Singapore's Chinatown celebrates upcoming Spring Festival with lantern installations

Singapore's Chinatown has presented a snake-themed lantern display and vibrant decorations in celebration of the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, drawing locals and tourists alike to soak in the joyous atmosphere of the Year of the Snake, arriving Jan 29.

The lantern display will stay in place until February 27, transforming the city's Chinatown into a hub of festive cheer and cultural charm.

This year's centerpiece lantern is an eight-meter-tall "Tree of Blessings," adorned with golden coins and red wish tags. Surrounding the tree are shimmering displays of gold ingots and peonies, symbolizing prosperity and wealth, while an eye-catching golden-scaled snake guards the tree.

Above the main street, colorful lanterns light up the sky, including the design of orchids, the national flower of Singapore, and lanterns with holiday greetings written on them.

Locals and visitors alike have been captivated by the festive decorations.

"We brought the whole family to see the lantern display. It's so exciting! The snake is adorable. It has such a youthful, energetic presence," said a local resident.

"It's very pretty. It's very nice. I love the snake and it's really pretty. The color is very warm, and the light of the city is very nice and pretty," said a tourist from France.

"We come here every year to enjoy the festive atmosphere. The upcoming Year of the Snake is extra special, as it happens to be my zodiac year! I'm thrilled to see the lantern display which is really well done," said a local resident.

Singapore's Chinatown celebrates upcoming Spring Festival with lantern installations

Quanzhou City of east China's Fujian Province, renowned for ancient salt pans and porcelain workshops, draws tourists with its unique salt-making and ceramic-making techniques, offering tourists fresh and enjoyable hands-on experiences.

At the Shanyao salt field, new programs are constantly being introduced to enrich visitor engagement, allowing them to experience ancient salt-making techniques and even create salt sculptures, making traditional crafts not just something to watch, but something to hold and play with.

The salt field, covering an area of 920 hectares, adheres to the traditional sun-drying techniques and annually turns out 65,000 tons of sea salt.

The Fujian traditional sun-drying techniques for sea salt production (Quanzhou style) was inscribed in the list of provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2022.

In Dehua County's white porcelain workshop, visitors can try making pottery themselves, experiencing the charm of traditional craftsmanship.

With centuries of ceramic-making history and famed for its white porcelain, Dehua is home to over 4,500 ceramic-making enterprises, exporting products to more than 190 other countries and regions worldwide.

Renowned historic east China city draws visitors with heritage tours