Unlock the enchanting magic of lanterns at Shantou Small Park!

The2025ShantouSmallParkInternationalLanternFestivalcaptivatedtheheartsoflocalsandvisitorsalikewithagrandculturalcarnivalheldonFebruary13,ignitingthenightskywithadazzlingdisplayoflanternsandfolkperformances.

Theevent,whichispartofalargercelebrationspanningfromFebruary12toMarch9,showcasedtherichculturalheritageanduniquecharmofShantou,acityrenownedforitsoverseasChinesecommunity.

ThecarnivalwasmarkedbyaspectacularlightshowthatilluminatedtheNanshengDepartmentStoreanditssurroundingbuildings.The"TwelveFlowerGoddesses"madeastunningappearance,holdinglanternsastheyemergedfromthewindowsofthebuilding.

Asthelightsflowedtothe24SolarTermsflowerpillarlanterns,theZhongshanMemorialPaviliontransformedintoarotatinglanterndisplay,showcasinghighlightsofShantou'seconomicandsocialdevelopment,includingthecity'stradefairs,culturalexhibitions,andtechnologicaladvancements.

The1.2-kilometer-longarcadestreet,stretchingfromthecoreareaofSmallParktoXidiRoadalongAnpingRoad,wasadornedwithanarrayoflanternsinvariousshapesanddesigns.TheseincludedlanternsdepictingtraditionalChaoshanarchitecture,marinelandscapes,andintricatewoodcarvings.

Thestreetwasalsotransformedintoa"SoutheastAsianImpressions"themedarea,withlanternsexhibitingculturalscenesfromThailand,Malaysia,Singapore,Indonesia,Cambodia,andLaos,reinforcingthebondbetweenoverseasChineseandtheirancestralhometown.

Inadditiontothelanterndisplays,thefestivalfeaturedaseriesofculturalactivitiesthatshowcasedtheessenceofChaoshanculture.Over200performersmesmerizedthecrowdwithtraditionaldances,gonganddrumperformances,andYinggedances.

Theeventalsoincludedinteractiveactivitiessuchaslanternriddles,roboticYinggedances,lanternparades,andanintangibleculturalheritagemarket,attractinglargecrowdsandofferingatrulyimmersiveexperience.

"It'smyfirsttimecomingtoShantou.Ifeelveryhappy.It'slikecomingbacktomyhometown.IfeellikeI'mvisitingmyrelativesbecauseIamthethirdgenerationwithChinesebloodinmyfamily,"saidMr.KajtitiWiwatwanont,ConsulGeneraloftheRoyalThaiConsulateGeneralinGuangzhou.

Mr.KajtitiWiwatwanontestimatedthatamongthe70millionThaipeople,approximately10millionareofChinesedescent,manytracingtheiroriginstoShantou.Emphasizingtheimportanceoflinkingthepastwiththepresent,henotedthatChinesecuisine,values,beliefs,andphilosophies,suchasreciprocatingkindnessandrespectingelders,havebeeninheritedwithinThaisociety.

HerevealedthattheMayorofBangkokwillofficiallyvisitShantounextweek.HestatedthatfurthercooperationbetweenShantouandThailandcanbepromotedthroughmeasuressuchasopeningmoredirectairroutes,encouragingmutualtourism,andfacilitatingexchangesandlearningbetweenthetwosides.

Ms.CorneliaChinSiewLing,DeputyConsulGeneraloftheConsulateGeneralofMalaysiainGuangzhou,notedthatShantouisadiversecitythatoffersablendofoldandnew,withintactculturalheritageandhistoricalaspects.

SheemphasizedthatincreasingflightconnectivitybetweenMalaysiaandShantoucouldfacilitateculturalandtourismcooperation,giventhesignificantMalaysianChinesepopulationwhoserootstracebacktoGuangdongandplaceslikeShantou.

Reporter|ChenJinxia

Video|QinShaolong

PhotoprovidedbythePublicityDepartmentofShantou

Editor|HuNan,James,ShenHe