with lights and decorations, creating a festive atmosphere ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on February 10 this year. Photo:VCG

Kashi, a border city in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has been chosen as one of the co-host cities for the annual CCTV Spring Festival Gala, and local residents are eagerly anticipating the event.

While the official program has yet to be released, it is anticipated that the Gala in Kashi will feature folk dances from various ethnic groups in Xinjiang. The event is set to take place on February 9, 2024.

Qin Zheng, director of the Spring Festival Gala in Kashi, revealed on Thursday that the performance stage will be situated in the old town of Kashi.

"The performance stage for the gala will be a lasting gift to the local people," Qin said in a video released on the Spring Festival Gala's official Weibo account.

Excitement is palpable in Kashi as the Chinese Lunar New Year approaches. The streets and alleys of the city are adorned with red lanterns and colorful flower lanterns. In the Kashi old town, every household has pasted couplets on their doorways.

On Jiefangnan Road, both sides of the street are lined with poetic lantern decorations, totaling more than 1,700 verses, with no repetition.

"These decorations are very innovative. I've brought my child here several times, learning poems while enjoying the view," local resident Wang Tingting was quoted as saying.

The vibrant and colorful lanterns, along with the blazing red lanterns, each carry different meanings. More than 50,000 lanterns and Chinese knots are used to decorate the Kashi old town, according to local official Jiao Junfeng.

To attract even more visitors, vendor Ayizuola Rouzi planned a lantern giveaway activity.

"I didn't expect the Spring Festival Gala to be held in Kashi," she told local media. "This year's Spring Festival holds special significance for the people of Kashi, and I'd like to add more flavor to the happiness here."

The city of Kashi, renowned for its rich historical significance, was once a pivotal stop along the ancient Silk Road, traversed by the legendary Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) explorer Zhang Qian and immortalized in the epic journey of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk Xuanzang.

Kashi's cultural tapestry is woven with unique characteristics, boasting traditional high-rise dwellings, labyrinthine old streets and the warm hospitality of its residents.