The Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival or Light Festival, falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. As the grand finale of China’s Spring Festival customs, it embodies the cultural implication of “reunion and perfection”. On this day, the streets are filled with daily warmth during the day, and thousands of lanterns light up every household at night. Activities such as guessing lantern riddles, eating glutinous rice balls, and dragon and lion dances are staged in turn, pushing the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival to its final climax. For foreign visitors, traveling to China during the Lantern Festival not only allows you to encounter a romantic visual feast of Chinese style but also experience the warmth of traditional folk customs immersively, starting a special journey full of ritual sense and daily charm.
To understand the Lantern Festival, you must first explore its core customs. “Viewing flower lanterns” is the soul of the festival, which has been popular since the Han Dynasty and is now the core activity of Lantern Festival celebrations in various places. From traditional palace lanterns, gauze lanterns, and revolving lanterns to modern creative light groups, all kinds of lanterns shine brightly, either hanging on the streets or floating on the water, forming a brilliant night scene. “Guessing lantern riddles” adds a touch of wit and fun to viewing lanterns. Stores paste notes with riddles on the lanterns, and visitors can get small gifts if they guess correctly, experiencing the exquisiteness of Chinese character culture in interaction.
Eating glutinous rice balls is an indispensable culinary ritual for the Lantern Festival. The soft glutinous rice skin wraps sweet or salty fillings, symbolizing “reunion”. Whether it’s sweet flavors like black sesame and peanut, or salty flavors like fresh meat and shepherd’s purse, they all carry Chinese people’s expectations for perfection. In addition, folk activities such as dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, and releasing river lanterns make the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival more intense, showing the vivid vitality of traditional culture.
Choosing the right destination can make your Lantern Festival trip more distinctive. As the capital of China, Beijing’s Lantern Festival atmosphere combines royal grandeur with folk warmth. The Lantern Festival at Ditan Park is a classic choice, where traditional palace lanterns are integrated with modern light and shadow technology, paired with intangible cultural heritage handicrafts and special snack stalls. Visitors can encounter the ancient Lantern Festival among the red walls and black tiles; Qianmen Street and Nanluoguxiang are decorated with red lanterns, which are brightly lit at night. Stores along the street launch limited-time Lantern Festival activities, allowing visitors to view lanterns and taste glutinous rice balls from time-honored brands, feeling the lively atmosphere of the capital.
Nanjing’s Lantern Festival is soaked in the gentleness of the Jiangnan water town. The Confucius Temple-Qinhuai River Scenic Area is the core check-in spot. Lanterns sway on the Qinhuai River, and painted boats glide on the water. The ancient buildings on the bank reflect with the colored lights, like a flowing Jiangnan ink painting. The lantern riddle activity here has a long history, and you can also taste authentic Qinhuai-style glutinous rice balls, experiencing the tenderness of Jiangnan Lantern Festival in the sound of oars and light of lanterns.
If you prefer unique folk experiences, Chengdu and Quanzhou are excellent choices. During the Lantern Festival, Jinli Ancient Street and Kuanzhai Alleys in Chengdu are turned into a sea of lanterns. Red lanterns set off against the blue tiles and white walls. On the street, there are not only intangible cultural heritage performances such as Sichuan opera face-changing and shadow puppet shows but also special snacks like brown sugar glutinous rice balls and egg cakes. Visitors can rest in teahouses and immerse themselves in the Lantern Festival atmosphere of Bashu. As a famous historical and cultural city, Quanzhou has distinctive folk activities during the Lantern Festival. The “Shangyuan Prayer” ceremony is solemn and ancient, and traditional performances such as string puppetry and chest-beating dance are staged in turn. The ancient houses on West Street are decorated with characteristic lanterns, paired with local meat zongzi and glutinous rice balls (Quanzhou’s special glutinous rice balls), making the journey full of cultural depth. In addition, the Lantern Festival at Yuexiu Park in Guangzhou and the City Wall Lantern Festival in Xi’an are also worth visiting. The former shows Lingnan customs, while the latter takes the ancient city wall as the carrier, creating a light and shadow feast spanning thousands of years.
Practical travel tips can make your Lantern Festival trip smoother. The Lantern Festival is another peak travel period after the Spring Festival. Most popular scenic spots and lantern festivals will limit the number of visitors. It is recommended to book tickets on official platforms 1-3 days in advance to avoid being unable to enter the park on site. Most lantern festivals are held from evening to night. Plan your itinerary reasonably, reserve sufficient time for viewing lanterns, and keep warm. The night temperature in northern areas is low, so prepare thick coats, scarves and other clothes. Respect local folk customs and follow on-site guidelines when participating in activities such as guessing lantern riddles and releasing river lanterns. In terms of transportation, the surrounding areas of popular scenic spots are prone to congestion. Prefer public transportation and check the last bus time in advance. In addition, you can learn about the characteristics of glutinous rice balls in different regions in advance, try local limited flavors, and prepare translation software to facilitate communication with local people.
During the 2026 Horse Year Lantern Festival, when thousands of lanterns light up China, why not walk into the city streets, feel the charm of Lantern Festival customs in the bright light and shadow, understand Chinese romance in the warmth of reunion, and let this journey become another vivid note to understand Chinese traditional culture.
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