China celebrates traditional Lantern Festival

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-09 15:45

Traditionally an occasion for family reunion, the Lantern Festival on Monday was celebrated widely by Chinese people in different ways.

A folk stuntman sprays molten iron against a concrete wall to celebrate the Lantern Festival in Nuanquan town of Yuxian County, Hebei province February 8, 2009. For over 300 years, the village has carried out the tradition of spraying molten iron at 1,300 degrees Celsius (2,372 degrees Fahrenheit) against a cold concrete wall to form sparks like fireworks during Lantern Festival, local media reported. [Agencies]

In a Siheyuan, or walled quadrangle residence, in the Dongcheng district of Beijing, some foreigners were learning to make yuanxiao, a kind of snack like glue pudding which was made especially for the festival.

"Put the stuffing inside...that's right," a granny surnamed Li said while demonstrating the procedure herself.

A Mr. Jin made a red paper lantern and wrote "happy Lantern Festival" with his brush pen. Following his instruction, an American who would like to be identified with his Chinese name Zhang Zhimai wrote "yuanxiao is delicious".

"The Lantern Festival is important to the Chinese people. We invited the foreign friends to join us so as to help them feel the traditional Chinese culture," said Wang Xi, head of the Dongsisitiao community.

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