As China celebrates the Year of the Horse, ancient traditions and modern technology are coming together to create vibrant New Year festivities across the country.
In Chun’an County, east China’s Zhejiang Province, over 200 performers donned traditional attire and danced with colorful “bamboo horses”—cloth-covered steeds mounted on bamboo frames tied around their waists. The lively procession, accompanied by jubilant music, showcased the county’s Bamboo Horse Dancing, a folk art dating back to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) and listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage item in 2014. Pan Yongxia, director of the county cultural center, described it as the largest-ever showcase of the tradition, with performances continuing across villages and townships throughout the festival. Incorporating modern elements like street dance has made the centuries-old art more appealing to younger generations.
Meanwhile, in Shenzhen, southern China’s tech hub, a futuristic tribute lit up the sky. At the Window of the World theme park, around 200,000 spectators watched a drone show featuring thousands of drones forming a “ten thousand horses galloping” display, complete with flowing manes, hoof prints, and the Chinese character for “horse.” Huang Xing, brand manager of Shenzhen DAMODA Intelligent Control Technology, explained that advanced algorithms allow drones to synchronize with millimeter-level accuracy, creating seamless 3D images. Young audiences livestreamed the spectacle online, praising its visual clarity and eco-friendly approach, while older viewers appreciated the familiar cultural symbols integrated into the high-tech display.
These celebrations highlight a broader trend: China’s Spring Festival now blends millennia-old customs, such as posting couplets and solving lantern riddles, with AI-driven and technology-enhanced festivities—from robotic performers on gala stages to automated coffee-brewing arms at temple fairs—carrying the spirit of the horse into a new era.
