The "longest Spring Festival holiday in history", spanning 9 days, has come to an end, and the Haishu District's cultural tourism market has gotten off to a "flying start". A reporter learned from the Haishu District Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports that from February 15 to February 23, the district's 7 A-level scenic spots received 284,600 visiting person times, generating an operating income of 3.8208 million yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 28.13%.

During the Year of the Horse Spring Festival, Haishu's cultural tourism sector adopted the "Horse" as its core IP, launching a series of immersive and culturally rich New Year activities, revitalizing traditional culture during the festive season.

The highly popular Tianyi Pavilion Museum, themed around the "Horse", meticulously crafted a special event called "Garden Tour & Stamp Collecting: Seeking Fortune with the Steed". Inspired by its collection masterpiece, the plaster sculpture "Horses at Leisure in Mountain Stream", it launched a stamp collection booklet featuring the "Eight Steeds Bestowing Fortune" design. Visitors follow the guide to stroll through the ancient pavilion, participating in fun interactions like a mini-imperial exam experience and rubbing patterns for the Year of the Horse, collecting fortune stamps amidst the scholarly atmosphere and receiving auspicious blessings for the Year of the Horse.

This year coincides with the 460th anniversary of the Tianyi Pavilion's completion. The museum's New Year activities were wonderfully diverse. On the first day of the lunar new year, a surprise "New Year Lucky Bag Giveaway" was launched online, presenting the first batch of visitors with a limited-edition "460th Anniversary Commemorative Ticket", creating a beautiful convergence of historical heritage and New Year blessings. On the fifth day, intangible cultural heritage lion dances leaped agilely, and the melodious tunes of Yue Opera filled the air. Traditional performances took turns on stage, with the sound of gongs and drums filling the air, creating an overwhelmingly festive atmosphere.

The live water performance was also very popular. On the fifth day of the lunar new year, the classic IP folk performance "Cormorant Fishing" at the Tianyi Pavilion · Moon Lake Scenic Area was staged as scheduled. An old fisherman gently wielded a bamboo pole, while cormorants leaped into the water to catch fish, outlining a vivid and lively picture of a water town south of the Yangtze River Delta on the blue waves. This attracted many visitors to stop, watch, and take photos, allowing them to experience the unique charm of this intangible cultural heritage folk custom.

△ Photo by Xin Zhicheng

During the Spring Festival, the lantern show is an indispensable element of the festive atmosphere. As night falls, the Ningbo Luocheng Lantern Exhibition lights up the night sky. A scroll of dazzling lights and shadows connects landmarks such as the Gulou (Drum Tower), the Moon Lake, and the Chenghuang Temple (City God Temple), filling the air with the New Year's vibe. The brilliant lights also brought tangible popularity: from February 15 to February 21, the Gulou Yan Block (Drum Tower Area) received approximately 261,700 person times, with a year-on-year increase of 2.78%; the Chenghuang Temple area received approximately 380,600 visitors, with a year-on-year increase of 3.10%. The night tour economy continues to boom.

While the urban area buzzed with activities, rural cultural tourism was equally popular. The Lijiakeng Village in the Zhangshui Town launched a fish lantern parade. At 5:30 every evening, agile fish lanterns wound through the ancient village's alleys, their flowing light and shadow fully displaying the village's New Year flavor. The Maoxin Village in the Gulin Town created a Straw Fairytale Kingdom spanning over 20,000 square meters, transforming into a rural version of "Disneyland". Visitors used grain coupons to unlock garden surprises, with parents and children playing joyfully amidst the rural idyll, making it a popular choice for suburban leisure during the Spring Festival holiday. Over the 9-day holiday, the Maoxin Village received over 60,000 person times and achieved an operating income of 245,000 yuan.