Hundreds of villagers gathered on January 18 for a ceremony known as the Bench Dragon Lantern Parade, a 300-meter-long folk celebration for the upcoming Chinese New Year in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, east China. /VCG Photo

The custom reportedly dates back 600 years ago and features people carrying benches decorated with lanterns on top. /VCG Photo

Every bench is said to be largely ceremonial, and they are provided by individual households in the village. /VCG Photo

The formation is intended to resemble the body of a dragon moving at night, and is a means of expressing gratitude to the creature so to ask for its blessing for a good harvest in the New Year. /VCG Photo