Guangming Daily reporter Zhang Wenpan Yan Lei Guangming Daily correspondent Zhou Yue

On the evening of February 12, a crowd was surging in Haibao Park, Xingqing District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia. 16 groups of 27,000 large palace lanterns, national tide colored lanterns and handmade lanterns made by teachers and students of primary and secondary schools were lit up one after another. The gorgeous lights sprinkled like a galaxy, and the Sea Pagoda with a thousand-year history was lit up!

The Haibaofu Lantern Festival connects the four major sections of "Founding, Market, Printing, and Ci" to connect the ten theme activities such as night tours, New Year's goods markets, and Lantern Festival gardens. Children shuttle through the corridor, enjoying the beautiful lanterns while listening to the historical and cultural stories of Xingqing District. "It's really interesting to read the history of lanterns." Chen Sihan, a member of the "Red Scarf" search team in the North Campus of Tanglai Primary School in Xingqing District, sighed during the search.

How to show new fashion in the old city? Xingqing District deeply explores the cultural heritage of the old city, and establishes new cultural and tourism landmarks by creating theme scenes, cultivating characteristic business formats, and integrating performance programs.

When ancient buildings such as Drum Tower and Yuhuang Pavilion are equipped with visual art and CNC lighting, the old neighborhood switches to the "Lingjing Rongcheng" mode with one click. "This year, friends from other places came to Yinchuan for the New Year. We enjoyed the light show around the Drum Tower in the old city, and tasted delicious food and played the game! " Citizen Wang Yi said proudly.

The old streets and alleys hidden deep in the urban area have also begun to show the "live current". Strolling in Ziqiang Lane, Xingqing District, the graffiti "We love Yinchuan so much" and "This is Yinchuan" make literary and artistic youth feel excited. Ziqiang Lane was originally called Ximen Erdao Lane, but it was renamed "Ziqiang Lane" in the 1940s. A few years ago, as the walls, roads and other infrastructure in the neighborhood gradually age and damage, this place has become a back street and alley for everyone to escape.

Since 2024, Xingqing District has maintained the "family foundation" and "inventory", maintained and renovated more than 600,000 square meters of streets and alleys, built more than 30 kilometers of new municipal roads, adopted the "micro intervention" organic renewal and transformation method, combined with the existing commercial formats of the streets and alleys, creating distinctive themed streets and alleys.

Ziqiang Lane has changed! During the renovation, the alley was cleverly divided into three theme areas: "Meeting Love at the Corner", "Roaming Xingqing" and "Memory of the Old City". The old story is painted into a wall landscape. On one side, the old residential building exudes a simplicity, and on the other side, the literary and artistic shops reveal fashionable elements. Weekends and holidays always attract many young people to check in.

"In the 'rejuvenation of the old city, we must 'beauty' and 'inside', transform infrastructure and improve living environment, while retaining its historical and cultural genes, grafting modern lifestyles, gathering popularity and nourishing the city." Shi Jing, deputy director of the Xingqing District Culture, Tourism, Sports, Radio, Film and Television Bureau, said that the old streets and alleys in Xingqing District have become a unique cultural business card of Yinchuan City.