38th Qinhuai Lantern Festival lights up China

On the evening of February 2, the 2024 "Light Up China" event, the 38th annual China Qinhuai Lantern Festival lighting ceremony, began at the Bailuzhou park in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

With the Bailuzhou park, the Confucius Temple Scenic Area and the Laomendong district serving as main display venues, this year's Qinhuai Lantern fair has set up seven exhibition areas with a total of 330 lantern installations.

Compared to previous years' lantern festivals, one of the major highlights this year is the prominent the Year of the Dragon theme. For instance, at the front of the Linxing Gate of the Confucius Temple in Nanjing, the lantern display features twin dragons coiling around pillars, exhaling dragon pearls, symbolizing auspiciousness and reunion. Meanwhile, Bailuzhou park takes inspiration from the "Illustration of Lanterns in the Shangyuan Festival" as its creative theme, showcasing a total of 68 sets of lanterns in various sizes and forms, recreating the grandeur of observing lanterns during the Ming Dynasty as depicted in the ancient artwork.

The Lantern Festival in Nanjing this year not only celebrates the traditional customs of the Lunar New Year but also highlights the city's cultural heritage and innovative spirit, drawing visitors from across the nation to partake in the joyous festivities.