Tag Archives: Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival by Night

As incredible as the Lantern Festival is by day, it transforms into something delightfully magical at night.  But beware the crush of people.  Do not underestimate the danger of being trampled.

Lantern Festival by Night

The crowds get so intense that attendance inside the City God Temple area is tightly controlled by ticket purchase, and the entrance queue into this venue is closely coordinated with observers estimating the numbers leaving at a separate exit some distance away.

Lantern Festival by Night

Until you are well inside the entrance you have absolutely no control of your movements.  You are merely one drop in a sea of humanity that transports you like some unstoppable surf surging through the streets.  This lack of control is not for the claustrophobic, and one misstep could have you falling beneath the trampling feet of the throng surrounding you.

Lantern Festival by Night

But after you get perhaps a couple of hundred yards into the main festival area the crowds thin enough that you regain control.  Nevertheless, watch for uneven pavement and step-ups/step-downs along the way.  Despite the danger I am glad I got to see the festival at night, although I’d be reticent to repeat this entry gauntlet again.  I think in the future I would arrive during daylight, before the crowds get out of control, and just stay in area well past nightfall.

Lantern Festival by Night

This New Year by the way heralded the beginning of the Year of the Horse, which coincidentally just so happens to also be the sign during the year of my birth.

Year of the Horse was evident everywhere

Above our heads stretched long illuminated displays of more traditional lanterns.

Lantern Festival by Night

Look for my favorite day and night photographs of the Lantern Festival on Fun Photo Friday.  Until then, enjoy this last shot:

Lantern Festival by Night

Entering the City God Temple Area

We’re rapidly approaching the end of our blog tour of Beijing and Shanghai.  As you’ll recall our last day was quite busy — the Jade Buddha Temple, tea time, the Shanghai Museum, and a dim sum lunch have already been shown.

Lantern Festival by Day

This week we’re going to take a look at the Lantern Festival from two perspectives — by day and once again by night.  And on Fun Photo Friday I’ll present some of my favorite photographs of the Lantern Festival taken during both time.

City God Temple Area

The Lantern Festival is the culmination of the annual Chinese New Year celebration that begins on the last day of the Chinese year and extends to the fifteenth day of the New Year — a time known as the Spring Festival.  By fortuitous happenstance the 2014 Chinese New Year began on January 31.  That means the Lantern Festival happily coincided with our last full day in Shanghai, thus allowing us to take part in this exciting event.

City God Temple Area

In Shanghai the place to attend the Lantern Festival is next to the Yu Garden in the old town commercial section known as the City God Temple area for adjacent City God Temple.  This bustling center of street commerce teems with stores and food vendors, but during the festival it is absolutely packed with throngs of attendees.  It only gets worse once the sun goes down and the lanterns illuminated, as you’ll see this Wednesday.

Here are samples of what you’ll see during the day:

Lantern Festival by Day

Lantern Festival by Day

Lantern Festival by Day

City God Temple Area

Lantern Festival by Day