Illustration: Hang Dachuan/Global Times

In a few days, China will celebrate the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Marking the last day of the Spring Festival celebrations, this year's iteration is sure to be the most enjoyable one in three years with China's optimization of epidemic response. Many activities have been arranged such as lantern fairs and lantern riddles in parks and firework displays to express people's excitement and their best wishes for a better future.

The festival this year happens to fall on a Sunday, which is sure to get more people to head out for the 2,000-year-old tradition of enjoying colorful lantern displays and all the beautiful things in life.

In Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, a 30-minute firework display is set for that day. As the host city of the Asian Games scheduled for September, Hangzhou will once again launch the grand festive show after an 11-year hiatus, a demonstration of people's high spirits for the international sports event and a vibrant future. The display aims to "ward off evil spirits after the pandemic and keep the people united." According to reports, all the restaurants and hotels near the fireworks venue have been booked despite increases in prices, such as hotels offering regular rooms for 2,000 yuan ($298) per night. 

The Lantern Fair in Zigong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, could be the best place for people to enjoy and lose themselves in all types of traditional and creative lanterns during the festival. A local Spring Festival custom that lasts until Lantern Festival, the annual Zigong Lantern Fair was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008 and more recently appeared on national television's 2023 Spring Festival Gala. Hundreds of thousands of people visited the lantern fair this year. As one local restaurant owner said, "I haven't seen such a lively festival in years."

Across the country, lantern fairs will also be held in Beijing, Xi'an, Shenyang, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and other major cities. This reveals people's excitement about stepping out of the shadow of the pandemic and their expectations for a better life.

Although it seems that the Lantern Festival is its own event, it is actually a continuation of the Spring Festival. Many people, especially those in rural areas, celebrate the Spring Festival until the end of the Lantern Festival. In 2023 in particular, some people preferred to stay at home a few days longer than the official seven-day holiday to enjoy more time with their families. 

For Chinese, going home for this festival season is of the utmost importance as it is a great relief for parents to see that their children who are working far from home are safe and sound. It is also the best time for children to show filial piety toward their parents. Some people who drove home by car with trunks full of presents for their parents were surprised to find their loads were even heavier with goodies on their return trip. Besides family reunion, the 2023 festival featured more outdoor activities as many people braved the colder weather with warmth and joy.

During the holiday, seven blockbuster films hit theaters, setting a Spring Festival box-office record of 6.7 billion yuan, signaling a potential boom year for theaters. Many restaurants resumed business and long lines were seen again during the festival. These will certainly remain and bring more prosperity for the new year.

As the Lantern Festival wraps up this year's Spring Festival, it is time to look back on the festival season and more importantly, to look ahead to all the beautiful possibilities that lay ahead in 2023. We will surely leave the difficulties of the pandemic behind so we can make greater achievements beyond pre-pandemic levels.