New Year at the Grassroots | Foreigners' Joyful 'Yichang' Year

By the picturesque banks of the gorge-lined Xiajiang River, amid the increasingly rich atmosphere of the Spring Festival, a group of foreigners is experiencing the feeling of "This city is my home, and the festive atmosphere here lasts long."
The recently concluded 2026 Two Sessions of Hubei Province proposed that Hubei is integrating into the global economic cycle with high-level openness, willing to share opportunities and pursue a win-win future with friends from home and abroad.
In the inaugural year of Yichang's push to build itself into a regional central city connecting the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and to sprint towards a trillion-yuan GDP economy, we followed foreign friends living in Yichang to see the new atmosphere and new developments along the gorge and river, and to appreciate the international charm of traditional Chinese culture.

"Preparing New Year 'battle attire' inevitably involves red." On January 26th, at a Korean clothing store in Yichang's Three Gorges Cloud Computing Building, Chen Rongen adeptly livestreamed in Chinese to her camera.
The 29-year-old Chen Rongen, from South Korea, is a self-media blogger with millions of followers. Hired as a "Yichang City Tourism Ambassador" in 2021, she is now also a genuine "Yichang daughter-in-law."
Chen Rongen met her husband Yuan Xiaolong while studying in China. After graduation, she followed him to work in Yichang, and they married in 2023.
As the Spring Festival approached, Chen Rongen went to the bank specifically to exchange for crisp new consecutive-number RMB bills and carefully selected red envelopes printed with little horse patterns. "For Chinese New Year, red envelopes are not just gifts; they carry heartfelt wishes." Preparing red envelopes for the children of family relatives is one of her most important annual "tasks."
When asked about her feelings experiencing her sixth Spring Festival in Yichang, warmth filled her eyes: "I used to think the New Year was just the New Year. Now, I feel that celebrating the New Year means coming home."
Her younger brother Chen Tuyuan, from South Korea, took advantage of his winter vacation to visit Yichang. Chen Rongen took him to start the "New Year mode" early.

"What happens when a Korean brother comes to China to accompany his sister for the New Year?" Chen Rongen's series of videos on social media sparked interest.
"2 yuan? 400 won?" In a snack shop brimming with a wide array of goods, Chen Tuyuan picked up a canned tea drink, repeatedly checking the price tag and looking surprised after converting the amount. "In Korea, I'd only dare buy one bottle normally. Similar drinks cost about 3000 won (approx. 17 RMB) there." This was part of Chen Rongen's arranged "New Year shopping" for her brother. Attracted by China's abundant goods and beautiful prices, Chen Tuyuan picked a bag of snacks, only to find it cost just 26 RMB (approx. 5000 won). Chinese netizens left comments one after another: "Next time, let your brother experience watermelon freedom!" "He must try the 9.9 RMB inclusive shipping!"
On the streets of Yichang, Chen Rongen handed her brother a cup of Liangxia (a local cold dessert) and a Luobo Jiaozi (radish pastry). "This is Yichang's exclusive combo," she introduced. Chen Tuyuan took a sip of the Liangxia and a bite of the Luobo Jiaozi, praising it repeatedly.
As night fell, they arrived at Chen Rongen's in-laws' home in Wen'an Town, Zhijiang City, Yichang. Yuan Xiaolong brought out fireworks: "In the countryside, setting off fireworks is a must for New Year." The siblings held "fairy sparklers" to draw the numbers "2026," while the brother-in-law lit larger fireworks. With a "whoosh," golden showers of sparks lit up the fields. Over 20 relatives and friends had gathered from various places, hosting a feast to welcome Chen Tuyuan from afar. Everyone raised their glasses, and Chen Tuyuan wished everyone "Happy New Year" in Chinese. At that moment, the feeling of the New Year was tangible and complete.

