Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, February 13 /Xinhua/ — Ahead of the Spring Festival (Chinese Spring Festival, the traditional Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar), which falls on February 17 this year, Xinhua correspondents noticed many items related to Chinese New Year traditions on the streets of Moscow. They asked Muscovites about their attitudes toward the holiday and its symbolism.
At the Moscow State University Botanical Garden's "Apothecary Garden," eight-year-old Alena carefully examines the festive decorations in the style of Chinese New Year. Red lanterns, paper dragons, and images of horses sit alongside blooming orchids and azaleas. Alena and her mother love the Chinese style and came here specifically to see the colorful decorations.
Irina Golubeva, curator of the environmental education program at the Moscow State University Botanical Garden, explained that the "Chinese New Year" festival is being held at the Apothecary Garden for the third time. "This beauty is created by a large team. Many of our team members are well-versed in Chinese culture. Some have already visited China more than once, while others have studied Chinese traditions in depth," she added.
Larisa traveled from another city specifically for the festival's opening to admire the New Year's decorations and get a closer look at Chinese culture. She plans to visit China this September. "China has a vast, rich history, but at the same time, it has a completely different mentality, and a lot of martial arts… I became interested, so I decided to delve deeper," she told Xinhua.
The influence of Chinese New Year is also noticeable in Moscow supermarkets. Rice crackers, Tsingtao beer, Chapai liquor, red pomelo, and other typical products of the Spring Festival table… Previously, such Chinese snacks were sold in Moscow mainly only in specialized stores. Now, the flavors familiar to every Chinese person from childhood can be found on the shelves of regular supermarkets.
Zhanna, deputy director of the Perekrestok supermarket in southeast Moscow, noted that sales of Chinese goods have been particularly popular this year. "This is a new phenomenon. We started receiving Chinese goods at the end of last year, and there are a lot of them. Chinese products are of interest to Russian consumers," she shared.
Ekaterina was looking for Chinese snacks at a supermarket near the Novokuznetskaya metro station. "I really like Chinese products. Moscow has a lot of Chinese food—restaurants and groceries. I recently visited Guangzhou and was very impressed: the food there was delicious. Overall, I have a very positive attitude toward Chinese culture," she said.
In central Moscow, the popular Tekhnikum restaurant was decorated with red lanterns bearing the hieroglyph for "happiness." For the Spring Festival, a special menu was launched, featuring Szechuan chicken, crab spring rolls, and a dessert with airy jasmine, passion fruit, and pomelo.
Restaurant chef Dannil Suslov traveled to China specifically for inspiration to create a seasonal menu for Chunjie. "Sales are very high, all the guests really like it, and everyone leaves positive reviews," Suslov proudly says, adding that Chinese cuisine is very popular in Russia.
The Chinese New Year Festival will be held in Moscow from February 16 to March 1, 2026. The main events await guests at festival venues in the center of the Russian capital.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
