Spring Festival shopping lists showcased in Xi’s pre-holiday visits highlight commitment to people’s well-being
Editor's Note:
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most significant traditional holiday in China, symbolizing family reunions and marking a farewell to the old while welcoming the new. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, every Spring Festival, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has taken time out of his busy schedule to reach out to the grassroots level, engaging in conversations with ordinary people and frontline workers from various sectors.
From preparations for the Chinese New Year to local customs celebrated during this festival, Xi's heartfelt conversations with people across the country reflect his genuine blessings and deep care for the populace. These moments also serve as a microcosm of the continuous development of China's economy and society, as well as the ongoing improvement of living standards for the Chinese people.
The Spring Festival has been successfully inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) list of intangible cultural heritage. As this year's Spring Festival approaches, the Global Times is presenting a two-part series that follows in Xi's footsteps to explore the various festival traditions and the joyful lives of people across the country.
This is the first installment of the series. It focuses on Spring Festival foods and purchases highlighted during Xi's pre-festival inspection tours, which embody the romance of this traditional Chinese festival and reflect Xi's genuine care for the people.
The Spring Festival holds a special place in the hearts of the Chinese people, embodying warmth and family joy. During this festive season, the celebrations of ordinary families resonate deeply with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who genuinely cares about whether the Chinese people can enjoy a prosperous New Year filled with abundance.
"My biggest wish is that all of us will have a happy Lunar New Year. Party committees and governments at all levels should earnestly ensure the supply of electricity, gas, and heating during the festival, ensure that necessities such as 'vegetable baskets,' 'rice bags,' and 'fruit plates' are in ample supply, and strengthen supervision over food safety," Xi said ahead of the 2023 Chinese Lunar New Year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
"Letting the people of all ethnic groups have a good life," is Xi's aspiration, which is evident in his thoughtful consideration of New Year goods each year. Reflecting on Xi's annual "Spring Festival footsteps," it is evident that no matter where he goes, he always cares about how the people are living and whether they have prepared their festive goods. This "Spring Festival shopping list" reflects a profound commitment to the well-being of the Chinese people and embodies a beautiful vision for the high-quality development of their lives.
'We were greatly inspired'
The Spring Festival is a wonderful moment to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, always bringing new hope to the people. In China, it is not merely a celebration of the changing seasons and the passage of time; it is also a moment brimming with hope for the future.
In February 2015, shortly before the Spring Festival, a group of villagers gathered at the entrance of Liangjiahe village in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province to welcome Xi. The cave dwellings of Liangjiahe were nestled among the mountains and scattered across the valleys of the Loess Plateau.
As Xi walked with the villagers from the entrance into the heart of the village, memories came rushing back. In 1969, Xi, just shy of turning 16, was sent to live in Liangjiahe as an "educated youth." He would spend the next seven of his most formative years living in that rural hamlet. That area was where the Communist revolutionaries, including his father, rose to found New China, according to Xinhua.
During this visit, Xi brought gifts such as dumpling flour, rice, cooking oil, and meat products, as well as couplets and New Year paintings, ensuring that every household received a share. As they reminisced and exchanged pleasantries, his primary concern remained the villagers' well-being, including their food, clothing, and living conditions.
"President Xi asked how we resolved our water issues and how we were living. His questions were so thoughtful; they warmed my heart," recalled villager Liu Jinlian, as reported by Xinhua. Although the cave dwelling still bore the marks of the past, Liu's life had undergone a remarkable transformation. "At that time, we had no worries about food or clothing; life was much better than before," Liu said. "After his visit, the people in the village were greatly inspired to improve our lives."
In pursuit of poverty alleviation, Liangjiahe established a rural cultural tourism company in 2015, merging tourism development with poverty alleviation efforts. Villagers sprang into action - some opened farm stays, while others became shuttle drivers, finding work right at their doorsteps and benefiting from the burgeoning tourism industry.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Liangjiahe has successfully lifted itself out of poverty by focusing on rural tourism, apple cultivation, and village-enterprise processing. The villagers have transitioned from poverty to prosperity. Per capita net yearly income for villagers soared from 7,917 yuan ($1,093) in 2012 to 18,120 yuan in 2021, Xinhua reported.
Villagers now reside in new homes, operate farm stays, and enjoy paved roads and cultural activity squares. With apple demonstration gardens and modern breeding bases, the people of Liangjiahe are steadily realizing their dreams of a better life through hard work.
