Lanterns light up Zhouzhuang, enchanting intl visitors

As dusk settled over Zhouzhuang Ancient Town on Sept 16, a hush fell over the crowd gathered along the streets. Then, all at once, hundreds of lanterns lit up, bathing the ancient streets and waterways in a warm glow. A collective gasp rose from the international visitors standing among the locals.

For Zhigalina Kseniia from Russia, it was one of those travel moments that etch themselves into memory. "Today I got to experience real Chinese culture," she said. "The lanterns are so beautiful, but the most unforgettable thing was the show."

The lighting ceremony marked the opening of this year's Kunshan Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival, one of the city's major seasonal cultural celebrations. Zhouzhuang, one of the festival's two core lantern zones alongside Huiju Square, will keep its lights on from 6 pm to 10:30 pm every evening until Oct 31.

For the group, however, the lighting ceremony was only the beginning. They wandered through the illuminated lanes and along the waterways, where warm light bathed traditional architecture. By the river, performers presented traditional dances, while musicians appeared in windows on the upper floors of old buildings, playing traditional Chinese instruments for passing visitors. At Nanhu Bay, a spectacular water-screen light show added another dimension to the evening, combining light, imagery, and the surrounding waters in a dazzling nighttime display.