Planning Cross-Border Tours from Korea to Yichang

Leaving Yichang, Chen Rongen took her brother to Zhangjiajie. Chen Tuyuan learned from his sister how to use mobile phone apps to book tickets, choose hotels, and search for delicious food, exclaiming while operating: "So convenient! In China, you can truly go anywhere with just a mobile phone."
Zhangjiajie after snow was wrapped in silvery white. Reaching the mountaintop, Chen Tuyuan was captivated by the breathtaking ice and snow spectacle before him. Chen Rongen made a video call to her grandmother in South Korea. "This is taking me on a 'cloud tour'," said the 90-year-old grandmother, quite trendy herself.
Having enjoyed himself thoroughly, Chen Tuyuan couldn't help but spread his arms and shout towards the night sky: "I Love China!"
"This trip was both for showing my brother around and for my own scouting," Chen Rongen said. Exchanges between China and South Korea are close, with many development opportunities.
Yichang receives about 70,000 foreign tourist visits annually, with South Korea consistently ranking among the top three sources of foreign tourists for Yichang. Last September, Yichang restored its international passenger flight route to Seoul, South Korea. "I plan to launch a Korea–Zhangjiajie–Yichang–Chongqing cross-border tourism route this year, to bring more Korean friends to experience China's nature and culture," Chen Rongen said.
By Hubei Daily all-media reporters Deng Yun, Xia Xiaojun

29 Indonesian Youth Experience the 'International Big Factory'

"Wow, this character means 'harvest,' interesting." On January 31st, at the Angel Yeast Bio-tech Industrial Park in Xiaoting District, Yichang City, Indonesian employee Setiawan, having just finished training, said in surprise, holding a winnowing basket pasted with the character "丰" (feng, meaning abundance). That day, to welcome the Spring Festival, the park began putting up festive decorations.
Angel Yeast Group, a state-owned enterprise in Yichang, has spent 40 years perfecting the tiny yeast, with factories in Egypt and Russia, achieving revenue exceeding 240 billion yuan in 2025.
On December 4, 2025, with the construction of the Indonesian factory, 29 Indonesian employees including Setiawan came to Yichang for the first time for a six-month training period. This group of young people, averaging 22 years old, experienced the Chinese Spring Festival for the first time.
"Online shopping in China is truly amazing!" Setiawan said, pointing at his down jacket.
Indonesia has no winter. After arriving in Yichang, their first task was buying winter clothes. With the help of Chinese colleagues, they quickly learned online shopping, comparing prices across platforms, participating in flash sales, and snatching digital red envelopes.
Employee Selly, 25, is an Indonesian Chinese. Currently interning in the equipment department, she enjoys shopping with colleagues on days off, praising Yichang's shopping districts. She is also learning Chinese and can say her Chinese name "Wu Yueli."
"This is an excellent company. I am honored to be part of it," 23-year-old trainee Aqil typed this sentence using translation software.
Before joining Angel Yeast, Aqil worked at a local tech company. Like many Chinese "post-00s," he yearned for working in a "big factory." Angel Yeast is precisely the international "big factory" he envisioned.
Regarding the Spring Festival, he feels "everyone here is preparing to celebrate." Citizens are shopping for New Year goods in malls, and elders are singing festive songs in parks. "The New Year spirit is this country's prosperity, its thriving state, its peace and stability."
On February 7th, Angel Yeast will organize these 29 employees to participate in the park's New Year Goods Fair and New Year Garden Party alongside local staff.
Today, Angel Yeast is one of the world's largest yeast producers, with products sold in over 170 countries and regions. Concurrently, Angel Yeast has nearly 2000 overseas employees. On the path of internationalization, Angel Yeast strides forward calmly and steadily.
By Hubei Daily all-media reporter Chen Yichao, correspondent Yang Ligen, intern Du Panzhenghao

Uncle Tom's 16th Spring Festival

Uncle Tom writes the character "福" (fu, fortune) with children. (Photo by Hubei Daily all-media reporter Zhang Zemu, intern Zhu Yunle)

On January 28th, the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Uncle Tom walked out of the IELTS supermarket on Yichang's Chengdong Avenue carrying large and small bags. Inside were Spring Festival couplets, cured meat, Yichang pickles... "These are my New Year goods," Uncle Tom said.
Thomas Ramsey, who has taught at China Three Gorges University for many years, is a grey-haired, warmly smiling American. Everyone is accustomed to calling him Uncle Tom. These days, he is preparing for his 16th Spring Festival in Yichang.

