Yemeni: Spring Festival, greatest day in China

With the improvement of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control measures and the lifting of travel ban restrictions by the Chinese government, my wife and I were one of the first to travel to China to complete our graduate studies after we received scholarships from the country in the field of business administration.

Oqbah Abbas Abdulwasea from Yemen poses for a photo in front of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an. [Photo provided by Oqbah Abbas Abdulwasea]

Fortunately, our arrival coincided with the preparations of the Chinese people to celebrate the Spring Festival, so we had the opportunity to join our Chinese friends to celebrate closely and participate in various activities, visit historical sites, as well as tourist and cultural places, and move between cities and provinces with ease.

We enjoyed viewing historical cities such as Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province and its historical landmark Dayanta, also known as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, then moved to Chongqing municipality to see the longest river in China – Yangtze River. Then we visited many cities and enjoyed watching the wonderful scenery and sharing the experiences with our Chinese friends closely.  

Just loving Xi'an: Oqbah Abbas Abdulwasea from Yemen chills out in the beautiful city. [Photo provided by Oqbah Abbas Abdulwasea]

We got acquainted with the customs and traditions of the great Chinese people on such an occasion, which is to the Chinese people a carnival of grace pervading all parts of China. Whenever we moved from one city to another – or from one province to another – we were struck by surprise and admiration for the picturesque views and historical places, as well as the manifestations of progress and apparent civilizational development, in the planning of these cities and in their public facilities and cleanliness, not to mention the patience of the authentic Chinese people in dealing well with guests from Yemen and others.

Spring Festival in China, with its festive activities, is a special day, for Chinese friends and for us, in which we share joy and celebration. It is the greatest day in China.

(The author Oqbah Abbas Abdulwasea is from Yemen and pursues a master's degree in international business administration from Xidian University in Xi'an.)