In anticipation of the New Year, the traditional "Visit Flower Street, Obtain Good Fortune" spectacle in Guangzhou is gearing up, with the spotlight on the renowned Yuexiu Xihu Flower Market. At the 2024 Yuexiu Xihu Flower Market press conference, it was revealed that the festivities will kick off on February 6th at 8:30 AM and continue until February 10th at 2:00 AM, spanning four days.

Continuing the legacy of "a century-old flower market rooted in Yuexiu," the early stage of the flower market and Spring Festival periods will witness the"New Year Consumption Festival" and unique product promotions in in the Beijing Road, intangible cultural heritage exhibition featuring the flower market, and the grand interactive event "Peach Blossom Paradise." These initiatives aim to provide a diverse, convenient, and high-quality consumer experience for both locals and visitors.

Four spectacular landmarks

In 2021, the "Flower Street" tradition at Yuexiu Xihu Flower Market became not only Guangzhou's first but also the only recommended Spring Festival folk custom to be included in the national-level intangible cultural heritage representative project list. During the Year of the Dragon, the Yuexiu Xihu Flower Market returned to the Jiaoyu Road and Xihu Road areas, with creatively designed features such as the main memorial archway and central flower bed showcasing craftsmanship.

The four spectacular landmarks include:

(1) Main memorial archway inspired by Gongbei Tower: the main memorial archway of the flower market, resembling Gongbei Tower, stands grandly in Xihu Square, exuding a majestic and ancient charm.

(2) Central flower bed inspired by dragon gate in Guangdong Gongyuan: the central flower bed draws inspiration from the dragon gate of the Guangdong Examination Hall. Adorned with a banner that reads "dragon gate," it symbolizes the auspicious concept of "fish leaping over the dragon gate to evolve into a dragon." This enchanting setup graces the intersection of Xihu Road and Education Road in Yuexiu District. 

(3) Dragon soars over the flower sea: The landscape of the dragon soaring over the flower sea complements the main arch at Gongbei Tower. Elements from the intangible cultural heritage of the Longyan dragon dance inspire the design, featuring a copper pot dripping water reminiscent of a double-door base. 

(4) Maritime Silk Road boat: The "Maritime Silk Road boat," inspired by the "Nanhai No. 1," symbolizes Guangzhou's spirit of embarking on a "second venture" in the new era. Located on the southern segment of Beijing Road's "Flower Street," the boat will host activities such as live broadcasts supporting farmers and exhibitions of Cantonese culture and arts.

Entertaining metaverse experience

This year, 5G mobile internet and 3D visual technology will see broader applications at the flower market. The spokesperson explained that the metaverse flower market will enable citizens to virtually "stroll the flower street, shop for New Year goods, and celebrate the New Year" from the comfort of their homes. This immersive experience aims to consistently attract attention to the Yuexiu Xihu Flower Market.

Simultaneously, on online flower market platforms like the "Yuexiu XihuMetaverse Flower Market," the Yuexiu District Flower Market Office will use real-time digital indicators and color codes to assess the "comfort level" of "strolling flower street." In case of excessive crowd pressure, timely alerts will be issued, and all platforms within the district will simultaneously broadcast information. If necessary, there may be the possibility of implementing "circuit breaker" measures. At that time, subway stations such as Gongyuanqian and Beijing Road might implement temporary closures, and certain sections of roads could undergo crowd control measures.

To enhance accessibility, authorities will offer trilingual flower market explanations (Mandarin, English, and sign language). Additionally, a shared wheelchair service aims to ensure that individuals with special needs can enjoy the warmth of the flower market, fostering a more inclusive and harmonious social environment.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

广州百年花市剧透来了！四大景观等你打卡

迎新年，“行花街，撞大运”是广州的传统。其中，广州越秀西湖花市最受瞩目。1月18日上午，记者从“古越今秀，海丝花开”2024年越秀西湖花市新闻发布会获悉，2024年越秀西湖花市将于2024年2月6日上午8:30开始至2月10日凌晨2:00结束，为期4天。

2024年越秀区延续“百年花市，源于越秀”的历史传承，花市举办前期及春节期间将筹办北京路“年货节”和特色产品促消费活动、“行花街”非遗街区展览和“桃花源”大型互动活动等，为广大市民游客提供更多元、更便利、更优质的消费体验场景。

四大景观见匠心

2021年，越秀西湖花市“行花街”民俗成为广州第一个，也是目前唯一一个被推荐列入国家级非物质文化遗产代表性项目名录的春节民俗。龙年越秀西湖花市回归教育路、西湖路区域举办，花市主牌楼和中心花坛等设置都颇具匠心。

其中，花市主牌楼以拱北楼为主体造型，气势恢宏、古香古色，设置在西湖广场；中心花坛设计灵感源于广东贡院的“龙门”，门正中悬挂“龙门”匾额，有着“鱼跃龙门”的寓意，设置在越秀区西湖路与教育路交界；龙腾花海的景观与拱北楼的花市主牌楼遥相呼应，仿双门底的铜壶滴漏景观处参考了龙岩舞龙的非遗元素；“海丝之舟”则以“南海一号”为原型，象征着在新时代广州以“二次创业”的精神扬帆出海，设置在北京路南段“花城花街”，船上将有惠农直播和广府文化艺术展演等活动。

“元宇宙花市”也好玩

今年，5G移动互联网和3D视觉技术也将更广泛应用于花市之中。负责人介绍，“越秀西湖元宇宙花市”将让市民沉浸式足不出户“行花街、办年货、过新年”，持续引流越秀西湖花市。

与此同时，在“越秀西湖元宇宙花市”等云上花市平台，越秀区花市办将实时以数字和颜色标注“行花街舒适度”，一旦人流压力过大，将适时发出提醒，区内所有平台也将同步发出信息，必要时候有可能实施“熔断”措施，届时，公园前、北京路等地铁站可能会实施飞站，部分路段将实施人流管控。

相关部门还将提供“三语”花市解说服务（汉语、英语、手语），方便不同群体游览花市，推出共享轮椅服务，让特殊人士感受花市温暖，营造更加包容和共融的社会环境。

文丨记者 李春炜 通讯员 詹苹苹
图丨钟涌
翻译丨刘佳慧