Lanterns,festive symbols of Chinese culture (9)

The combined photo taken on Nov. 4, 2011 shows lanterns in the courtyards of Family Qiao in Qixian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Lanterns in China have a long history and they have become synonymous with Chinese culture. Even today, they are still made and enjoyed by the Chinese worldwide. They were used as a means of artistic expression, in terms of functionality, design and decoration. Chinese streets in both cities and towns are decorated with red lanterns during festivals, especially Chinese Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and Lantern Festival. (Xinhua/Wang Song)