As millions reunite with family for Spring Festival celebrations, Hu Hanwen – a Chinese expat based in Moscow – is reimagining tradition. With travel restrictions still impacting cross-border movement, he’s embracing Lunar New Year festivities in the heart of Russia’s capital.
‘Red lanterns hang next to Cyrillic store signs here – it’s like two cultures dancing together,’ Hu told myglobalnews.net while shopping in Moscow’s bustling Chinatown district. Vendors sold dumpling wrappers alongside Russian honey cakes, while QR-code spring couplets blended tech with tradition for pandemic-era celebrations.
Local restaurants reported a 40% spike in bookings for reunion dinners from both expats and Muscovites curious about Chinese customs. A pop-up market featured lion dance workshops and matryoshka dolls painted with zodiac tigers. ‘I video-called my family while cooking jiaozi,’ Hu said. ‘We compared my Moscow kitchen to my grandma’s in Hangzhou – same recipes, different skies.’
Community organizer Anna Petrova noted: ‘Over 5,000 Chinese students and professionals stayed in Moscow this year. Their celebrations have become part of our winter cultural fabric.’ As midnight approached, fireworks over the Moskva River echoed with the laughter of friends sharing hongbao digital red packets – proof that even away from home, renewal knows no borders.
Reference(s):
Away from home for Chinese New Year: Spring Festival in Russia
cgtn.com
