Lantern Festival: Colorful lights echo first full moon of Chinese New Year

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02:23

The first full moon of the lunar New Year will illuminate the dark sky, while, as the festival's name suggests, lanterns and lights shine bright colors on earth. Sun Wei takes us for a tour of a Lantern Fair in Beijing.

SUN WEI BEIJING "Lantern Festival is also an important family day. But unlike the Spring Festival when people stay home for reunion dinners, it is a day for going out and about viewing decorative lanterns on earth and the bright full moon in the sky. This is a tradition originating from the Western Han Dynasty of more than two thousand years ago."

Thousands of fancy lanterns are displayed at the Nangong World Botanical Amusement Park in south Beijing.

They are created in colors and shapes of a great variety, mirroring birds like parrots, peacocks and phoenix.

Of course, a series of pig-themed lanterns are highlighted, paying tribute to this year's zodiac animal.

The park says these works are from artisans in Zigong city, Sichuan province, which is well-known for its lantern art and culture.

ZHAO CAILI DEPUTY MANAGER, PUBLICITY DEPT. NANGONG PARK "Up to 5,000 lanterns on about 120 themes are on display here, most of them were hand-made by craftsmen from Zigong. There are also works made by 3D printing. We also have man-made snow to add charms to the surroundings."

Besides appreciating lanterns, visitors here have a lot more long-held traditions to explore and experience.

Arts and crafts of old Beijing, acrobatics and stunt shows are set to entertain tourists of all ages.

To senior citizens, it's awakening some of their childhood memories.

SUN YUJIE VISITOR "Solving riddles on lanterns is a time-honored tradition during the festival. My husband and I like it very much. The game is taking us back to the days when we were young."

The Lantern Fair at the Nangong Park lights up at 6 o'clock every evening until March 8th.

SW, CGTN.