Published : 2025-02-04
During the Chinese New Year, apart from visiting flower markets, you must not miss out on the lantern festivals filled with festive atmosphere.
As now is the Year of the Snake, various themed lantern festivals have been held across the country, including themes such as the Classic of Mountains and Seas, intangible cultural heritage crafts, and more.
This article takes you to see 5 unique Chinese New Year lantern festivals for you. Let's check them out!
Shanghai Yu Garden Lantern Festival
As the most representative Chinese New Year lantern festival in Shanghai, this year's Yu Garden (豫園) Lantern Festival continues the story of "Enchanting Mountains and Seas", showcasing the romantic colours of Eastern mythology.
The Yu Garden Lantern Festival in 2025, featuring five themed settings, presents the harmonious scene of the zodiac snake intertwined with the myriad birds and beasts among mountains, seas, and forests.
Lanterns in the shapes of snakes, mushrooms, butterflies, and small fungus people are scattered throughout the garden, accompanied by the sound of flowing water and the chirping of animals.
In addition, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Yu Garden Lantern Festival, the "30 Years of the Yu Garden Lantern Festival and Chinese Lantern Art Exhibition" is hosted for the first time.
The exhibition connects history with lanterns, lantern festivals, and lantern art, showcasing the 30-year history of the Yu Garden Lantern Festival.
Festival dates: January 1 to February 12
Read more: The "alive" Yu Garden Lantern Festival
Sichuan Zigong Lantern Festival
Aside from the Yu Garden Lantern Festival, the highlight of each year's New Year lantern festival is the Zigong Lantern Festival (自貢燈會) in Sichuan Province, with a history of over a thousand years.
This year's Zigong Lantern Festival features 47 exquisite lantern works from 15 provinces and cities across the country, along with more than 200 sets of Zigong lanterns, presenting an extraordinary feast that combines Intangible Cultural Heritage with technology.
As the largest Zigong Lantern Festival to date, this year's festival features seven main exhibition areas.
In these areas, traditional intangible cultural elements, realistic animal figures, classic Chinese animation, and video games are transformed into splendid and gorgeous lanterns, with traditional Chinese crafts such as silk frame shapes and binding techniques.
Festival dates: January 18 to February 12
Read more: Zigong Lantern Festival amazes all over the world
Nanjing Qinhuai Lantern Festival
Since the Six Dynasties period (222-589), the Nanjing Qinhuai Lantern Festival (秦淮燈會) has always been a highly anticipated Chinese New Year celebration, integrating lantern exhibitions, lantern festivals, and lantern markets.
Since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), it has been reputed as "the best lanterns in the world" and this tradition has continued to this day.
In the Year of the Snake, various large lanterns with the theme of the Snake Zodiac are lit at venues of the Qinhuai Lantern Festival, including the Confucius Temple (夫子廟) and Laomendong (老門東), creating a splendid display at night.
This year, the Huangyuan Rolling Lanterns (湟源排燈), an Intangible Cultural Heritage, is again presented in Laomendong, crafting a 22-metre-long, 14-metre-high Zodiac Snake Lantern under the city wall.
The snake's body coils into the shape of the "Chinese Knot", vivid and lifelike, making it the largest Zodiac lantern ever.
Festival dates: December 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025
Read more: Year of the Snake mascots unveiled all over China!
Xi'an City Wall Lantern Festival
Speaking of lantern festivals, how can we miss the world-famous Xi'an City Wall Lantern Festival?
The Xi'an City Wall Lantern Festival has been successfully held 37 times since 1984.
This year's festival, featuring 5 major lantern areas, showcases the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the vigorous development of modern Xi'an, uniquely blending the ancient and the modern.
This year's Xi'an City Wall Lantern Festival ingeniously transforms 38 cultural relics into 23 large lantern groups.
Including the "Human-Headed Snake-Body Jade Pendant" unearthed in the Huang Junmeng Tomb in Henan Province, the national treasure "Glazed Serpent Exquisite Ball", and the delicate snake ball pottery combined with various Tang Dynasty patterns.
These are spread along the ancient city wall, fully revealing the splendour culture of Tang Dynasty and presenting a magnificent spectacle.
Festival dates: January 22 to March 9
Jinan Baotu Spring Lantern Festival
The Baotu Spring Lantern Festival is Jinan's annual Chinese New Year event.
This year, the lantern festival sets 3 main theme areas in Baotu Spring (趵突泉), Daming Lake (大明湖), and the Five Dragon Pool (五龍潭).
With over 40 groups of lanterns, the festival combines Chinese New Year elements with Jinan's spring water culture, showcasing a poetic and picturesque visual feast.
The most eye-catching attraction of this lantern festival is undoubtedly the giant "Xiayuhe" lantern that was lit first.
Inspired by the female character "Xiayuhe" (夏雨荷) from the popular Chinese TV drama My Fair Princess (還珠格格), the lantern is 12 metres high, making it the largest single-form lantern in the history of the festival.
The beautiful and romantic image of an ancient-style maiden, coupled with eyelids that move with the lights, has sparked a lot of discussion online.
Festival Dates: January 29 to February 27
