Nanjing's Qinhuai Lantern Festival builds anticipation for New Year

As one of China's national-level intangible cultural heritage events, the Qinhuai Lantern Festival is set to usher in its 40th edition with a dazzling new chapter in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. On December 26, the lantern art exhibition zone at Bailuzhou Park will be officially illuminated, building anticipation for the upcoming New Year.

Compared with previous years, this year's Bailuzhou Park lantern show features notable upgrades in scale, content and visitor experience. Alongside classic Qinhuai lanterns, the exhibition brings together exquisite lantern works from across China, including Foshan colored lanterns, Quanzhou flower lanterns, Xianju lanterns and Suzhou lantern art, allowing visitors to appreciate diverse regional aesthetics in a single venue.

Blending traditional local New Year customs, the cultural symbolism of the Year of the Horse, and the history of Qinhuai lantern-making, the exhibition is organized into seven themed zones showcasing over 40 lantern installations. Carefully-designed pathways guide visitors through ever-changing scenes, creating an immersive experience where "each step reveals a new view."

The lantern art exhibition will be open to the public through May 2026, offering a long-running celebration of light, heritage and festive culture along the Qinhuai River.