A lantern fair marking the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day opened at the Garden Expo Park in Beijing on Sunday.
Running through this month, the lantern fair covers an area of more than 40 hectares with nine themed sections, including "beautiful landscapes", "Beijing culture", and "colorful childhood".
As the largest lantern fair ever held in Beijing, the event presents more than 200 sets of lanterns, including 75 large and medium-sized ones, and 100,000 vibrant decorations such as "Blossoms and Moonlight", "Panda Paradise", and "Bright Moon over the Lugou Bridge".
"I've seen many characteristic exhibits related to Beijing's culture and the Winter Olympics. It's even more magnificent than I imagined. I've never seen so large a lantern fair," said Tian Qing, a visitor.
The fair also has a street that provides a wide variety of dining options, themed activities and traditional stores.
"I'm here to appreciate the various kinds of lanterns on show and see if there are any new and innovative lanterns. Besides, there's also a snack street, so I've taken children and seniors here to enjoy the snacks," said another visitor.
Also on display are lanterns from Zigong, known as the "city of a thousand lights", for its history of lantern-making that dates back more than 1,000 years.
"We have taken into consideration the comfort and visual experience of visitors and the richness of content to make the lantern fair a place where visitors can feel the joy, the happiness and the festive vibe of family reunion," said Shen Hongyue, president of the Zigong Lantern Industry Association.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.
The National Day falls on October 1.
Largest-ever lantern fair held in Beijing for Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day
A group of 30 young people from Taiwan, organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, have recently attended a series of Confucian cultural events in east China's Shandong Province, contributing to strengthening communication between young people from the mainland and Taiwan, and helping promote cross-Strait relations.
On Monday, the 2025 Cross-Strait Confucius Cultural Spring Gathering opened in Qufu City of Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius. The youth delegation, along with Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, attended the launch ceremony.
On Tuesday morning, the delegation watched a Confucius memorial ceremony at the city's Temple of Confucius, where they offered floral baskets and recited classical texts to honor the ancient Chinese philosopher.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) was ancient China’s most famous teacher, philosopher and political theorist, whose ideas have profoundly influenced the civilizations of China and other East Asian countries.
Kung Tsui-chang, a direct 79th-generation descendant of Confucius from Taiwan who also traveled with the youth delegation, expressed his hope that similar cultural exchanges would help strengthen ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"The youths from Taiwan and the mainland performed the rituals and played the ritual music together. This cultural resonance transcends language and is the most vivid explanation of our shared cultural root. I believe that by sustained cultural dialogue, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, while jointly safeguarding the common cultural root, will enhance mutual understanding, build consensus, and inject more positive energy into cross-Strait peace and national rejuvenation," said Kung, also president of the Confucius Foundation.
During their stay in Shandong, the delegation also participated in other exchange activities in the cities of Tai'an, Qingdao, Zaozhuang, and Jinan.
Taiwan's youth delegation attends Confucian cultural events in mainland
