CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival, with the theme of ‘Light up Chinese lanterns, Dance with Chinese Dragons’, will take place between February 2 (the 24th day of 12th lunar month in 2023) and March 11 (the second day of the second lunar month in 2024) in Tongliang District, offering residents and tourists a remarkable cultural carnival focusing on dragon lanterns and dragon dance, according to the news press conference on the 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival.

With dragon culture as the theme

Nine categories of activities

This art festival is a comprehensive event with dragon culture as the theme, offering nine categories of activities, including the ‘Chinese Dragon Lantern Show’, ‘Fire Dragon Performance’, ‘Dragon Dance Parade’, and ‘Cultural and Creative Bazaar of the Dragon’.

The 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival is a significant step toward promoting the integrated development of culture, sports, and tourism in Tongliang, said Chang Wanlong, Mayor of Tongliang and Deputy Secretary of Tongliang Party Committee. ‘Chinese New Year’ and the features of ‘dragon culture’ are the two main features of the event, Chang added.

The Spring Festival represents the grandest traditional festival for the Chinese people, and it is also a good time to showcase its various intangible cultural heritage. All activities for the 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival, including the light show, lantern show, New Year’s painting exhibition, dragon dance, and dragon lantern show, will highlight the joyful festive atmosphere and the splendid culture of Chinese New Year, said Wanlong.

The event also features the culture of the dragon. As the hometown of Chinese dragon lantern and dragon dance, Tongliang produces excellent dragon dance teams that have participated in the National Day celebrations in Beijing four times, given performances in more than 30 countries and regions for cultural exchange, such as the United States, France, and Australia, and been awarded ‘the First Dragon in China’. You will experience the culture of the dragon through a wide range of activities, like the lighting ceremony, fire dragon performance, wall of creative photos, interactive singing and dance performances, ‘Little Dragon Maiden’ Han costume photography competition, special photography exhibition, and traditional culture exhibition ‘Spring Festival with Dragons’.

Each sub-venue has endless fun

Tongliang is deepening the integrated development of culture and tourism

It’s learned that the sub-venues for the 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival include Colorful Dream Park, Xuantian Lake, Anju Ancient Town, Tongliang Dragon scenic spot, People’s Park, and Yuanxiang Central Park, each filled with endless sources of fun.

As one of the sub-venues for the 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival, Anju Ancient Town will offer a creative exhibition of dragon lanterns and carry out New Year celebration activities in a traditional Chinese style during the Spring Festival holiday.

These activities and shows will shine a light on the past and present of Anju, and I believe you will fall in love with Anju, said Hu Jian, Chairman of Anju Huaxia Culture and Tourism.

Xuantian Lake in Tongliang is also one of the sub-venues for the 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival, which will start to turn its light on February 2. Xuantian Lake will be illuminated from 18:00 to 22:30 every day and during this period, cycling is not allowed, said Pang Dengke, Chairman of Xuantianhu Culture and Tourism.

In addition, the large-scale intangible cultural heritage live drama "Chase Your Dream – Tongliang Dragon" will be performed at the sub-venue Xuantian Lake Dragon Culture and Performing Arts Center in Xuantian Lake Resort on Bayue Mountain at 20:00 every day. You can take part in the first Xuantian Lake Fishing Festival on the fifth day of the first lunar month, and participate in the Xuantian Lake 9.22 Best Runner Competition on the sixth day. It’s important that during the event, you can experience the ‘Bayue Dragon Cruise’ and enjoy hot pots while watching fire dragon performances.

“2024 is the year of the dragon. These fun activities will offer an insight into the dragon culture of Tongliang and thus enhance the reputation of Tongliang as the hometown of dragon dance,” said Yan Yong, Director of Tongliang Culture and Tourism Commission. It is hoped that by holding the 10th Chongqing Tongliang Dragon Lantern Art Festival, Tongliang will promote the excellent Chinese culture, contribute to the development of the Bashu Culture and Tourism Corridor, build itself into a vibrant and attractive tourist destination in Chengdu-Chongqing region, and enhance the influence of dragon culture tourism city. (Translated by Yuki, Fathom Language Limited)