“Son, finally mom meets you!” said an inmate named Xiao Li (pseudonym) on Feb 2.

“For me, this is the biggest surprise and the best present for the new year...” she said, expressing gratitude to Mu Hongbing, head of the juvenile court in Jiangyang district, Luzhou of Southwest China’s Sichuan province.

Judges of the Jiangyin district people’s court helped her reunite with family members at the jail ahead of China’s traditional Spring Festival.

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is China’s most important traditional festival, with a history of more than 4,000 years.

As it falls on Feb 16 this year, grand celebrations will take place all over the country on that day and the days following, with traditions passed down over centuries -- from family reunions to New Year fireworks and temple fairs and performances to dumplings and feasts of local delicacies.

The son runs happily when he knows that he will soon see mom. [Photo by Xiao Zelan, Wang Kaimei and Tang Yu/People’s Court Daily]

Judges show Xiao Li (pseudonym) some family photos. [Photo by Xiao Zelan, Wang Kaimei and Tang Yu/People’s Court Daily]

Xiao Li kisses her son. [Photo by Xiao Zelan, Wang Kaimei and Tang Yu/People’s Court Daily]

Xiao Li cries on the shoulder of her father. [Photo by Xiao Zelan, Wang Kaimei and Tang Yu/People’s Court Daily]