Yuyuan Garden's lantern show to light up festival

The annual Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show, unveiled last month in Shanghai, will last for 52 days. [Photo provided to China Daily]

One of the most anticipated entertainment events of the year, the annual Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show was unveiled last month and will last for 52 days, longer than previous editions, to allow more people to enjoy the colorful scenes.

The lantern festival, which was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2008, is a staple in Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. It is a tradition in Chinese culture to admire lanterns with family members and catch cultural performances during the Chinese New Year, which will fall on Jan 22.

In Shanghai, the most iconic venue to do this is Yuyuan Garden, a major scenic spot in downtown Huangpu district which has been holding lantern shows for 28 years.

The latest edition of the show is inspired by Shanhaijing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas, a major source of Chinese mythology that dates back more than 2,000 years. The work to design these lanterns started as early as in April, according to the organizers.

"Yuyuan Garden has always been striving to promote traditional Chinese culture and explore creative expressions," says Sang Yi, an official with Yuyuan Tourist Mart, the organizer of the lantern festival.

"This year's event takes inspiration from a concept in Shanhaijing, which revolves around creating a happy life for all people in the country. Through the use of modern technologies, as well as various interactive activities, we hope to present visitors with a beautiful 'fairyland' featuring eastern aesthetics."

During the show, a large collection of lanterns depicting animals, dragon, flowers and rare plants mentioned in ancient tales are showcased at the Jiuquqiao area, or "zigzag bridge", in Yuyuan Garden.