Dazzling Zigong lantern show attract tourists from home and abroad

Photo taken on Feb. 24, 2023 shows lantern sets at the lantern fair in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (People's Daily Online/Sheng Chuyi)

The Zigong lantern show is a national intangible cultural heritage that originated in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province. The history of the lantern shows in Zigong can be traced to the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, which have now developed into a cultural activity with performances and night markets.

The number of tourists welcomed by the lantern show during this year’s Spring Festival holiday hit 309,500, up 54.17 percent from the holiday last year.

Presenting a series of activities that showcased Chinese culture and art as well as folk customs, the Zigong lantern show has gone abroad and become a landmark cultural product.

Zigong has held lantern shows in more than 80 countries and regions around the world, attracting over 500 million visitors.