Mythical creatures and animals illuminated a lantern festival in Zigong, a city in southwest China, to mark the fast-approaching Lunar New Year of the Horse, starting on February 17th. Over 1,200 workers spent weeks crafting 200 handmade lanterns, including a 210-meter-long mythological being named “Kunpeng” and a 180-meter-long Chinese female hero called “Mulan.”
The annual Zigong International Lantern Festival will continue until the Yuanxiao Festival, which signifies the end of the Lunar New Year on March 3rd. Witness the spectacular displays from the festival’s opening night.
Captured in breathtaking photos by Maxim Shemetov from Reuters, visitors can be seen enjoying the vibrant light installations, snapping selfies next to giant lanterns shaped like dragons and goldfish, and strolling through illuminated tunnels. Lanterns hold deep cultural significance during Lunar New Year festivities in China, representing auspiciousness and guidance for the year ahead.