Chinese Lantern Festival on Victoria Square by Kakapo2
This year (2008) they were terribly unlucky with this two day festival in early March. We had great weather all the time, and when the Chinese New Year?s celebrations started rain started pouring down on Christchurch, and the temperatures dropped.I had been on Victoria Square in the days leading up to the festival, and was absolutely fascinated by the colourful silk lanterns they installed in the park, along and in the river, and on the trees. There were big dragons and small ducks, an elephant, a giraffe, a zebra, and flowers floating on the Avon, figures in all shapes and sizes. I wanted to attend the festival, be even more fascinated by the illuminated lanterns, and enjoy the Chinese food. But then I preferred to stay at home and turn on the heater, and the second day of the festival was even cancelled. What a pity after all this preparation and the huge effort of installing the figures. So I was happy that I had walked to Victoria Square several times and seen most of the great lanterns that were more artworks than just lanterns. There were animals, flowers, trees, musicians, insects ? and just lanterns ;-)
As said, the Lantern Festival is part of the Chinese New Year?s celebration. This dates back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC ? 221 AD). It is usually held on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar. This year is the year of the rat. In modern times the Lantern Festival is also referred to as the Chinese Valentine?s Day because in former times it gave young people the rare chance of going out and meet.
In Auckland they also have a Chinese Lantern Festival every year.
