Episode 4: Brand New Year for old brands

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-28-2009 11:46

Many people spend the Spring Festival cleaning their homes, getting their hair cut and, of course, filling their stomachs with their favorite dishes. The holiday is also a time to spend money and shops get some of their best business this week. As consumers become more and more nostalgic about days gone by, some stores are offering new takes on old festival favorites. In today's Spring Festival series, CCTV reporter Zhang Yajing finds out how people in Beijing are greeting the New Year in old-fashioned ways.

Shopping actually began in the last few days of 2008, when people couldn't wait for the Lunar New Year to arrive. Beijing is a heaven for food lovers, bringing together the best examples of Chinese cuisine from across the country. Among the long list of recommended eateries, there are restaurants that have been in business for decades or even centuries. Having stood the test of time, these restaurants have been popular with local diners for generations.

Dao Xiang Cun, a well-known chain food store, serves real Beijing snacks.

Dao Xiang Cun, a well-known chain food store, serves real Beijing snacks. They're a celebrated delicacy in Beijing cuisine. Locals have been eating here for hundreds of years. And now it's buzzing even more than usual having attracted large Spring Festival crowds with its featured products and menus.