The New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony in Suzhou Hanshan Temple has been successfully held for 34 years. This year’s activity will take place on December 31 as usual. Meanwhile, the 2014 Jinjihu Lake New Year’s Concert will be held at the Suzhou Culture Expo Centre. Tickets for the event are 320 yuan ($52.68) each without meal. Please book on the official website of the Suzhou tourist administration.

New Year’s Eve in Suzhou Hanshan Temple

Time: 6:00pm, December 31, 2013 – 1:00am January 1, 2014

Place: Suzhou Hanshan Temple and Fengqiao Bridge Tourist Attraction

Activities:

• Cultural performances Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm and 8:00pm – 9:30pm, December 31, 2013

Place: Wumen Ancient Drama Stage in Jiangfengzhou

Contents: Excellent folk craftsmen from all walks of life will give performances. About six pavilions will be set up in Wumen ancient town, featuring intangible culture heritages like paper-cuts, dough figurines, sugar paintings, Chinese knots, Suzhou embroidery, nut carving, and bottle paintings. Performances will also feature modern and traditional folk music, national folk arts and international dances.

• Tour in Fengqiao Street and Jiangfengzhou

Time: 8:00pm, December 31, 2013

Contents: Folk art performances, snacks, exhibitions and handicraft sales

• Buddhist chanting performance in Jiangfengzhou

Time: 9:30pm – 10:30pm, December 31, 2013

Place: Wumen Ancient Drama Stage in Jiangfengzhou

Contents: Performance by Xing Yanzhi and students from the Hanshan Academy and Pingtan (a form of storytelling and ballad singing in the Suzhou dialect) Art School who will sing Buddhist music in the Suzhou dialect

• Blessing dharma assembly at the main shrine hall of Suzhou Hanshan Temple

Time: 10:00pm, December 31, 2013

Place: The main shrine hall of Suzhou Hanshan Temple

• Burning incense and blessing

Time: 10:55pm, December 31, 2013

Place: In front of Hanshi Hall of Hanshan Temple

• Review of previous event and “the Great Wall” Bell donation ceremony

Time: 9:10pm, December 31, 2013

Place: In front of Hanshi Hall of Hanshan Temple

Contents: Hanshan Temple will present the China Polar Region Research Centre of the State Oceanic Administration “the Great Wall” Bell in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Great Wall Station in the South Pole. A donation ceremony will be held, and the big screen will show the event from previous years.

• Benediction from Monk Qiushuang

Time: 11:25pm, December 31, 2013

Place: In front of Hanshi Hall of Hanshan Temple

• The start of the 108 bell peals

Time: 11:42pm, December 31, 2013

• The mayor’s congratulations speech for the new year

Time: After midnight, January 1, 2014

• Fireworks show

Time: After midnight, January 1, 2014

Place: Fengqiao Bridge Tourist Attraction

• Tourist striking the bell for good luck in the New Year

Time: 12:05am, January 1, 2014

Place: The bell tower in Hanshan Temple

2014 Jinjihu Lake New Year Concert

Time: 10:30pm, December 31, 2013 – 12:10am, January 1, 2014

Place: Suzhou Culture Expo Centre Capacity: About 1,300 people

Performances: Waltz No 2 from Strauss, selected songs by the Beatles, Kangding Love Song and Jasmine by the Dutch Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

At 11:30pm, the bell-striking event will be broadcast live on the big screen in the centre, and the concert will stop. Audience members at the concert can interact with spectators in Hanshan Temple.

From 11:30pm – 11:45pm, December 31, 2013, audiences will receive a blessing from Monk Qiushuang.

At 11:58pm, December 31, 2013 – 12:05am, January 1, 2014, the orchestra will have a count-down program to welcome the New Year.