Enjoy the lantern festival at the starting point of the Silk Road

The dragon is the central image of the festival.

Located in northwestern China, the ancient city of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province has long been famous for its 2,000-year-old terracotta army, a tourist attraction drawing visitors from all over the world .

But this month, all eyes are on another historical landmark – the Xi'an City Wall, arguably one of the most impressive surviving traditional defensive systems in the world and one of the only remaining complete ancient city walls in China.

Crowds of people gathered in front of Xi'an's ancient city walls to admire this year's Lantern Festival - Photo: Xinhua

The fortress, measuring 13 km in length, 12 meters in height, and 5 meters in width, currently hosts an annual light show as part of the Lunar New Year/Spring Festival celebrations.

Thousands of dazzling lights and lanterns transformed the massive wall that wound around the ancient center of Xi'an. Inside the fortress lay the remnants of what was once the capital of several Chinese dynasties.

This is the Year of the Dragon, so dragons are the dominant image among the 20 lanterns on display. Among these works, the most impressive is the 18-meter-tall dragon lantern, seemingly roaring, with piercing blue eyes and a dragon body with swirling red scales suspended above illuminated clouds.

Other themed performances highlight the city's history, landscapes, and children's folklore. Cultural performances and other activities will also take place at the wall as part of the festival.

52 days of brilliance with lanterns

Lanterns are an important part of the Lunar New Year celebrations, and there's even a dedicated holiday for them: the Lantern Festival, which takes place on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year. This year, it falls on February 24th according to the Gregorian calendar.

This year's Xi'an Lantern Festival began on February 2nd - Photo: CNN

Known as the Lantern Festival – “yuan” meaning first and “xiao” meaning night – the festival is celebrated to honor the first full moon night of the year, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring as the Lunar New Year celebrations conclude.

Although the official Lantern Festival takes place over one day, impressive displays are set up throughout China, often attracting visitors for several weeks.

In Xi'an, this year's Lantern Festival, which opened on February 2nd, will last for 52 days. The festival is a time for friends and family to gather, admire paper lanterns, laugh and joke by solving witty riddles attached to the lanterns, and go out – sometimes hoping to find love.

Since it's the Year of the Dragon, dragons appear everywhere in the Lantern Festival - Photo: CNN

Historically, the Lantern Festival was one of the rare days of the year when unmarried men and women could meet, with people gathering under rows of lanterns. That's why some even call it the Chinese Valentine's Day.

This tradition originated and became popular during the Han Dynasty, about 2,000 years ago. And in Xi'an, once the capital of the Han Dynasty, the spirit of Valentine's Day is even more intertwined with the Lantern Festival and its vibrant lanterns.

The Xi'an City Wall, a fascinating destination.

When not brightly lit with lanterns, Xi'an's city walls offer locals and tourists a relaxing space to cycle or stroll in the breeze while enjoying panoramic views.

Built during the Ming Dynasty, with its elaborate drawbridges, towers, and moats, this wall was once one of the most impressive military defense systems in the world.

The ancient city wall serves as a link between Xi'an's past and present, and the top of the wall is also a favorite spot for tourists to jog in the morning - Photo: CNN

The wall protected one of the four historical capitals of China and was also the starting point of the Silk Road. Originally known as Chang'an, this city was where Chinese merchants gathered goods and silk to begin their long journey across the deserts and steppes of Central Asia to the Middle East and even as far as Rome.

Now, the ancient city walls of Chang'an stand between modern Xi'an and the old town center, serving as a bridge between the past and present of this city of 13 million people.

And it's also a magnet for international visitors. Many of the world's top celebrities love this landmark. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is said to have enjoyed his morning jogs on top of the wall during a trip to Xi'an in 2015.

A year earlier, in 2014, then-First Lady Michelle Obama also jumped rope and danced atop the wall when she visited Xi'an.

Quang Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thuong-thuc-le-hoi-den-long-o-noi-khoi-dau-cua-con-duong-to-lua-post284380.html