Over 2,000 lanterns light up Quanzhou at Lantern Festival
Exquisite festive lanterns in the Quanzhou Taiwan Investment Zone draw in hordes of tourists to stop and to watch. [Photo/Quanzhou Evening News]
The 2025 Quanzhou Lantern Festival Fair, showcasing over 2,000 lanterns, is taking place on Feb 10-14.
It's being held in districts including Licheng, Fengze, Luojiang and the Quanzhou Taiwan Investment Zone, featuring 19 exhibition areas.
Alongside the on-site lantern displays, the Quanzhou Art Museum is hosting the 2025 online exhibition and lantern evaluation activities for the Lantern Festival.
This year's festival in Quanzhou blends traditional charm with modern elements such as China-chic styles, overseas Chinese culture and technology, presenting the allure of the ancient city through innovative displays.
In Licheng district, the streets light up at night with 380 exquisite traditional festive lanterns designed by intangible cultural heritage or ICH inheritors. The snake-themed lantern series highlights Quanzhou landmarks like the Kaiyuan Temple, while Goldfish Lane features hundreds of flowing koi fish lanterns, capturing the grandeur of the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) dynasties.
Fengze district's festive lanterns not only make a dazzling sight, but also integrate food and ICH experiences, providing visitors with an immersive Lantern Festival atmosphere. Street performances showcasing ICH, including string puppets and Shaolin Kung Fu, will entertain attendees.
At the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) Park in the Quanzhou Taiwan Investment Zone, the water lantern group display features a 40 meter by 8 meter snake festive lantern.
It intricately weaves historical and cultural elements with Quanzhou's local characteristics, presenting a dramatic panorama that invites the audience to marvel at the brilliance and legends of the MSR.
Folks really enjoy the lanterns, now festooning the city to celebrate Lantern Festival. [Photo/The Culture, Broadcasting and Tourism Bureau of Quanzhou]
The various Quanzhou designs for the festive lantern are extremely vivid. [Photo/Xiao Peibing]
