Around ten days to countdown before the Spring Festival finally greets us. The annually festive event, Qinhuai Lantern Festival is now being prepared, ready to embrace people.
At Dacheng Hall of the Confucius Temple in Nanjing, where is the main venue of the Qinhuai Lantern Festival every year, the reporter saw two groups of lanterns sharing the theme of “Confucius”. One is “Confucius Viewing the Water”. Confucius had a well-known comment when he was observing the running water, which was passed on for generations, that was “Time runs away fast, no matter it's day or night.” （逝者如斯夫，不舍昼夜）
Another group is the “Apricot Altar”. The symbol of the brilliance of Confucius education, the apricot altar is said to commemorate Confucius lecturing. In addition, the lantern festival this year is also characterized for the elements related with dogs to celebrate “Year of the Dog”. Golden gingko leaves and traditional lotus lanterns also make this year’s lantern festival a remarkable and prosperous one.
Though a traditional custom, Qinhuai Lantern Festival is catering for people’s changing taste and trying to be creative and original every year. On the walls of the corridors of the Dacheng Hall, people could see 12 cartoon lanterns. Don’t take for granted that they’re Chinese Zodiac Signs, they’re actually the 12 Signs of the Western Astrology.
Many tourists later said: “The western astrology is now more popular with young people, while the lantern festival is quite traditional Chinese. It’s a wonderful idea to combine the western and oriental together and create new things.”
Look closely at the giant lantern of the dog, you’ll surprisingly find the “Moments”Confucius shares on his WeChat account and many celebrities click to like it. What fun it is!
Staff working in the field said that the construction period was slightly delayed due to the heavy snow this year, and they’re working harder to complete the whole construction. The biggest group of lanterns at the entrance at Dacheng Hall is still under construction, but the high frames looming up already send out promising signals.
The construction worker also introduced that they got the inspiration from the China Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo. Other big lanterns like two big fish, sky wheel, and C919 domestic aircraft will also join that group of lanterns. Part of the lanterns will light up on Feb 7 on a trial basis, while the lantern festival will officially kick off till 10th or 11th.
What’s more, Wende Bridge is also under construction. Our reporter has the guess that the group of lanterns around here should be lotus-themed. With Qinhuai River as the central area, the lantern festival this year will light up the areas along the Ming Dynasty City Wall, Qinhuai River and historical alleys, adding a finishing touch to the coming Spring Festival.
