Shanghai's Yuyuan Garden lantern show makes overseas debut in Paris

The annual Yuyuan Garden lantern show in Shanghai, which has been listed as one of China's forms of intangible cultural heritage, is one of the country's oldest lantern fairs, where locals go to soak up the festive atmosphere and wish each other during the Spring Festival.

Now, the beloved Yuyuan Garden lantern show is taking place outside of China for the very first time, with 60 large-sized luminous structures and more than 2,000 lanterns illuminating the Jardin d'Acclimatation - the oldest amusement park in Paris, as a way to celebrate the upcoming 2024 Year of the Dragon with an intriguing blend of Eastern and Western cultures.

More than just a lantern show, it also serves as an opening activity to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in 1964. "Sino-French relations have withstood the vagaries of global geopolitics to become a model of peaceful coexistence and friendship between the countries of East and West," said Lu Shaye, China's ambassador to France.

The year 2024 is also the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism. For Ni Qiang, the President of Yuyuan Inc., the lantern show in Paris is especially symbolic: "I think both sides share a consensus about developing co-operation and reinforcing mutual understanding. What's more, this lantern festival, which is a crystallization of traditional Chinese culture and folklore, is a way to convey and enrich our understanding of traditional oriental culture."

"Different peoples have their own ways of exchanging folklore and culture. We ought to appreciate the beauty of other people's cultures as well as our own," he added.

The Lantern Festival dates back to the Han Dynasty, over 2,000 years ago. Over the centuries, this ancestral custom, which symbolizes the transition from winter to spring, has become an opportunity to showcase Chinese craftsmanship. Marc-Antoine Jamet, President of the Jardin d'Acclimatation, hopes that the Yuyuan Garden lantern show in Paris could be a platform for learning and exchange between the Chinese and French civilizations.

From dragon-shaped lanterns to motifs inspired by the legendary world of Shanhai Jing, or "The Classic of Mountains and Seas", a Chinese literary classic, the Yuyuan Garden lantern show in Paris has built a world of lights and imagination for visitors, showcasing the charm of traditional Chinese culture.

Beyond the lanterns, visitors can also admire traditional Chinese costumes and accessories, and enjoy Chinese cuisine. With a mixture of dancing, acrobatics and martial arts performances, the lantern show promises to be an immersive experience in the world of Chinese folklore and lanterns. The show is open until February 25, 2024.