![]() ![]() "It's a changing show, so you come one year and it's not going to be the same thing like the other holiday light events. "A lot of people are making this a family tradition, which is one thing we're excited about," Traversari said. Taylor Traversari, the Booth Amphitheater's general manager, recommends at least 45 minutes to walk through the full park. In this year's festival, visitors walk through a bright, red pagoda and can see pandas, giant koi fish, and a 200 foot-long dragon floating on Symphony Lake. LED light bulbs are placed strategically inside to light up the lantern. Artisans construct steel frames into various shapes and then stretch silk fabric over it. ![]() The lanterns are handmade and assembled in China, then shipped into North Carolina ports. Red designs are predominantly featured as a symbol of good fortune. The festival marks the end of the Chinese New Year. The lanterns featured in the festival come from Zigong, Sichuan, which has been making lanterns since the Han dynasty in 206 BC. Every year, around 85 to 90,000 people visit Cary to see the lights. Until then, interested students can see Sichuan Tianyu’s lanterns in Skyfall, the 2012 James Bond movie.Since Thanksgiving, Cary has been hosting the fourth annual Chinese Lantern Festival. The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival will return to Cary in winter 2018 with new exclusive lanterns and insight into Chinese culture. The audience in Cary, even on a slow, rainy Thursday night, watched the performances intently, audibly gasping when bian lian performer Liu Xia changed masks suddenly, seemingly in an instant. Face-changing, also called bian lian, is an ancient Chinese art in Sichuan opera that consists of changing brightly colored masks very quickly, with techniques that are traditionally passed on within families. The contortionist, Chen Meimei, placed candles on her feet, hands and then in her mouth while performing acrobatics. Performances at the festival included Chinese contortion and face-changing. “I recommend the festival next year for anyone who wants to explore a different culture and see cool things,” Tate said. Tate took Chinese from kindergarten to sophomore year and wanted to reconnect with Chinese culture. One person interested in the Chinese culture was senior Asher Tate, who attended the festival with a group of friends. Introducing North Carolinians to Chinese culture is particularly important as Asian-Americans are the fastest growing demographic in North Carolina, especially in Raleigh and Charlotte, according to a 2016 study. Near the display of Santa Claus was the display of Caishen, the god of wealth and prosperity in Chinese folk religion and Daoism. Lantern festivals assist in introducing Chinese culture to other populations in North Carolina. The combination of Chinese and American culture is evident from the lanterns, particularly in the display of Santa Claus, which had a sign reading, “he is the beloved Father Christmas to European children.” The 2017-18 festival was the third annual production in Cary, and four more annual festivals are confirmed.Īlthough Chinese lantern festivals traditionally celebrate Chinese New Year, which falls on February 16 this year, Tianyu Arts & Culture holds the festivals during the American holiday season. Tianyu Arts & Culture Inc., the American subsidiary of Sichuan Tianyu, an international design and manufacturing company in Zigong, China, produced the lantern festivals in Cary, Columbus, Indianapolis and Little Rock this year. ![]() The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, which ran from November 24 to January 14, celebrated the holiday season and upcoming Chinese New Year with a festival of cultural arts, including performances and handmade lanterns. Driving up to Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, one can see layers upon layers of neon lights glow, fueling excitement for the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |