Thu, February 25, 2010
NANJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland and Taiwan launched their first joint lantern fair here Thursday, two days before the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday.
Laterns in different types and shapes were lightened up at about 7:30 p.m. in the Confucius Temple-Qinhuai River scenic belt in Nanjing, capital of eastern Jiangsu Province, unveiling the fair that will last through March 3.
Most of the lanterns from Taiwan, including two 17-meter-long and 12-meter-high phoenix-shaped lanterns, will be on display in the Bailuzhou Park.
Other lanterns will be displayed on three beautifully painted boats on the Qinhuai River, where the Taiwan side will use lights to show its landmark Taipei 101 building and cable cars on the Sun-Moon Lake.
Jiangsu will also show its traditional Qinhuai lanterns in Chiayi City in Taiwan during the Lantern Festival, which falls on Feb. 28 this year.
In 2006, the Qinhuai Lantern Fair was put on the intangible cultural heritage list in China.
About 1,000 tourists from Taiwan will tour around the Qinhuai Lantern Fair, said Janice Lai, head of the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association, in Nanjing.
Lai said the two sides would continue to expand cross-Strait cultural and tourism exchanges this year.
