Chongqing- The Spring Festival is a yearly celebration in China that dates back millennia. A key preparation involves the purchase of new year goods, which covers an expansive range of products such as food, clothing, accessories, games, and kitchenware.
Snacks and gifts also play an important role, so it’s common to find many sweets and dried goods like nuts for visits from relatives and friends over the New Year. Presenting hosts with a gift is also a customary habit during this festive period.
In the weeks leading up to the Chinese New Year, local markets are set up in cities across China, such as in Gulou Square of Chongqing Nanchuan District, which opened to the public a fortnight in advance on 7th January 2023.
In addition to the usual range of products on offer, there were many stalls with specialty goods and foodstuffs originating from counties and districts around Chongqing Municipality and neighboring provinces to entice the public with greater choice and excitement.
After seeing the bright colors, rich offerings, and lively atmosphere through online recommendations, iChongqing reporter James Alexander visited the new year goods market in Nanchuan District, which takes about one hour and a half to drive going southeast from the Chongqing Urban Area, and explores the market first hand.
(Li Shichen and Zhou Wanting, as interns, also contributed to the report.)