"Li Jianglong—isn't my Chinese name good?" Uncle Tom's eyes crinkled with smiling lines. "The surname Li is because of Bruce Lee; I specifically took his surname. 'Jiang' is from the Yangtze River, and 'Long' (dragon) is because I was born in the Year of the Dragon."
Born in New York, USA, Tom is a fan of Bruce Lee. Chinese kung fu on screen fascinated him, and later he decided to study Chinese as a second language.
In 2009, Tom set foot on Chinese soil. The Three Gorges Dam deeply impressed him. A strong thought surged in his heart: "Stay."
In 2010, Tom became a teacher at a middle school in Yichang and also obtained the city's first foreigner's work permit.
Now, Tom is familiar with Yichang's streets and alleys. Metro is his first choice for buying North American ingredients, but he also loves going to the fresh food market to experience the authentic atmosphere. He also knows how to "hunt for treasures" online—"Oh, Taobao, Taobao!" he joked with the reporter, imitating the exclamatory tone of his Chinese friends.
"2010 was my first Spring Festival in Yichang. Colleagues reminded me all shops would close." He recalled stocking up on food in advance then.
"Now, more and more shops operate during Spring Festival, and you can also order delivery at home using Meituan." He raised his phone: "If I can't understand the descriptions, I can take a photo and translate it."

After shopping for New Year goods, Tom was invited to the home of local calligrapher Yin Guiping. To his pleasant surprise, there were also seven primary school students in the classroom. Tom learned how to write the character "福" together with the children.
"Calligraphy is like a form of meditation; each stroke requires focus and steadiness," Tom shared while practicing. After half an hour, he finally completed his first "福" character, "I'll take it back and paste it on my dormitory door."
Tom is often invited to celebrate the New Year at Chinese friends' homes. "It's like Christmas in the US; it's about family gathering together. This feeling of reunion is especially precious. The cured meat, Chinese sausages, and fish cakes from the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner are also things you can't find in the US."
Tom is not picky and enjoys trying various dishes, with the exceptions of Sichuan peppercorns and stinky tofu. "Sichuan peppercorns are just too numbing for me; the first time I ate them was really a bad experience," he shook his head exaggeratedly, then smiled, "But I've completely adapted to Yichang's spicy flavors."
Tom noted that more and more foreigners are choosing to stay in Yichang, not only for its pleasant environment but also for the opportunities—convenient digital services, friendly interpersonal interactions. "Time in Yichang is immensely precious. This place is my irreplaceable second hometown."
More and more "Toms" are settling in Yichang. According to statistics from the Exit-Entry Administration Detachment of the Yichang Municipal Public Security Bureau, as of December 2025, there were over 50 foreign teachers working in Yichang.
By Hubei Daily all-media reporters Zhang Zemu, Zhou Zhuolin, interns Zhu Yunle, Qin Yun, correspondent Yang Ye

