“追光”跨年：点亮城市的新年新潮流
As night falls across China, a new tradition is lighting up cities. Crowds gather by riversides, ancient walls, and public squares to enjoy beautiful light shows, fireworks, and drone (无人机) displays. This exciting trend, known as “light-chasing”, is especially popular among young people during New Year celebrations. Instead of staying indoors, they go out into the night, moving from one glowing event to another, making the whole evening an adventure.
“Light-chasing” makes New Year’s Eve a long, fun night. In Beijing, for example, people can listen to bell-ringing, watch drum performances on the Great Wall, or enjoy countdown concerts with hundreds of drones lighting up the sky. Over forty museums extend their hours, some even staying open past midnight. This adds culture to the festive night. Young people make careful plans. Their plans may include listening to music, joining night tours, or even watching the sunrise the next morning.
This trend also brings energy to the nighttime economy (经济). Restaurants create special holiday menus, hotels are fully booked, and cultural spots mix light shows with other activities like hot springs or skiing. Different cities show their unique styles: Shanghai and Beijing love fireworks; Chongqing and Wuhan prefer floating sky lanterns; Shenzhen and Xi’an impress people with high-tech drone performances.