An exhibition of New Year wood-block printings from Qingdao, Shandong will be held during the Spring Festival Temple Fair held in Fiji. [Photo/WeChat account: CCC_Fiji]

The Chinese culture center in Fiji held a joyful Spring Festival Temple Fair at the country's Nausori Shopping Center, and an exhibition of New Year wood-block printings from Qingdao, Shandong will be held during the event staring Feb 8.

The Spring Festival Temple Fair marks the first time the organizers have held a traditional Chinese temple fair in Fiji. The aim is to revive the long-lost traditional Spring Festival atmosphere among Fiji's Chinese community and the population at large. It will also be the first time Qilu woodblock prints have been exhibited in Fiji.

Shandong New Year wood-block printings are a predecessor to Chinese woodblock printing. The themes of Shandong New Year wood-block printings are diverse and easy to understand, eaturing animals like fish and chickens, flowers and fruits, each representing prosperity, auspiciousness, fertility, and nobility for reasons related to their pronunciation and appearance.

The works displayed at the exhibition will be from the collection of New Year wood-block printings at the Qingdao Museum. The works incorporate elements of traditional Chinese folk festival culture, with vivid and simple wood-block printing images, vibrant and beautiful colors, and content that embodies the excellence of traditional Chinese culture.

Han Xiaoyan, director of the Chinese culture center in Fiji, said in her speech that the rich meaning and values of the Spring Festival are gaining increasing recognition abroad, making the Spring Festival a highly anticipated festival for people in many countries. She said that the series of Spring Festival events in Fiji, initiated by the Lunar New Year Temple Fair, will enhance mutual understanding between the people of China and Fiji, promoting the realization of a prosperous future for both nations.