Dutch 'Zhaojun' Develops a Chinese Stomach

On February 1st, Madelief and her husband took their daughter to Beishan Supermarket in Wujiagang District, Yichang, to shop for New Year goods. Red Spring Festival couplets, small lanterns, New Year福字… the festive "red" filled the space with the Spring Festival atmosphere.
Madelief is a foreign teacher at the Yichang Jin Dong Fang Education Group, from the Netherlands. Fond of the stories of China's Four Great Beauties, she chose the Chinese name "昭君" (Zhaojun).
"I originally planned to stay in Yichang for one year, but have now lived here for 10 years because of the city's landscape and the warmth of its people, even starting a family and career here," Madelief said in fluent Mandarin. "My bond with Yichang is wonderfully inexplicable."
Madelief loves Chinese culture. She pursued a Master's in Chinese Comparative Literature in the UK and studied in Xiamen and Beijing among other places, diligently studying Chinese language and literature.
In 2016, she came to Yichang as a foreign teacher. "I never imagined there was such a city by the Yangtze River, with mountains and water, a scene at every step." In her spare time, the riverside near the school became her frequent haunt. She captured the beautiful scenery with her camera, sharing them with her family in the Netherlands.
On the teaching platform, Madelief formed deep bonds with the children. Aware of the academic pressure Chinese children face, she often broke the formality in class with lighthearted and interesting topics, encouraging children to speak English boldly.
Over her 10-year teaching career, she has taught nearly ten thousand Yichang children: "The children's oral English is getting better and better, and parents also pay special attention, hoping their children can see the world through language. This is China's openness and inclusiveness."
In 2018, Madelief met Chen Tengfei, a young man from Anhui working in Yichang. They joined hands and entered marriage, buying a home and settling in Yichang. In 2021, their daughter Chen Luoning was born.
On weekends for parent-child time, the family explores various places. The riverside breeze at Binjiang Park, the lively and interesting Jiangtun Square, the open scenery of Lighthouse Square, the lush greenery of Juanqiaohe Park… more and more open parks have become their leisure destinations. "Living in Yichang is very happy," Madelief reflected with emotion.
This Spring Festival is Madelief's 10th in Yichang. Her mother-in-law has also moved from Anhui to Yichang. This year, she specifically made cured meat, Chinese sausages, and there are various Chinese dishes cooked by her husband, all her favorites. "I have developed a 'Chinese stomach.' My mother-in-law always remembers my favorite tastes, treating me like her own daughter," Madelief said, her eyes filled with warmth when talking about family.
By Hubei Daily all-media reporter Wang Lei, correspondents Yue Qian, Hu Yali

Bangladesh's Shaun: Returning to His Chinese Boss's Home for New Year

"I've spent the New Year at my boss's home for two consecutive years now. It feels wonderful." Shaun, 27, from Bangladesh, graduated from China Three Gorges University in 2023 and joined Yichang Jiamao Chemical Co., Ltd.
On January 29th, a Hubei Daily all-media reporter visited an office building on Zhongnan Road, Xinhua Plaza, in downtown Yichang. Shaun, dressed in a neat suit, was at his workstation communicating with a client.
"Communicating in Chinese is completely without issue," Shaun said. He came to China Three Gorges University in 2019, giving his all to learning Chinese. "It was difficult, couldn't write, and could only gesture simply when shopping."
"A few classmates couldn't pass the language barrier, couldn't persevere, and returned home," Shaun said. "Chinese is indeed very difficult, but with more practice, only after overcoming the language barrier can you better experience the charm of Chinese culture."
After seven years, his Mandarin proficiency has improved daily, with no obstacle in daily communication. Combined with his proficiency in Bengali and English, he excels in his work.
His major was Chemical Materials. During his senior year internship, he chose Jiamao Chemical. After graduation, he was formally hired, becoming the company's first foreign employee, mainly responsible for contacting European, American, and Southeast Asian business.
Company administrative supervisor Zheng Jianfeng praised Shaun highly: he loves learning, whether it's company business or Chinese customs for social interactions, he learns quickly.
Since coming to China, Shaun has not returned to Bangladesh. His family includes his father, mother, and sister. He regularly communicates with his family via video, sharing bits and pieces about life in Yichang.
"China has great development opportunities. As long as you work hard enough, you can reap rewards," Shaun said. "I just want to seize every minute and second to work hard here to gain a firm foothold." This year, he plans to bring his parents and sister to Yichang to experience the beauty of the gorge and river.
Although he hasn't returned home, Shaun doesn't feel lonely at all. For two consecutive years, company boss Chen Jing has invited Shaon to her hometown in Xingshan County, treating him like family.
"Eating delicious food together, visiting Zhaojun Village, receiving Chinese red envelopes, extremely happy," Shaun has many beautiful memories of the Spring Festival.
He has also been to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Qingdao, and many other cities, and has traveled to Wufeng, Xingshan, Changyang, Zigui and other places in Yichang multiple times for tourism and skiing. "I like China very much, it's too comfortable." Shaun made a New Year's wish: to put down roots in China.

By Hubei Daily all-media reporters Hu Shengming, Xia Xiaojun

Source: Hubei Daily