Xi'an is aiming to recapture the spirit of a traditional Chinese New Year celebration by putting on a folk culture show full of performances of ancient art forms indigenous to Shaanxi province.

The show, which premiered on Jan 7 and runs till Jan 25, highlights folk customs from the Guanzhong Plain, a belt-like area north of the Qinling Mountains where cities such as Xi’an and Xianyang are located.

Performances of qinqiang opera, a typical Shaanxi folk opera that requires the performers to sing at the top of their lungs, and a traditional puppet show using Chinese wooden puppets have proved particularly popular with audiences so far.

Folk operas from other cities in the Guanzhong area and a performance of a special story-telling art from northern Shaanxi province have also been a hit.

"I can't understand all of the northern dialect words, but I simply love it. It's great," said a visitor after watching a story-telling performance.

The event also involves many interactive sessions and role-playing activities which let visitors experience traditional New Year customs, many of which are fading away in China's cities. Many visitors were excited to take pictures of a performance of a traditional marriage ritual in which the bride is carried in on a sumptuously decorated sedan chair.

"Everyone has a feeling of nostalgia, and we want to re-find the New Year atmosphere that is deep in our memories," said Zhang Yang, director of the show.

A number of traditional objects used in rural areas are also on display at the show, including a stone mill used by rural families to grind flour and make soybean milk and tofu.

The organizers hope that the show will help inherit the traditions and raise people’s awareness of the folk culture.