Lanterns,festive symbols of Chinese culture (11)

The courtyard of Family Qiao is decorated with red lanterns in Qixian County, north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 4, 2011. Lanterns in China have a long history and they have become synonymous with Chinese culture. Even today, they are still made and enjoyed by the Chinese worldwide. They were used as a means of artistic expression, in terms of functionality, design and decoration. Chinese streets in both cities and towns are decorated with red lanterns during festivals, especially Chinese Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and Lantern Festival. (Xinhua/Wang Song)