Hunchun welcomes Russians for Lantern Festival

A group of Russian visitors spent an evening with locals in Hunchun city, Northeast China's Jilin province, on Feb 19, to celebrate Lantern Festival.

They took part in activities such as making yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls with different fillings), making lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, and watching cultural performances.

The activity aimed to promote Chinese traditional culture to a wider audience.

Hunchun, in the eastern part of Jilin province, is located where the borders of China, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea meet, and is the place where many Russians first encounter China.

Statistics from Hunchun international professional service center show that there are currently around 500 Russian families living in Hunchun, and the city is visited by more than 1,000 Russian tourists each day.

In 2018, more than 400,000 people passed through Hunchun's port, an increase of 12.5 percent over the previous year.

The Russian visitors pose for a group photo with Chinese performers in Hunchun, Jilin province, Feb 19. [Photo/Xinhua]

Participants hold lanterns during a celebration for Lantern Festival, Feb 19. [Photo/Xinhua]

Two women make lanterns on Feb 19 in Hunchun, Jilin province. [Photo/Xinhua]