Tourism received a welcome boost in southern Jiangsu's water-town-rich Kunshan city during the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday.

As of Feb 24, the city's Zhouzhuang town welcomed 193,600 tourists; Jinxi town received 51,000 tourists; and Qiandeng town saw 27,000 visitors.

Zhouzhuang treated visitors to various folk activities, including an ancestor-worship ceremony, a ritual of beating a fake spring ox (Da Chun Niu) to pray for the country's prosperity and peace, lion and dragon dance, tiaohualan (dancers carrying a flower basket), dalianxiang (a folk dance and song with bamboo sticks) and danghuchuan (a dance that imitates rowing a boat).

The happy festive atmosphere also filled the Jinxi town, highlighting xuanjuan (a traditional art form combining talking and singing) and sizhu music (played with traditional instruments).

Qiandeng's Kunqu opera, fruit-picking, and strolling through the longest ancient stone street in South China were among other activities and attractions that ensured visitors spend an enjoyable Spring Festival.

Apart from the water towns, Kunshan's parks, such as Tinglin Park, Forest Park and Yangcheng Lake Park, lured a number of families with clear lakes, green trees and beautiful flowers. During the seven-day New Year holiday, more than 90,000 tourists visited the Tinglin Park, and the number reached 35,000 on the first day of Lunar New Year (Feb 19).

Edited by Mevlut Katik