HONG KONG’S FIRST-EVER LANTERN SPECTACULAR ATTRACTS A STRONG TURNOUT FOR MID-AUTUMN CELEBRATIONS

Hong Kong’s first-ever International Lantern Spectacular is welcoming a vibrant stream of visitors as the city comes together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

Featuring more than 3,000 distinctive lanterns from 20 countries and regions, alongside National Intangible Cultural Heritage Nanjing Qinhuai lantern installations and traditional Hong Kong lanterns, the event celebrates diverse lantern artistry and cultural heritage from around the world. 

Complementing the festivities, the iconic Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance will bring smoke, fire and energy to Hong Kong's Mid-Autumn celebrations.

In Chinese Mid-Autumn tradition, lanterns are one of the festival’s signature elements.

Speaking of lanterns, the Nanjing Qinhuai lantern tradition is one not to miss. With a history stretching back more than 1,700 years and recognition as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the art form makes its Hong Kong debut this month with four giant lantern installations, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage of the Qinhuai lantern-making tradition.

“For us, it’s really about bringing Qinhuai culture together with Hong Kong’s own local character,” said Zhu Mingtao, the Design Supervisor.

“From the design stage, we gave a lot of thought to Hong Kong’s local culture. We didn’t want to simply bring Qinhuai lantern elements here unchanged. Instead, we drew inspiration from one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive symbols, the banyan tree, and reinterpreted its form through traditional Qinhuai lantern-making techniques. That became the “Shadowlight” lantern installation,” said Yu Zhongzhi, the engineering manager.

Design supervisor Zhu Mingtao further introduced the lantern installations, explaining that ‘Lotus Fish’ guides visitors into the exhibition with a large lotus leaf and fish weaving underneath it, while Moonlit Lotus recreates a lotus pond under the moonlight, with a large moon at the centre of the water.

“We also have ‘Dragon Gate,’ a large installation featuring two fish circling around each other, almost like a yin-yang symbol. It symbolizes the continuous cycle of life,” he said.

Lanterns in Hong Kong, on the other hand, have a different story to tell. Here, the tradition comes from paper crafting. Bamboo splints are bent by hand, tied with wire, then carefully covered in rice paper or silk. 

The festival expands even further to showcase lantern crafts from around the world. With over 3,000 lanterns from 20 countries and regions, ranging from Korean silk in Jinju, to Brazilian patchwork colour, to Polish folk paper-cutting, the whole world is glowing in its own way along this promenade.

The International Lantern Spectacular takes place at Victoria Park, one of the city’s best-known urban spaces, bringing together cultures from around the world with traditional Mid-Autumn elements.

Just a few streets from the park, in the neighbourhood called Tai Hang, the drums started, as a fire dragon was lit for the night.

This renowned Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance began in 1880, when the village was struck by a typhoon, then a plague. The villagers wove a dragon from straw, studded it with burning incense and danced it through the lanes for three nights, praying for peace and health.

The plague passed, but the dragon never stopped dancing. Today, it remains one of the village’s most important traditions.

“For people in Tai Hang, the Fire Dragon Dance is more important than any other festival. For Chinese people, Lunar New Year might be the most important festival. For foreigners, it might be Christmas or other festive celebrations. But for people in Tai Hang, it has to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, because we have the Fire Dragon,” said Jack Wong, fire dragon tail captain.

The 67-meter fire dragon is prepared a week before the show, before it is studded with more than 12,000 burning incense sticks.

“Our dragon is made up of many different parts. There’s the dragon head, the body and the tail. We also have the lantern team behind us, as well as the team for music. To get such a large group of people, with different teams, to work together and do one thing well is not easy. Everyone has to work together closely, so a big part of our teamwork is having a strong mutual understanding. As we gain more experience over the years, that understanding becomes very natural. For example, the dragon head, body and tail all interact with one another. Each team has its own group of people and their own responsibilities. Then when we all come together and move as one, the whole performance comes together,” said  the fire dragon dance commander-in-chief Almon Cheung.

What began as a local folk ritual has gradually grown into a much larger celebration, while keeping the tradition itself alive.

