A city wall and memory lane

The light show on Xi'an's city wall climaxes on Saturday's Lantern Festival. [Photo by Xing Yi/China Daily]

Light shows and heavy meals make Xi'an's Spring Festival special.

And ancient traditions in Shaanxi's capital－my hometown－have been upgraded by technology in ways that make them even more enjoyable.

I remember the light shows of my childhood, and enjoy them every year that I return for our annual family reunion.

The nearly 14-kilometer city wall is one of China's best-preserved fortifications.

It has attracted travelers from around the world, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 and former US first lady Michelle Obama in 2014.

Daytime visitors stroll or bike atop the bulwark to take in the views. The wall is lit at night, turning it into a golden ring.

Xi'an's main light show has been staged on the southern side of the wall since 1984, starting before the holiday and climaxing on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

When I was a child in the 1990s, my mother took me to see the myriad lanterns and solve the riddles printed on them.

But I discovered something new when nostalgia compelled me to return this year－nine big lanterns featured augmented reality.

You could download an app to "capture" the lantern, which then appears as an on-screen animation. You can then put it into photos with other backgrounds.

Also, a cartoon soldier from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) clad in bronze armor will jump out on your screen to present a riddle.

If you guess the correct answer, you can enter a lucky draw for small prizes.