by Li Huizi
WELLINGTON, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Six items of giant lantern artworks were showcased at a three-day Happy Chinese New Year Festival in New Zealand's Christchurch, which attracted tens of thousands of visitors, making it the largest Lunar New Year celebration in the South Island.
Lantern artworks took center stage at the event on Feb. 9-11 to celebrate the Spring Festival, which fell on Feb. 10, or the zodiac Year of Dragon.
Local Kiwis posed for photos in front of a dragon-shaped installation, which was a giant electric lantern with the name "Double Dragons Playing with Pearl," donated by the Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch.
According to traditional Chinese interpretation, "Double Dragons Playing with Pearl" embodies the "life consciousness" of ancients, representing the recognition, understanding and development of the endless cycle of life.
Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong said the Year of Dragon holds a very special place in the cycle of life and time for the Chinese people, as they see themselves "descendants of the dragon," which symbolizes strength, wisdom and achievement.
Wang said he was delighted to see enormous interest shown by people of different communities and from all walks of life in New Zealand for the Chinese New Year, a major traditional Chinese festival and an important component of the Chinese culture.
Besides the dragon-shaped lanterns, visitors to the Happy Chinese New Year Festival were first greeted by a panda lantern when entering the venue. The "Nihao China" and "Kia ora Christchurch" lanterns at the entrance were donated by the China Cultural Center in Wellington.
The cartoon panda image and ancient-style seals with Chinese characters on it highlighted rich cultural elements.
The architecture of palace has always been a mainstay in the Chinese culture on display. At the festival, the Chinese palace lantern was a photo spot that could not be missed.
The octagonal shape not only embodied classical Chinese beauty in their form but also symbolized splendor and glory, auspiciousness and happiness.
The Christchurch International Airport also presented a special gift to the festival, a giant lantern shaped like an aircraft from the China Southern Airlines which provides an important air route connecting Christchurch and Guangzhou.
Anna Khayrullina from Timaru, a city about 160 km away from Christchurch, joined the line of buying collapsible paper lanterns at the festival, saying she wanted to use the lanterns to decorate home.
Many people carried lighted paper lanterns at the festival, which resembled the ancient Chinese way of celebrating the Spring Festival, bringing hope to the coming year. ■