“This year, we have added a lot more to the event. In the waiting area, we have added many more spots where people can take photos, and we have also built a small Fire Dragon at Victoria Park and Moreton Terrace, where people can make wishes and receive blessings. There is also the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Mobile Centre (known as the "Mobile ICH" ) introducing the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance as well as other Hong Kong intangible cultural heritage traditions,” said Cheung. 

This September marks the 147th performance, still carried on by the villagers of Tai Hang, alongside local and overseas visitors eager to take part in and experience the tradition.

“It’s very cool with all the firework. And it’s very nice,” said Bastian, tourist from Germany.

“This is definitely the best season to come here to watch everything come alive, and to see the culture and history around the Mid-Autumn Festival,” said ” Lia Emam-Zade from Dominican Republic.

“What are you waiting for, come and experience it yourself, ”said Vlad, tourist from Romania

The week-long Mid-Autumn celebrations offer a glimpse of Hong Kong’s vibrant traditions, but in this ever-evolving city, there is always another unique experience to discover, all year round.

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1. TITLE GRAPHICS: Hong Kong’s First-Ever Lantern Spectacular Attracts A Strong Turnout for Mid-Autumn Celebrations
2. TITLE GRAPHICS: More than 3,000 lanterns from 20 countries and regions light up Victoria Park, Blending global craftsmanship with Mid-Autumn tradition
3. Various of  International Lantern Spectacular at Hong Kong Victoria Park
4. TITLE GRAPHICS: Bringing 1,700-year-old Qinhuai lantern craftsmanship together with Hong Kong’s local character
5. Various of “Shadowlight”, Nanjing Qinhuai lantern display at Victoria Park
6. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Zhu Mingtao, Nanjing Qinhuai lantern design supervisor

“This event in Hong Kong brings Qinhuai lantern culture together with Hong Kong’s own local character.”

1. Various of “Dragon Gate”, “Moonlit Lotus” and “Lotus Fish”, Nanjing Qinhuai lantern display at Victoria Park
2. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin)  Yu Zhongzhi, Nanjing Qinhuai lantern engineering manager

“From the design stage, we gave a lot of thought to Hong Kong’s local culture. We didn’t want to simply bring Qinhuai lantern elements here unchanged. Instead, we drew inspiration from one of Hong Kong’s most distinctive symbols, the banyan tree, and reinterpreted its form through traditional Qinhuai lantern-making techniques.”

1. TITLE GRAPHICS: The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance has been a Mid-Autumn highlight for generations
2. Various of Fire Dragon Dance performance and crowd
3. TITLE GRAPHICS: A tradition that grew from a local folk ritual into a major Mid-Autumn celebration
4. SOUNDBITE (Cantonese) Jack Wong, fire dragon dance tail captain

“For people in Tai Hang, the Fire Dragon Dance is more important than any other festival. For Chinese people, Lunar New Year might be the most important festival. For foreigners, it might be Christmas or other festive celebrations. But for people in Tai Hang, it has to be the Mid-Autumn Festival, because we have the Fire Dragon.”

1. Various of Fire Dragon Dance performance and crowd
2. TITLE GRAPHICS: The 67-meter fire dragon is studded with more than 12,000 burning incense sticks
3. SOUNDBITE (Cantonese) Almon Cheung, fire dragon dance commander-in-chief

“To get such a large group of people, with different teams, to work together and do one thing well is not easy. So a big part of our teamwork is having a strong mutual understanding. For example, the dragon head, body and tail all interact with one another. Each team has its own group of people and their own responsibilities. Then when we all come together and move as one, the whole performance comes together.”

1. Various of Fire Dragon Dance performance and crowd
2. TITLE GRAPHICS: This September marks the 147th performance. Bringing Tai Hang villagers and visitors together to celebrate the tradition
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Bastian, tourist from Germany  “It’s very cool”
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Vlad, tourist from Romania  “What are you waiting for, come and experience it yourself.”
5. TITLE GRAPHICS: Hong Kong’s Mid-Autumn traditions are just one of many unique experiences to discover year-round
6. Various of Fire Dragon Dance performance and crowd 

ENDS