Daily Times

China’s 40 years opening up is becoming a catalyst for introduction of Chinese’s culture, civilization, political dispensation, lifestyle and traditional festivities particularly 2nd Golden Week to the world.

After New year, 2nd Golden Week, also called the Mid-Autumn Festival and held on the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, is the second most important event in China. It has come into global limelight with successful policy of making China more accessible to the world in every sphere.

China’s bustling second Golden Week which began on 1st October with the start of China National Day, is a festive face of China. World never knew second Golden Week and its significance in past. It is charisma of China’s 40 years of openness that people around the globe are now mindful and knowledgeable about China’s best seven gala days which are celebrated with fanfare and national fervour.

In Pakistan, second Golden week started with holding of China National Day by Consul General, Mr Long Dingbin of Chinese Consulate-General in Lahore and Chinese ambassador Yao Jing in Islamabad.

Chinese Ambassador Mr Yao Jing eulogized China and Pakistan friendship saying decades’ long candid bilateral relations will remain unhurt come what may. He said CPEC, flagship project of BRI, was not property of China rather it was mutual project of both China and Pakistan.

Consul General Long Dingbin said on the eve of Chinese National Day that he wished best for Pakistan and hoped that friendship between both brethren countries touch new height of collaboration and future development.

The Golden Week, in the People’s Republic of China, is the name given to a semi-annual 7-day national holiday. It took effect in 2000. There are two Golden weeks in Chinese calendar. First Golden Week is the “Chinese Lunar New Year Golden Week” which kicks off in January or February.  second Golden Week is the “National Day Golden Week” commences around 1 October every year.  The week also called Mid-Autumn Festival starts with China’s National Day, marking the … October 1, 1949 event in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, when Mao Zedong presided over celebrations for the founding of the ­ People’s Republic of China, after winning the civil war against the Kuomintang. second Golden Week carries great significance. The long holidays pave way for family reunion and allow entire cycle of activities in public and private spheres to take a pleasant rest.

It is a commercially thunderous time for tourism both inside and outside China. China’s domestic tourists spent more than $90 billion during these eight days of vacation.

It is commercially thunderous time for tourism both inside and outside China. China’s domestic tourists are likely to spend more than $90 billion during these eight days of vacation. About one in five tourists will be visiting exotic places — Taiwan as well as Hong Kong and Macau — while rest have targeted overseas spots, including Australia.

It is also known as the Moon Festival, because the moon is believed to appear at its closest and brightest at this season. Lanterns are an integral part of the festival, as people flock in the evenings for moon-watching. This also inspires the consumption of huge quantities of moon cakes, also round-shaped, symbolising completeness as families hold reunions.

Today their fillings range well beyond the traditional lotus seed or red bean paste, to exotica such as lime margarita truffle.

During the one-week celebrations, several events are held to commemorate the revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the founding of the People’s Republic of China. China’s Martyrs’ Day, which comes just a day before China’s National Day, is one of the most significant of them all.

In the run-up to the proud occasion, Beijing is covered with flower decorations and festive plant sculptures. At the iconic Tian’anmen Square, a giant flower basket is attracting many tourists.  The flag-raising ceremony at Tian’anmen Square is held.

In recent years, the National Day Golden Week has become the most popular time for weddings. The seven-day holiday makes it a perfect occasion to host auspicious ceremonies and invite family and friends.  In a way, it also brings immense good luck and prosperity because, according to the Chinese tradition, guests should give newlywed couples red envelopes containing money as blessings. The common practice is to give no less than 300 to 500 yuan ($43 to $73), but sometimes it could be a three or four digit figure.

Visiting relatives and friends also means exchanging gifts, wearing new clothes and eating delicious food.  People throng malls and local markets. Many shops also offer special holiday deals to attract more customers.  With the development of logistics and network and e-commerce websites, shopping has gradually become an important part of everyone’s life. Major e-commerce and offline shopping malls have also grasped the heat of Golden Week and launched various promotional activities.

The writer is special contributor to China Today and China Radio International (CRI). He is a fellow of the International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ) and is a recipient of China-friendly Netizen 2017 award. He can be reached at yaseerkhan@hotmail.com or on twitter at @yasirkhann

Published in Daily Times, October 7^th 2018.