The 40th Baotu Spring Lantern Festival is to be staged at Baotu Spring Park, Jinan, East China's Shandong province, to welcome the Chinese lunar New Year on Feb 5.

This year's lantern show will offer more than 40 sets of lanterns with different themes. The largest lantern set consists of four giant yellow elephants, 12 meters high and 30 meters wide.

Since 1956, Jinan has held the spectacular lantern show 39 times. Baotu Spring Lantern Festival has developed into the largest and oldest lantern show in Shandong province.

The 40th Baotu Spring Lantern Festival is to be staged at the Baotu Spring Park, Jinan, East China's Shandong province, to welcome the Chinese lunar New Year from Feb 5 to Feb 24. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A delight lantern set on display to welcome the Chinese lunar New Year at Baotu Spring Park, Jinan. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The pig will be the main character at this year's lantern show because 2019 is considered the Year of the Pig in the Chinese zodiac. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]