Week 3 |
Photoshop 3 D |
Week 3 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
What makes it special
A ray |
 |
European Première
Very |
|
A unique Chinese light show as never seen before in Europe is made a reality this winter in Emmen Zoo. |
|||
Unique, traditional Chinese light show
This is the first time this event will be
Pure Chinese enchant-
Gigantic Chinese lanterns |
 |
Breath-
Founded
Starts on
Open from |
|
The festival will immerse you in Chinese culture. You will be enchanted by 32 gigantic lanterns and light sculptures that seem to bring the realistic tigers, extravagant peacocks and elephants to life in a dazzling, colourful display. After the proverbial chickens have come home to roost -and by this we mean the animals in the park- you will be able to familiarise yourself with traditional Chinese culture by taking a 2-hour evening stroll past the stunning light sculptures that stand out against the darkness of the park during the special opening times of 16h00 to 22h00. You can also enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine and interesting cultural highlights, including singing and dancing, attend a lecture, or participate in one of the fun workshops. Your visit to this impressive festival will feel like you have taken a trip to China. In traditional Chinese culture the festival of light represents good luck and prosperity, as symbolised by the dragon: a wonderful notion that lends itself perfectly to this time of year. |
|||
 |
 |
||
Back in time The Chinese name for the Festival of Lights is "Yuan Xiao". It predates the Western calendar and is traditionally celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese New Year, when the moon is full. Although there are several different stories about the origin of light festivals, the most well known centres on the first Chinese emperor, Qinshihuang, and his successors. They tried to appease Taiyi, the god of heaven, by organising an enormous lantern festival each year because they believed that an awe-inspiring, multicoloured lantern festival would invoke the sympathy of the gods and bring prosperity. |
 |
||
The festival through the centuries |
|||
During the Sui dynasty* (600 AD) foreign guests were invited to admire the lantern festival. At the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in the early seventh century, the festival lasted three days, but during the Song dynasty the festival spread to all large Chinese cities. The lanterns were made of jade and coloured glass and the figures on the lanterns were sourced from ancient folktales. The largest festivals took place during the fifteenth century when a lantern festival lasted fifteen days. During this period Emperor Chengzu allocated a special area to be used to exhibit a vast collection of lanterns. At present the most well-known festival of light takes place in the Chinese city Chengdu. |
|||
*A dynasty is an extended family, including any family members related by marriage, which exerts influence or wields power for two or more generations, usually in a single country. |
|||
|
 |
||
