Lantern show to make international debut in Paris

A renowned garden lantern show from China will make its debut in France soon, according to an inauguration ceremony held at the China Cultural Center in Paris on Tuesday.

As one of China's most famous New Year cultural events, the Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show will be held at the Jardin d'Acclimatation in France from Dec 15 to Feb 25 next year. The show will coincide with major Eastern and Western holidays, including Christmas, New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival and Valentine's Day.

The lantern show's debut in Paris will offer a good platform to showcase China's rich traditional culture and Shanghai's cosmopolitan cultural character to an international audience, Yan Zhenquan, cultural counselor of the Chinese embassy in France, said during the inauguration of the lantern show at the center on Tuesday.

Yan said he believes the show will tell both Shanghai's story and China's story to people worldwide, including the French people.

Representatives from relevant government institutions, media outlets and businesses from both China and France attended the inauguration.

2024 will be the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France. Shortly after the Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show lights up in Paris, it will be unveiled in Shanghai as well. The shows in both cities will be a celebration of the friendship between China and France, and will also send blessings for the Paris Olympics, which will open in July 2024.

The upcoming lantern show centers around the theme of "Spirit of Mountains and Seas", based on the iconic book Shanhaijing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas. The book is a major source of Chinese mythology that dates back more than 2,000 years.

The dragon, which is the zodiac sign for 2024, and various mythical beasts drawn from Shanhaijing will be the key attractions in the lantern show.

Combining traditional Chinese lantern-making craftsmanship with modern lighting technology, French visitors will be treated to a visual feast full of oriental beauty and fun when the show opens in December.

yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn