Xinjiang villagers enjoy Spring Festival evening galas

Villagers in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region enjoyed audio-visual feasts at evening galas to celebrate the upcoming Spring Festival, which falls on Saturday.

At the Azhan village of Artux city, Kezilesu Kirgiz autonomous prefecture, classic performances were presented at a grand party, such as a vocal solo "Blessing to our motherland" and rap of Manas epic.

"I felt a joyful atmosphere at the gala. I saw happiness on people's face. I hope our hometown become better," said villager Kalbinur Tohtimamat.

A series of activities are being held until March, including presentation of intangible cultural heritage, lantern show, food fair, folk art show and sports events.

At the Xinchengximen village in Turpan city, the square, which can hold nearly 1,000 people, was filled with villagers standing in almost every corner.

Ahmatjan Hopur never trained for Peking Opera. To perform "Ode to Pear Blossoms" for the villagers, he prepared for over a month, learning every detail from television and the internet.

"I listened and sang after work. Then I gradually mastered the lyrics, became familiar with the melody, and then studied the movements of the concubine. Singing 'Ode to Pear Blossoms' at the gala is to let everyone feel the charm of Peking Opera, and the charm of our excellent traditional culture," he said.

At the Pochengzi village of Bole city, Bortala Mongolian autonomous prefecture, dragon and lion dances, gongs and drums, dry-land boat rowing, stilt walking, yangko dance, folk martial arts, folk dances, and other performances attracted many people, with continuous cheers and applause.

Traditional competitions such as archery, spinning tops and tug-of-war were enthusiastically participated in, allowing the on-site audience to enjoy the fun of sports. Voluntary haircuts, free clinics, and various voluntary promotional activities were also held.

At the evening gala of Tacheng prefecture, besides singing and dancing, villagers shared their stories on the stage, such as Yang Haoran, who uses drones to plant cotton.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism released 91 demonstration sites of village evening galas, including six in Xinjiang. Such event has become a way to enrich spiritual life of rural people and boost tourism.

This year's Spring Festival Gala held by China Central Television set a branch venue in Kashgar prefecture, the first time for the gala to be held in Xinjiang.