Boulevard Riyadh City celebrates Chinese New Year

The iconic Boulevard Riyadh City celebrated Chinese New Year in the heart of the Saudi capital, amid the ongoing Riyadh Season festivals, reaffirming the importance of the cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and China.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, starts after the rising of the second new moon after the winter solstice.
The date usually falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20 on the Gregorian calendar, and is one of the most celebrated occasions in the world, a statement from the Riyadh Season said on Tuesday.
This year marks the Year of the Tiger in Chinese culture, which is the third of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals.

The celebration took several forms across the zone; all of its screens were lit red by midnight, displaying beautiful Chinese cultural images such as traditional Chinese houses and red lanterns, with congratulatory remarks written in Chinese, Arabic, and English.

The dancing fountain performed in harmony to traditional Chinese music, while the water splashes reflected red lights beneath for a breathtaking display.
Chen Weiqing, the Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia, praised the display on Twitter, describing it as a nice gesture.

Retweeting a tweet from Turki Al-Sheikh, CEO of the General Entertainment Authority and chairman of Riyadh Season, the ambassador tweeted: “Thanks for the nice gesture, Abu Nasser. I hope that the Chinese New Year will be a year of good and blessings for the two friendly people, and that China and Saudi Arabia will continue their fruitful cooperation and common achievements.”
Al-Sheikh tweeted colorful images of the Chinese New Year celebrations with a caption “Boulevard celebrating the Chinese New Year.”
In another tweet, Weiqing greeted people, saying: “As the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Tiger looms, we wish everyone a Happy New Year, and hope that the Chinese and Arab Tigers go hand in hand to create a better future.”