China's "city of lanterns" shares light, joy worldwide

* Known as China's "City of Lanterns," Zigong hosts its grand international lantern festival from Jan. 17 to the end of March. As of Feb. 12, the event had already attracted nearly 1.15 million visitors from around the world.

* Zigong's flourishing lantern industry has over 1,000 lantern-related enterprises, employs up to 130,000 people and enjoys an annual output of 6 billion yuan.

* Since their international debut in Singapore in 1990, Zigong's lanterns have illuminated over 90 countries and regions, emerging as a global cultural phenomenon.

CHENGDU -- Scenes from the Chinese legend of the White Snake, an 8-meter-tall giant panda, and lifelike dinosaurs -- these elements come to life in a dazzling lantern world, casting a magical glow over the night sky of Zigong City in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Known as China's "City of Lanterns," Zigong hosts its grand international lantern festival from Jan. 17 to the end of March. As of Feb. 12, the event had already attracted nearly 1.15 million visitors from around the world.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 29, 2025 shows tourists visiting an international lantern festival in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Xinhua]

Covering more than 425,000 square meters with an investment of 170 million yuan (about 23.7 million U.S. dollars), the 2025 festival features over 200 lantern sets. The 2025 edition of the festival is the largest in scale in its entire history.

As Zigong's lanterns gain global recognition, their vibrant glow is now illuminating cities worldwide.

TRADITION PASSES ON

The tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival with lantern displays in Zigong dates back to the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). In 1964, the city's government officially organized its first Spring Festival lantern fair. In 2008, the Zigong Lantern Festival was inscribed on China's national list of intangible cultural heritage.

Today, 11 recognized inheritors of the craft are dedicated to preserving and innovating the art of lantern-making.

Zigong's flourishing lantern industry has over 1,000 lantern-related enterprises, employs up to 130,000 people and enjoys an annual output of 6 billion yuan.

This photo taken on Jan. 17, 2025 shows a lantern set depicting a scenario from Chinese legend the White Snake during an international lantern festival in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province. [Xinhua/Xu Bingjie]

At this year's festival, one of the most eye-catching installations is a towering giant panda lantern, surrounded by adorable animals such as golden snub-nosed monkeys and alpacas. Upon closer inspection, the panda's fur appears remarkably lifelike, a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship that went into creating it.

"This set of panda lanterns took over a month to complete, and it was entirely crafted by hand," said Liu Juncai, one of the craftsmen, adding that the combination of panda along with other animal lanterns offers a unique way to showcase the province's ecological charm.

The 59-year-old has been crafting lanterns for over three decades and has participated in 16 consecutive Zigong Lantern Festivals.

"Each year, the festival needs to be more innovative than the last, which presents a great challenge for us. To create even more spectacular lanterns, we must keep pace with new technologies and modern techniques," he said.

This year's festival has incorporated cutting-edge materials and AI technology, blending tradition with innovation to create a truly immersive experience for visitors.