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It is the season to be jolly - jolly prosperous, if you are in the festive decoration business in Wuhan. The approach of the Spring Festival has imbued local people with a sense of the coming festivities, and traditional decorations are taking the fancy of many.

There have been vigorous sales of decorations in shopping malls, supermarkets and markets, mainly for trinkets and small items. Red lanterns, decorative firecrackers, Chinese knots and decorative paintings of the Chinese character for "fortune" are all extremely popular. These have become the "must buy" items for celebrating the Chinese New Year.

In the past, people were only concerned about stocking up food and drink for the Spring Festival, but now they are keen to create a festive mood in the home. People in the trade agree that the demand for festive decorations has fueled the growth of a lucrative holiday-season market.

Out of feelings of nostalgia, more and more people are choosing traditional festive decorations - but their decorations also convey auspicious messages and cater to the urge to spend.

Decorations for celebrating the Spring Festival.

Chinese knotting is an age-old folk art. Silk threads are tied by hand into basic knots of different patterns with auspicious meanings, and these basic knots of different meanings are then tied to other decorative objects to make pieces of beautiful artwork rich in cultural significance.

Thousands of varieties of decorative knots are available in the market. There are "plain sailing" and "safety" knots for drivers; "prosperity" knots with chilli, fish and prawn motifs; "romantic" knots with heart-shape patterns; "fortune" knots tied to ancient coins; "happiness" knots featuring the double-happiness character; and "longevity" knots tied to pictures of the crane and the pine.

These knotted decorations come in different sizes. Some are two to three metres long and can be hung as good luck charms. Others are made into earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces, and worn as fashion accessories.

Chinese knots are not very expensive. Small items cost only a few yuan. Even larger good luck charms cost no more than Rmb100 to Rmb200 (HK$94.3 to HK$$188.6). They make good presents and ornaments.

Auspicious Chinese knots for the New Year.

There has in fact been a mushrooming of shops selling these decorative knots in Wuhan. The proprietor of one knotting art shop says he has opened five branches in the city since he entered the market more than a year ago. He is now netting Rmb10,000 (HK$9,433) daily on average, with customers from all social strata, including foreign tourists.

The popularity of Chinese decorative knotting has fueled the growth of other related businesses. Courses on knotting arts are very popular among young people. There are even those who make a living out of teaching knotting at "toy bars". Many people, especially young women, are learning this trendy art out of curiosity or for fun. Most learn Chinese knotting not because they want to acquire a new skill with which to make a living but because they want to learn how to express their best wishes through the art of knotting.

Most of the decorative knots sold in the market come from the northern provinces. Some special knots are even patented or have their own trademarks. Many production enterprises have already established extensive marketing networks and the scale of their production has been steadily expanding. Dozens of books on knotting are selling extremely well.

from special correspondent Yan Hua, Wuhan

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