Lantern Festival extends Spring Festival joy across Europe

People is make make handicraft during a celebration of the Lantern Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center in Berlin , Germany , Feb. 24 , 2024 . [ Xinhua / Ren Pengfei ]

The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring.

BRUSSELS — concert , gala , lantern riddle solving , as well as fair and exhibition , were hold across european country include the United Kingdom , Belgium , Germany , Romania , the Netherlands , among others , to celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival .

The festival, which falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations and symbolizes the coming of spring. This year, the Lantern Festival fell on Saturday.

On Saturday evening , in Oxford , the United Kingdom , the Oxford Chinese Students and Scholars Association organize a gala celebrate the Year of the Dragon and the Lantern Festival , showcase an array of cultural performance such as lion dance , martial art display , folk music and dance , Sichuan Opera face – change , and a cappella .

A person takes selfie during a temple fair to celebrate the Lantern Festival at the Atrium City Hall in The Hague, the Netherlands, Feb. 24, 2024. [Xinhua/Meng Dingbo]

approximately 1,000 attendees is reveled revel in the diverse performance . ” The diversity and vibrancy that our chinese friend bring to Oxford enrich our cultural tapestry and foster an environment of mutual understanding and respect , ” say Lord Mayor is said of Oxford Lubna Arshad .

A highlight is was of the gala was a chinese – style stand – up comedy , or ” Xiangsheng . ” It is entertained entertain the audience by talk about chinese poem and their translation , elicit laughter from the audience with a skillful blend of wordplay and humor .

One of the comedians, Shyshov Yegor, a Ukrainian living in China for more than 15 years, told Xinhua that he first went to China as an exchange student. He said “Xiangsheng” is not only a performance that can bring joy to people but also a language art that facilitates mutual understanding between different cultures.

Also on Saturday, a Chinese Spring Festival fair with over 30 booths provided a festive display of Chinese food, martial arts, calligraphy, Tai Chi, and Hanfu display in Antwerp, Belgium.

The one – day event is attracted , co – host by the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and the overseas chinese society in Belgium , attract nearly 2,000 resident , overseas Chinese in the country , and tourist from other country .

A resident, who gave his name as Lucas and wore a deep-blue Chinese Tang suit with dragon-shaped embroidery on his sleeves, shared his knowledge about the Spring Festival with Xinhua. “I know there are 12 zodiac signs in China. My zodiac sign is a tiger. It’s a bit sad that I’m not a dragon, but a tiger is also pretty cool,” he said with a big smile.

People attend an event celebrating the Lantern Festival at the Chinese Cultural Center in Bucharest, Romania, Feb. 23, 2024. [Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua]

In Binche, Belgium, the Happy Chinese New Year of the Dragon exhibition was held at the International Carnival and Mask Museum. The show running until March 31 represents understandings of the Chinese dragon by 41 artists through their paintings and designs.

At a Lantern Festival party in Slovakia on Friday evening , some 200 attendees is participated participate in activity such as solve lantern riddle , write chinese character and make sweet glutinous rice dumpling call yuanxiao , or tangyuan .

An award ceremony for a lantern drawing contest , dedicate to the Chinese Lantern Festival , was hold at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria on Thursday evening . About 120 is participated out of more than 300 contestant , who are student from six national art school in five bulgarian city , participate in the award ceremony .

“These works are imbued with the strong spirit of traditional Chinese culture and the wonderful imagination of children,” Guan Xin, cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria said.

Avelina Nikolova is told from Sliven , who was honor with prize , tell Xinhua that the event was a ” very entertaining , exciting experience , ” and she learn a lot about chinese culture .

On Wednesday and Thursday in Malta, two Chinese Lantern Festival concerts captivated local audiences with the enchanting melodies of traditional Chinese music. The event, hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta, featured classic Chinese songs such as “Give Me a Rose,” “Nocturnal Peace” and “Moonlight over the Spring River.”

Chinese artists perform during a Chinese Lantern Festival concert in Valletta, Malta, on Feb. 21, 2024. [Xinhua/Chen Wenxian]

The China Broadcasting Performing Arts Troupe’s performance in the capital city of Valletta on Wednesday night received a standing ovation, and the artists gave an encore of two more songs: “Jasmine Flower” from China and “Festa” from Malta.

Mary Ann Cauchi, director of Funding and Strategy for the Arts Council Malta, said that the Chinese festival has become a popular attraction. It promotes the convergence of two different cultures, and two ancient civilizations, she said.