On the eighteenth day of the lunar month, there are 11 days left before the Chinese New Year's Eve night. In front of the West Gate of Datang Furong Garden in Qujiang New District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, a group of New Year lanterns called "Fuhu Youchun" is being assembled in full swing, and a 19-meter-high children's tiger head hat lantern is about to be "launched". This shape, which originated in the Tang Dynasty, represents the beautiful prayer of the people to "use the tiger to get rid of evil spirits".
Since 00:00 on the 20th, Xi'an Qujiang New Area, Weiyang District, Economic Development Zone, International Port Area and other areas have resumed normalization of epidemic prevention and control, residents can freely enter and exit the community with green codes, shops along the street resume business, and "traditional projects" such as cutting hair, buying new clothes, and preparing Chinese New Year's Eve meals have been put on the agenda by the citizens. The city is "moving" again.
On January 20, at a barber shop in Xi'an's Qujiang New District, barbers cut hair for citizens. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
Early in the morning, in front of a barber shop in Xi'an's Qujiang New District, there were already many citizens queuing up to get a number and wait for a haircut. "'Haircut to the old', refreshing to welcome the Year of the Tiger." A consumer in line said.
Buying New Year goods is also one of the must-have items for many families. In a shopping mall in Weiyang District, Xi'an City, many parents took their children to buy new clothes. According to the person in charge of the mall, the 20th is the first day of the mall's resumption of business, and 65% of the merchants have resumed operations.
On January 20, at the Xi'an Restaurant In Qujiang, Xi'an, the staff packed food according to orders. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
As a popular punch card place for the Lunar New Year, although the Tang Dynasty Sleepless City, which was brilliant and bright in previous years, has not yet begun to receive tourists, some "long-established" restaurants in Xi'an on the street have resumed business and begun to sell Chinese New Year's Eve meals.
"Considering that the epidemic has not completely subsided, we will send consumers a delicious Chinese New Year's Eve meal package through online ordering and offline delivery this year." At present, the online booking has just been opened for three days, and dozens of orders have been received. Yang Bo, chairman of Xi'an Qujiang Xinpu Catering Management Co., Ltd., introduced.
On the first day of the unsealing, in the atmosphere of the new year, there is also the most ordinary daily life. A dozen employees of a meatball peppery soup shop in Qujiang New District are busy, steaming, boiling soup, boxing... They returned to work after a month off.
"Today we sent someone to maintain order at the door to ensure that the queue of customers is one meter apart. About 1,000 bowls were sold early in the morning, basically returning to pre-epidemic levels. Zhang Huicun, the head of the meatball pepper soup shop, said.
Workers install colored lanterns on Qujiangchi West Road in Xi'an on Jan. 20. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shao Rui
Near the end of the year, the Xi'an City Wall, which has a history of more than 600 years, has also been "dressed up" by flower lanterns. Above the green bricks, there are red lights. With each passing day, the city wall has gone through vicissitudes and is still strong.
"I hope that the new year will be able to dissipate the disease and give birth to all things." Citizen Zhang Xiao made a wish. (Reporters Lei Xiaoxiao and Li Hua)