"Harbin has been ready to welcome visitors and sincerely invite tourists from home and abroad to come for a spring date," Zhu Zhanchun, deputy director of the city's culture, radio, film and tourism bureau, said at a Sunday news conference in Harbin.

"Tourists can enjoy beautiful mountains and scenery everywhere in Harbin on spring days," he said. "We will launch a series of activities during the holiday, such as mountaineering tours, activities to get close to animals and night tours on the Songhua River."

On Saturday evening, the Songhua River Light Show began testing, lighting the city in ever-changing colors.

The light show will officially debut during the holiday. The lights begin at Flood Control Memorial Tower and cross the river via the Sun Bridge to illuminate Sun Island.