Beijing parks sparkle with Lantern Festival delights

People watch lanterns and light installations in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- With the Lantern Festival falling on a weekend this year, Beijing's iconic parks, including the Summer Palace, are packed with visitors enjoying a wide range of festive delights.

The city's park management center has highlighted 20 Lantern Festival themed events for the Year of the Loong, and people have flocked to the parks to enjoy the spring flowers, make lanterns, do finger painting, watch puppet shows and generally soak up the atmosphere.

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations, and is marked with lantern displays, riddle games and various cultural activities. Families and friends come together to enjoy delicious traditional food such as sweet rice dumplings, and appreciate the beauty of lanterns illuminating the night sky.

Beijing's parks have always been popular destinations for residents and tourists during the Lantern Festival, offering a blend of cultural heritage, natural beauty and festive celebrations.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

The Summer Palace, Beihai Park and Fragrant Hills, which are known for their classical gardens, are hosting cultural activities in their respective iconic scenic areas of Deheyuan (Garden of Virtue and Harmony), Yong'an Temple and Zhiyuanzhai.

At the Summer Palace, visitors can create festival-themed artworks such as loong lanterns and appreciate the charm of ancient architectural paintings through guided tours and puzzle activities.

At the Yong'an Temple of Beihai Park, visitors can enjoy lanterns adorned with riddles and test their guessing skills.

Tourists watch dragon dance at Nangong World Botanical Amusement Park in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

The Fragrant Hills Park is showcasing lanterns of different dynasties and styles along the corridor of Zhiyuanzhai, accompanied by lantern riddles and rapid-fire Q&A sessions for visitors.

SPRING FLOWERS

A fall of snow earlier this week added a rare scenic touch to the early blooms in parks across Beijing, including the China National Botanical Garden, Taoranting Park and Yuyuantan Park, attracting visitors eager to enjoy a "snowy stroll in search of plum blossom."

This weekend, the festive ambiance of the Lantern Festival was enhanced by indoor flower shows in the city's parks.

Fragrant Hills Park has arranged a spring flower exhibition at the Songlin Restaurant, featuring camellias, rhododendrons, peonies, osmanthus, kumquats and orchids.

Meanwhile, Zhongshan Park has replaced the flowers in the Tanghuawu pavilion with plum blossoms, primroses and azaleas, complemented by exquisite seasonal varieties such as amaryllis and cymbidium.

As ever, visitors to the parks will be greeted with a range of traditional folk customs to enhance the celebrations.