In his heart, Xi carries the hopes of countless "Liangjiahes." "The essence of governance is livelihood, and the right way to ensure people's livelihoods is to understand the hardships in their lives." - Xi once cited this ancient proverb to underscore the people-centered philosophy in governance, Xinhua reported.
Stable, fresh supply guaranteed
People's ability to joyfully celebrate the Chinese New Year largely depends on their access to goods in the market. This has been a concern for Xi, who has often reflected on it during pre-festival inspections at various consumer venues over the years, including community supermarkets, rural shops, and stores at highway service areas.
On February 4, 2021, he visited a supermarket called Heli Huimin Fresh in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province. At the supermarket, he checked the supply of goods for the Spring Festival holidays and their prices, Xinhua reported.
"When President Xi visited, I was filled with excitement. His warm smile lit up our dining area as he inquired about each dish and its price. Learning that customers could enjoy a hearty meal for around 20 yuan, he praised our affordable pricing, clearly valuing the people's needs," Liu Bing, the technical guidance at the processing department of the supermarket, told the Global Times.
According to Li Dexiang, who works at the supermarket, the store offers 40 essential goods at government-guided prices, typically 10 to 30 percent lower than nearby markets. Items like radishes and cabbages have been staples in the "one-yuan sales area."
"The affordability of produce stems from a decade of government rent subsidies, the establishment of supply bases, and direct sourcing, allowing us to pass savings on to consumers," Li told the Global Times.
This is not the first time Xi has shown concern for the public's festive shopping needs. In February 2024, he visited Tianjin, emphasizing the need for local governments to enhance the supply of essential goods during the holiday season, ensuring abundance, variety, and quality for a worry-free celebration, Xinhua reported.
With the holiday approaching this year, government departments at all levels across China are intensifying their efforts to stabilize prices and secure supplies. Measures include enhancing emergency response and timely monitoring of goods' supply and price changes.
A snack brings smiles
In the vibrant village of Desheng in North China's Hebei Province, villagers believe that a simple snack can bring smiles and prosperity. This festive cake, known as "kai kou xiao," literally translates to "mouth-opening smile" - an apt name for its appearance as golden, fried dough balls with a cracked surface resembling a grinning mouth.
As the Spring Festival approaches, households like that of Liu Guirong, a 65-year-old villager in Desheng, are bustling with frying up these festive treats. For Liu, "kai kou xiao" has transformed from a traditional festive food into a symbol of her village's remarkable journey toward rural revitalization and prosperity.
This transformation began in January 2017 when Xi inspected Desheng village, visiting and chatting with poor families, discussing how they could shake off poverty, Xinhua reported.
During this inspection, Xi sampled the "kai kou xiao" and praised its deliciousness. Liu was among those who prepared the snack that day, and also participated in the discussions in which where Xi helped a villager meticulously calculate household income and expenses. Xi called for more efforts to help the poor develop industries that could grow in a sustainable manner, set up sustainable mechanisms for poverty alleviation, and create ways for them to achieve prosperity, according to Xinhua.
The villagers later embarked on a transformation path. Following the path of "simultaneously focusing on industrial development and infrastructure improvement," they gradually established a thriving rural tourism industry based on homestays, which contributed to the rural revitalization.
The village's economic fortunes have blossomed since 2020. Ye Runbing, the Party secretary of Desheng village, told the Global Times that that the per capita net income of the villagers increased from 5,800 yuan in 2016 to 24,000 yuan in 2024.
The "kai kou xiao," once a simple local delicacy, has blossomed into a village signature dish thanks to the remarkable economic transformation of Desheng village and the recognition it received from Xi. Liu also seized this opportunity and launched her own "kai kou xiao" business in her spare time.
As the Spring Festival approaches, Desheng village gears up for a series of cultural events, which has led to a booming "kai kou xiao" business for local villagers.
"Many tourists come to our village specifically to buy this snack as a New Year's gift to take back home and share with their loved ones," Liu said. With each 0.5-kilogram package selling for 25 yuan, she sells at least 10 kilograms daily.
"Seeing the village come alive, with smiles brightening everyone's faces, fills me with joy," Liu shared. "Today, life in Desheng village is as cheerful as its namesake treat, flourishing more with each passing day," she said.
The bustling scene surrounding the procurement of "kai kou xiao" epitomizes the vibrant atmosphere found in markets across China at this moment. Each small bundle of New Year goods carries with it the hopes and memories of the people, as well as a reflection of the nation's prosperity. This year, as China celebrates the Spring Festival, the country stands confident and resilient, forging ahead on the path toward modernization and a brighter future.