A cornucopia of lights illuminates the river lantern festival. [Photo/Yangquan Evening News]

The seventh Niangziguan River Lantern Festival kicked off on July 11 in the Niangziguan Scenic Area in Yangquan city in North China's Shanxi province. 

The four-day event featured a variety of activities – among them, cultural performances, light shows, a river lantern release, lake dances and tiger dances – all expressing people's hopes and wishes for a better life.

Combining elements of Tang Dynasty (618-907) culture, this year's festival aimed to engage the younger generation, allowing them to experience the charms of traditional customs while revitalizing the local Niangziguan or the Niangzi Pass tourism brand with youthful energy.

The event is said to reinforce the image of Niangzi Pass as a vibrant scenic destination.

A visitor releases a river lantern. [Photo/Yangquan Evening News]

The annual river lantern release on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month is a tradition with hundreds of years of history, serving as a significant way for locals to express their blessings and sentiments.  

With the development of tourism in the Niangzi Pass, the lantern festival has become an important showcase of the area's rich cultural heritage.

The Niangzi Pass Scenic Area – a leading attraction in Yangquan – is renowned for its ancient pass, hanging spring waterfall, Pingyang Lake and waterfront village way of life. The area's unique blend of water village, and folk culture attracts visitors from across the region.

Visually attractive performances take place during the festival. [Photo/Yangquan Evening News]