On　February　12　（15th　day　of　the　first　lunar　month），　2025　Xianning　Lantern　Festival　temple　fair　and　the　city＇s　dragon　and　lion　dance　competition　kicked　off　in　the　People＇s　Square．　Live　dragon　and　lion　dances，　guessing　lantern　riddles，　food　tasting　and　other　wonderful　activities　created　a　festive　and　peaceful　atmosphere，　full　of　prosperity．

At　about　9　am，　the　show　had　not　yet　started，　and　there　were　already　people　waiting　in　the　square．　The　red　corridor　composed　of　red　lanterns　was　crowded　with　visitors．　There　were　long　lines　in　each　exhibition　area，　and　dozens　of　foreign　students　in　Xianning　also　entered　the　square　for　a　tour．　At　the　temple　fair，　famous　products　such　as　Xian＇an　mixed　vegetable　noodles，　Jiayu　Lukou　pickles，　and　Luxi　fish　cake　began　to　be　displayed　and　sold，　and　lantern　riddle　guessing　activities　also　kicked　off．

When　nine　dragon　dance　teams　and　seven　lion　dance　teams　from　various　counties　（cities　and　districts）　of　Xianning　officially　kicked　off，　the　People＇s　Square　of　the　city　was　suddenly　transformed　into　a　sea　of　joy．　After　fierce　competition，　Tongshan　Dragon　Dance　Team　and　Chibi　Lion　Dance　Team　won　the　first　prize　of　the　dragon　dance　group　and　the　lion　dance　group．

＂I　haven＇t　experienced　such　a　lively　Lantern　Festival　in　the　city　for　a　long　time，＂　Ms．　Zhang　（a　mother　born　in　1980s）　specially　took　her　daughter　to　see　the　dragon　and　lion　dance　performance　to　feel　the　most　authentic　Chinese　New　Year．　She　added　that　folk　culture，　such　as　dragon　and　lion　dance　and　lantern　riddles　guessing，　is　full　of　childhood　memories．　Times　change，　but　the　memory　of　traditional　festivals　engraved　in　our　bones　will　not　change．

The　event　was　guided　by　the　Propaganda　Department　of　Xianning　Municipal　Party　Committee，　and　hosted　by　the　Xianning　Municipal　Culture　and　Tourism　Bureau　and　the　Xianning　Sports　Development　Center．　（Xianning　Daily／Xia　Zhengfeng　and　Chen　Hongju）