Reflective New Year festivities grow popular

As the year draws to a close, many people seek meaningful ways to reflect on the past and welcome the future. Museums host special exhibitions that invite reflection on history, nature and culture, while concerts and performances fill the air with music and excitement. From intimate gatherings to large-scale public events, a wide range of celebrations ensure that people can find unique ways to bid farewell to the old year and embrace the new one.

For a growing number of young people, the arrival of a new year carries deeper significance — an embodied celebration of life, connection and renewal.

In Beijing, a dance event titled "The World of Movements" brings together young dancers, volunteers and audiences to mark the year's end through the art of movement. As the clock approaches midnight, the rhythm of the body takes center stage, with participants using dance to transition into the new year.

"For me, New Year's Eve triggers memories," said Tian Tian, a volunteer and participant at the event."Dance transforms time into a tangible experience, anchoring me in the present and offering a real sense of existence."

For Tian, dancing with friends not only marks the end of one year but also sets the tone for the next."It's a way to enter the new year with anticipation, eager for the experiences ahead," she said.

Tao Ye, artistic director of the Tao Dance Theater and organizer of the event, echoed that sentiment, describing the ritualistic nature of the celebration.

"The concept of crossing into a new year is a ritual," Tao said. "It's about renewal, pushing forward and sharing this collective moment with others."

For many young people, such dance events offer an emotional and spiritual reset — a chance to momentarily shed the pressures of daily life. "We call it 'resetting the factory settings'," Tao said. "It's a moment to return to a more authentic, unguarded state."

Elsewhere in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Liu Mengying plans to spend New Year's Eve hiking with her children in the winter landscape of Luya Mountain, a popular scenic destination where visitors can skate, hike and ski.

"It's a great way to bond and create memories," Liu said, opting for a quieter, nature-centered celebration after last year's museum visit.

In Shanxi, ticket holders for the dance drama The Palace Through Time, staged from Dec 29 to Jan 2, will be offered free admission to Yongle Palace, a Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) Taoist temple in Ruicheng county. The historical site inspired the creative team behind the production, and the initiative is designed to welcome the year 2026 through an immersive cultural experience.

In Wuzhen, a 1,300-year-old water town in Zhejiang province, New Year's Eve celebrations take on a theatrical form with immersive performances that invite visitors to actively participate in unfolding narratives, making the passage of time feel more deliberate and meaningful.

"Wuzhen is a place to reconnect — with others, with the world and with yourself," said event organizer Zhou Jianhong. "We want to offer people a chance to step away from the noise and engage in life's most fundamental ritual of renewal."

Together, these New Year's Eve events offer people opportunities to ground themselves, celebrate life and create lasting memories as they step into the new year.