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Splendid lotus lanterns on the emerald-colored Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal with a history of hundreds of years will provide a picturesque view in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, during the upcoming Lantern Festival.
Several gaily-painted pleasure boats will run along the canal, blowing colorful ripples amid the glittering lotus lanterns.
The lantern show, which was listed as an intangible cultural heritage of the city in November 2008, will begin on Feb 8 and will run until Feb 10, and become part of a grand 2009 China Eco-tourism Festival held in the Gongshu district of the city, which is considered the best city for tourism in the nation.
The Lantern Festival is the first festival after the nation's biggest celebration - the Spring Festival, and falls on Jan 15 of the lunar calendar.
It is another important day to celebrate the New Year and a chance to pray for a peaceful and happy year.
On the banks of the canal, visitors, not only can enjoy the impressive sights of the lanterns and boats, but will also be charmed by traditional Chinese culture and folk custom performed in a famous local theatre, Nanxilou, on the Canal Culture Square in Gongshu district.
Other cultural events will also be held in different streets of the district, making the area an ideal tourism destination during the traditional Chinese festival.
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