An annual lantern show sheds new light on ancient culture, Wang Xin reports.

The annual Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show kicked off in Shanghai on Sunday to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Dragon, which begins on Feb 10.

The 40-day event at the major tourism destination features a diverse collection of lanterns that take the zodiac creature as its theme. It's the 29th edition of the show, which was inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008.

Like the previous edition, this year's show, which features thousands of lanterns, is also inspired by Shanhaijing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas, a major source of Chinese mythology that dates back more than 2,000 years.

"This year's (show) depicts magical scenes where Chinese dragons live in harmony with aquatic plants and creatures," says Yin Ge, general manager of Shanghai Yuyuan Tourist Mart culture and branding department.

"It expresses the broad-mindedness of Chinese people to dance and prosper with people from other cultures, and showcases our traditional culture's unfading charm," she says.

One area features a cluster of nine dragon lanterns that are inspired by artifacts from different dynasties, Yin says.

"We'd like to showcase Chinese people's unity and continuous explorations, and express our openness to the world."

Lanterns at the Gold Plaza and Jiuqu (Zigzag) Bridge present dazzling and fantastical deep-sea scenes of lanterns shaped like fish, coral and other marine life.

The show also features dance performances, parades showcasing intangible cultural heritage, markets, puzzles and games.

"Preparations started last March," Yin says. "This has been the most difficult setup in the show's history."

It was tricky, for instance, to arrange the 400-odd fish-shaped lanterns to form the 50-meter-long and nearly 2-ton dragon that "flies" over Ninghui Road, she says.

Also challenging was placing the lanterns in the water near Jiuqu Bridge.

"The craftspeople had to wear waterproof suits and go into the cold water to install them one by one," Yin recalls.

Actually, the show debuted at the amusement park Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris on Dec 15, where it will run until Feb 25 and also marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France.

The Paris show features 60 installations of lanterns shaped like dragons and other mythological creatures, in addition to Chinese folk performances and Shanghai delicacies.

"I really love all of these, especially the part showcasing mythical creatures and Chinese mythology," says Damien French, a visitor to the show in Paris.

And people from around the world are also visiting the show in Shanghai.

German teacher Susan Hess and her husband have gone to the event in Yuyuan Garden every year since they moved to the city four years ago.

"I love the Center Plaza because this is the place where I always go first. I think the dragons together are really great, and I like them. I also love the fish, and all the lanterns are very dynamic. I think this is my feeling about Shanghai at the moment — it is very lively and dynamic," says Hess.

"I love to see people are excited about Spring Festival. And I think it is a very nice atmosphere in China when family members come together for reunions, admire all these lanterns and have nice food. I think this is a very nice tradition."

The shows in Shanghai and Paris are also accessible via a QR code, enabling visitors from either side to see the other show.

"The connection between the lantern shows in both cities also represents the integration of Chinese and French cultures," says Hu Junjie, vice-president of Yuyuan Inc.

"We hope people in both cities can get closer to Eastern aesthetics and enjoy Lunar New Year together."

Tips:

Admission to the lantern show is free, except for the following periods: 10 am-10 pm from Feb 10-16 and Feb 22-25, and 2 pm-10 pm from Feb 17-21. Tickets can be purchased online or at booths around Yuyuan Garden. Prices range from 50($6.90) to 80 yuan.