Lantern Festival brings 500-year-old tradition to life in Ningbo's Qiantong town

A Lantern Festival parade is held in Qiantong town, Ninghai county, Ningbo. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Qiantong town in Ninghai county, Ningbo, came alive with a spectacular Lantern Festival celebration on Feb 11, the 14th day of the first lunar month. This 500-year-old tradition, listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item in 2014, attracted thousands of visitors.

The Qiantong Lantern Festival procession is primarily a traditional folk activity held to commemorate the ancestor of the Tong family, Tong Hao, who led his clan to dig canals and irrigate farmland, praying for a good harvest. This custom began in the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and flourished in the late Ming and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

A grand procession nearly 2 kilometers long set off from Tashan Temple, where Master Hao is enshrined. The parade included drum pavilions, sedan style stages, and swings featuring wood carvings. Children dressed as opera characters performed on the sedan style stages, while boys and girls from the Tong clan swung in traditional attire.

Lu Shangzhi, head of the Qiantong Cultural Station, explained that the drum pavilions and sedan style stages are funded and maintained by various villages, symbolizing the prosperity of the clan. The number of drum pavilions has grown from six in 1995 to 24 today.

As night fell, red lanterns illuminated the ancient town, creating a sea of lights. Residents offered red dates, longan, black fungus soup, steamed buns, and wheat dumplings to parade participants and visitors, sharing warmth through steaming sweet soup and delicious snacks.

Today, the Qiantong Lantern Festival combines parades, worship ceremonies, markets, and cultural performances, making it an unforgettable cultural event. This year's festivities spanned two days, with parades held in the afternoons and evenings.