Chinese Daily Photos of 2021

An event is held in Beijing on Dec 26 to mark the start of the 40-day countdown to the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will open on Feb 4. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]



Actor Zhu Yawen watches as gymnast Guan Chenchen plays a skiing video game. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]



From left in the first row, actor Zhu Yawen, air rifle shooter Yang Qian, gymnast Guan Chenchen and short-track speed racer Wu Dajing paint with children at an event held in Beijing to mark the 40-day countdown to the 2022 Winter Olympics on Dec 26, 2021. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]



People cut a cake at an event held in Beijing to mark the 40-day countdown to the 2022 Winter Olympics on Dec 26, 2021. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]



Singer and actor Huang Zitao plays a curling game with children. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec 26, 2021 shows Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang exiting the space station core module Tianhe. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- Taikonauts Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu have completed their extravehicular activities (EVAs) and returned to the space station core module Tianhe, the China Manned Space Agency said on early hours of Monday.



Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec 26, 2021 shows Chinese taikonaut Ye Guangfu exiting the space station core module Tianhe. [Photo/Xinhua]



Screen image taken at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Dec 26, 2021 shows Chinese taikonaut Wang Yaping working in the space station core module Tianhe. [Photo/Xinhua]



A staff member (right) uses the facial recognition system to check the information of an examinee for postgraduate entrance exams in Beijing Institute of Technology in Beijing, capital of China, Dec 25, 2021. China's 2022 national entrance exams for postgraduate studies kicked off on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]



Photo taken on Dec 25, 2021 shows the exam site for postgraduate entrance exams in Beijing Institute of Technology in Beijing, capital of China. China's 2022 national entrance exams for postgraduate studies kicked off on Saturday. [Photo/Xinhua]

People drive go-karts at a shopping mall in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Dec 24, 2021. [Photo/IC]



Children interact with some parrots at a shopping mall in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Dec 24, 2021. [Photo/IC]

Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, started developing its night economy recently, with many shopping malls extending hours, and bringing new ideas to industries such as catering, fitness and entertainment, to improve the consumer experience.



A woman tries out a skincare product at a shopping mall in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Dec 24, 2021. [Photo/IC]



A boy rides a horse at a shopping mall in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Dec 24, 2021. [Photo/IC]



Children play at a shopping mall in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Dec 24, 2021. [Photo/IC]

The Christmas series of LinaBell merchandise at Shanghai Disneyland, on Dec 17, 2021. [Photo/IC]

LinaBell, the Disney's new pink fox character who was recently introduced to Duffy & Friends toyline at Shanghai Disneyland, has gone viral among Chinese consumers.

After its debut on Sept 29, LinaBell quickly gained popularity on Chinese social media platform Weibo with netizens creating memes and spreading its meet-and-greets videos in Disney resort.

The new arrivals of LinaBell merchandise quickly sold out, and plush toys on resale sites are going for several times more than their original prices.



Tourists take photos with LinaBell plush toys at Shanghai Disneyland, on Dec 17, 2021. [Photo/IC]



A visitor shows the LinaBell plush toys she bought at the Shanghai Disneyland, on Dec 19, 2021. [Photo/IC]



A tourist takes photo with LinaBell at Shanghai Disneyland, on Nov 7, 2021. [Photo/IC]



Tourists gather to greet LinaBell at Shanghai Disneyland, on Nov 7, 2021. [Photo/IC]

The 34th China Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo kicks off on Friday at Sun Island Park in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. [Photos by Liu Yang/For chinadaily.com.cn]



After a month of construction, the 34th China Harbin Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo kicked off on Friday at Sun Island Park in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.




The expo, with an area of 200,000 square meters, is divided into seven parts, providing tourists with a variety of experiences, from snow sculptures to games and winter culture.

A high-speed train is about to depart from the station of Changbaishan, or Changbai Mountains, in northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 24, 2021. A new high-speed railway line reaching the foot of the Changbai Mountains in Jilin Province was put into operation on Dec. 24.(Xinhua/Lin Hong)



Aerial photo taken on Dec. 3, 2021 shows a high-speed train running in a trial operation of the new railway line reaching the foot of the Changbai Mountains in northeast China's Jilin Province. (Photo by Liu Shenku/Xinhua)



Staff members serves a passenger on a bullet train on the first operation day of the new high-speed railway line reaching the foot of the Changbai Mountains in northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 24, 2021. (Photo/Xinhua)




Members of an operation and maintenance team for alpine skiing train at the National Alpine Ski Center, Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 23, 2021. (Photos: China News Service/Han Haidan)

Beijing Expo Park in the city's Yanqing district held its first ice and snow carnival on Friday, attracting people from across the city.







Thirty-nine festive lanterns were installed, incorporating traditional culture and the theme of time in the new landmark in the capital.[Photos provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Workers cut & drag ice from a lake at Yudushan scenic spot in Yanqing district, Beijing, on Dec 28. [Photos by Wei Xiaohao/chinadaily.com.cn]

Ice collection work started on Tuesday for the upcoming Longqingxia Ice-lantern Festival.



With the theme of "Keep up with Olympics and Keep up with China", the festival this year will use colored lanterns, laser lights and ice lanterns to present the Winter Olympic spirit and ice and snow culture to tourists.



Senior male models in Yingkou, Liaoning province, rehearse in a dance studio. [Photo by Sun Rui/For chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of 20 energetic retirees — average age 60-plus — in Yingkou, Liaoning province, is smashing stereotypes in a domain dominated by youth. They are seizing the moment as male models.

The oldest member is 76, the youngest 56. From Monday to Friday, they rehearse for 90 minutes a day.

"Catwalks are not only for young people. We can do it too," said Lu Hongxiang, a 69-year-old member of the group dubbed the Yingkou Sanwei University for the Elderly. "My life has become wonderful. I even wear high shoes to present a perfect effect on stage."



Xie Xing, captain of the team of male models, exudes vitality and confidence. [Photo by Sun Rui/For chinadaily.com.cn]

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Zhao Youzhu's admission letter to a PhD program at Xiamen University. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com]
In 2019, Zhao enrolled in college of environment and ecology of Xiamen University. Now, she is majoring in ocean management and planning. She is studying China's ocean and coastal zones and applying the concept of land-ocean coordination. Immersed in scientific research and writing, she stays up late every night.

Zhao has a threshold of 110 decibels in her left ear and 90 decibels in her right ear and is considered medically deaf.

"It is like being locked in a dark room," she said. "Only with the aid in my right ear can I poke a small hole in the window and see a faint light. But this light is fragile and uncertain, and can be completely blocked by fate at any moment."