The 38th Qinhuai Lantern Festival Lights Up China

On the evening of February 2, the 2024 “Light Up China” event, the 38th annual China Qinhuai Lantern Festival lighting ceremony,     1    (begin) at the Bailuzhou Park in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. The Qinhuai Lantern Festival,     2     is also known as the “Jinling Lantern Festival”, is a folk cultural activity spread in Nanjing in history. It is usually held during the Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival every year. It is the most famous lantern festival in China and it is included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.

With the Bailuzhou Park, the Confucius Temple Scenic Area and the Laomendong District serving     3     main display venues, this year’s Qinhuai Lantern Fair has set up 7 exhibition areas with 330 lantern installations.

    4    (compare) to previous years’ lantern festivals, one of the major highlights this year is the remarkable “the Year of the Dragon” theme. For instance, at the front of the Linxing Gate of the Confucius Temple in Nanjing, the lantern display features twin dragons winding around pillars, blowing out dragon pearls, symbolizing auspiciousness (吉祥) and reunion. Meanwhile, the Bailuzhou Park takes     5    (inspire) from the “Illustration of Lanterns in the Shangyuan Festival” as its creative theme, showing     6     total of 68 sets of lanterns in various sizes and forms, recreating the splendid scene of observing lanterns during the Ming dynasty as described in the ancient artworks.

The Lantern Festival in Nanjing this year not only celebrates the traditional customs of the Lunar New Year but also highlights the city’s cultural heritage and     7    (innovation) spirit, drawing visitors from across the nation     8    (participate) in the joyous celebrations.

A local elderly person said to a news reporter     9    (proud), “It has the reputation of No. 1 Lantern Festival in the world and the Qinhuai Lantern Festival     10    (be) the best in the world. It is the only large-scale comprehensive lantern festival in China that integrates lantern exhibitions, lantern festivals and lantern markets.”

In China, 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, or “loong,” as is known in Chinese. This creature appears on many cultural artifacts     1     (pass) down through Chinese history.

Unlike Western dragons,     2     are often depicted as aggressive, fire-breathing, flying lizards, Chinese loongs     3     (traditional) symbolize strong and favourable powers. In Chinese mythology ( 神 话 ), the loong is credited with ensuring a good harvest. The unique appearance of the Chinese loong distinguishes it    4     its Western counterparts.

For thousands of years, the Chinese have respected the loong,     5     (believe) that they can bring harmony and prosperity. According to Chinese mythology, the Yan Emperor’s mother had seen a loong just before she was pregnant and soon the Yan Emperor       6       (bear). So the Chinese regard the Yan Emperor as their forefather, and they sometimes refer to     7       (they) as “descendants of the loong (龙的传人).”

At a historical site in Liaoning Province, a stone sculpture of a loong was discovered in 1994.       8       (measure) 19.70 meters in length, the sculpture       9       (date) back to more than 7,600 years ago. The idiom “龙年大吉” means “good luck in the year of the loong.” We wish all of us       10       happy and lucky Chinese New Year!

The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Clear and Bright (Chinese:清明), the 5th solar term, is the only one     1     first day is also a traditional Chinese festival, Qingming Festival or Tomb-Sweeping Day.

Qingming Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday     2    (observe) to commemorate ancestors and honor the deceased. Falling on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox (春分), usually around early April, Qingming is     3    (culture) significant in Chinese society.     4     history, Qingming has been evolving, combining traditional rituals with modern practices, reflecting the dynamic nature of Chinese culture.

    5     Qingming tomb-sweeping often takes place in suburban areas, it     6    (accompany) by leisure activities such as bathing, outings, feasting and water sports. People not only honor their ancestors     7    cleanse themselves, pray for blessings and enjoy the beauty of spring.

So far, various regions     8    (develop) unique customs and traditions around the festival. For instance, enjoying the beauty of blooming flowers and embracing nature during outings symbolizes vitality and renewal.

With changing times and evolving social norms,     9     people observe Qingming has undergone significant transformation. The modern     10    (adapt) of Qingming traditions reflect society’s evolving values while preserving the essence of cultural heritage.