As the Spring Festival, which falls on January 29 this year, draws near, demand for festive decorations, particularly lanterns, is reaching a peak in China.
In Xiuning County of east China's Anhui Province, traditional handcrafted lanterns are seeing a significant surge in sales.
At a lantern factory, workers are busy making a variety of red lanterns, known for their bright colors and beautiful designs. Recently, these traditional lanterns have experienced a boom in sales, with local businesses reporting a sharp increase in orders and a doubling of their sales volume.
"Now we're in the peak season of lantern production. We have increased the production lines from six to eight. We are working overtime every day, producing more than 4,000 lanterns per day. In one month, the number is expected to reach hundreds of thousands, more than double the usual amount," said Liu Penghui, general manager of a light decoration company in Huangshan City.
In addition to traditional lanterns, innovative designs have also gained in popularity.
Among the most sought-after are LED lanterns, which create dynamic light effects and have a three-dimensional feel.
These modern lanterns are especially favored by younger consumers, prompting many local businesses to expand their production capacity to meet the growing market demand. Meanwhile, in Nanchang City of east China's Jiangxi Province, a renowned dragon lantern production base is also witnessing a surge in both domestic and international orders.
With over 50 workers involved on the production line, the factory is operating at full capacity.
More than 100 finished dragon lanterns are produced daily on average.
The factory has received over 3,500 orders in the month prior to the Spring Festival, accounting for more than 30 percent of the annual total.
"Many orders were placed at the end of the year, and we now are working overtime to produce them," said Shi Kebin, a dragon lantern craftsman.
While preserving traditional techniques, local manufacturers have continuously innovated, breathing new life into this ancient craft.
"We updated the old version at the end of 2024. Based on the original structure, we use engineering plastics to replace the bamboo. It is lighter. Besides, there is no danger of being infested or smelling musty," said Shi.
Festive lantern sales soar as Spring Festival nears
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
