DESTINACIJA / DESTINATION
LANTERN FESTIVAL IN SHANGHAI As a global metropolis and China’s larg- est city, Shanghai welcomes the Chinese New Year with a series of extravagant cultural and urban events. Although the true highlight of the festival is the pe- riod from 17 th to 23 rd February (mark- ing an official national holiday), the city lives in the festive spirit from the end of January, when decorations, concerts and light installations first commence. One of the city’s most famous attrac- tions is the Yuyuan Lantern Festival held in the historical complex of Yu Garden — a traditional public garden at the heart of the city. One of the long- est-running and most popular events
of the Spring Festival, it runs from late January until early March. In the evening hours, Yu Garden and the sur- rounding streets are illuminated using thousands of colourful lanterns, light installations and cultural presentations displaying themes from Chinese my- thology and the zodiac. Alongside lanterns, the City also organ- ises concerts, open-air performances, dance shows, exhibitions and promo- tional events that take place at mu- seums, cultural centres and shopping zones throughout the city. More than 300 events are planned for the period of the celebrations, creating a unique at- mosphere in which tradition and mo- dernity intertwine. The Bund The Bund area is at its most beauti- ful during the late afternoon and ear-
ly evening hours, when lights illuminate the skyscrapers of the Pudong district. Temporary light installations and fes- tive motifs are often added during the period of the Chinese New Year, giv- ing any walk through the area an al- most cinematic atmosphere. This is al- so one of the best places to take photos that capture the contrast between the old colonial Shanghai and the futuris- tic China. Shanghai Museum Shanghai Museum is the ideal choice during February’s colder days, as you can explore its collections for hours without heading out into the cold win- ter air. It has particularly impressive collections of Chinese ceramics, bronze objects and traditional calligraphy, which help visitors better understand the symbolism of the holidays and the
104 | Kina » China
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator