Yucun’s dragon lanterns illuminate new cultural sites

Saturday, February 24, 2024

During the Spring Festival on February 11th, in Yucun, Tianhuangping Town, Anji County, the tranquil countryside came alive with excitement as 600 vibrant fish-shaped lights gracefully danced through the air, intertwining to create a magnificent “dragon” spanning 100 meters. Tourists eagerly vied for the perfect photo opportunity beside this dazzling spectacle.

“This is the ‘common prosperity relay’ and also the main lantern of our lantern festival.” Ding Wenwen, one of the planners of this New Year’s lantern festival, said that the ‘colorful fish’ dragon lantern symbolizes the builders of beautiful rural areas wandering in the wave of rural revitalization, gathering together in a relay to form a soaring dragon. In recent years, Yucun has actively promoted the “Yucun Global Partnership Plan”, which has attracted many young people and rural areas to travel in both directions. The 9 sets of 11 original dragon lanterns displayed this time were designed for the first time by Yucun Global Partners and young cartoonists. Each set of dragon lanterns contains stories of Yucun’s development and youth participation in rural revitalization.

In front of over 10 newly established cultural and tourism sites like the Impression Youth Library, Qinglai Collection, Xiangyin Small Hall, Partner’s Home, and Yucun Post Office, a variety of themed dragon lanterns add charm. Some “dragons” are depicted leisurely seated on chairs playing guitars, while others stylishly roam the village on balance bikes. “It’s the first time I’ve seen so many new formats and scenery in the countryside, paired with a dragon lantern exhibition, which feels very fresh and interesting.” She ordered a cup of coffee at the Yucun Township Music Center and Shanghai tourist Qi Lili kept taking selfies with her phone.

“The dragon lantern at the entrance of my store is called ‘Dragon Singing Chengxiang’, displaying a joyful and low singing posture of a dragon. It represents the beautiful lifestyle that Yucun has created for young people, allowing them to freely showcase their talents in the countryside.” Huang Bin, the manager of Yucun Township Music Hall, said that “youth power” has become the new label of Yucun.

The Yucun New Year Lantern Festival is set to enchant visitors until March 11th. Throughout the festivities, a plethora of engaging activities awaits, including intangible cultural heritage street walks, a vibrant Gongfu Market, music extravaganzas, whimsical tours, influencer hotspots, and delectable New Year’s cuisine. This array of events promises to deliver a youthful, lively, fresh, and captivating cultural experience for all who attend.

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