Dazzling lantern displays are being staged in Kunming City in southwest China's Yunnan Province and in China's capital city Beijing during the Spring Festival holiday, bringing festive joy to residents and tourists alike.
The Spring Festival, the most important festival in China, fell on Jan. 29 this year, with an eight-day public holiday running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4.
At Kunming's Daguan Pavilion, a lantern show has captivated visitors with its vibrant lights, intricate designs and lively folk performances.
The lanterns displayed at Daguan Pavilion are filled with typical Yunnan elements, featuring iconic animals from the region, such as elephants and peacocks.
Visitors can also indulge in local delicacies at nighttime food stands. The stunning lanterns and tempting snacks attracted nearly 60,000 visitors to Daguan Pavilion during the first five days of the Chinese New Year.
A lantern fair is also lighting up the night at the Beijing Garden Expo Park in China's capital city.
Covering an area of more than 500 hectares, the lantern fair is showcasing over 10,000 Zigong lanterns, crafted by skilled lantern makers using intangible cultural heritage techniques.
Particularly eye-catching are the lanterns in the Chinese Pavilion which showcase architecture, local animals, and flowers from across the country. In the Garden of Beijing, lanterns in the shape of Peking Opera figures, swifts, and chrysanthemums are on display, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the Chinese capital.
The expo park is also staging immersive light shows to wow visitors along with a drone light show where 600 drones form images and characters including "Happy Chinese New Year".
In addition to the lanterns and light shows, visitors can also enjoy traditional folk art performances, including dragon and lion dances, to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the festival.
The lantern fair at the Beijing Garden Expo Park runs till March 15.
Colorful lanterns light up night in Kunming, Beijing
An industry observer said that 2026 is poised to be a "year of sequels and cultural stories" in global animation, following a strong 2025 where such films dominated box offices worldwide.
With heavyweights like Toy Story 5, Minions 3, and China's perennial favorite Boonie Bears set for release, along with culturally rooted productions such as The Three Kingdoms: War 1 Luoyang, the coming months are expected to draw large audiences and reinforce animation's central role in cinema.
This optimism is built on a solid foundation from the previous year.
Looking back at China's film market in 2025, animated features emerged as a powerful driving force. Four of the year's top 10 highest-grossing films were animations, three of which were domestic productions.
Total animation revenue exceeded 25 billion yuan (around 3.58 billion U.S. dollars), capturing nearly 50 percent of the annual box office. As the new year unfolds, the animation sector continues to shine with promising highlights.
A key trend driving this momentum is the surge of sequels from major franchises.
"One notable trend is the abundance of sequels to classic animated films, particularly from Hollywood. Several iconic series are releasing new installments, making 2026 a year of animated sequels. Given their strong IP foundation, these sequels are expected to attract more audiences' attention and achieve solid box office results," said Hu Jianli, secretary general of the Chinese Film Critics Society.
Alongside these international sequels, domestic animation IPs are also deepening their influence and expanding their reach. The annual Boonie Bears series will welcome its latest installment, while the popular TV series The Immortal Ascension is set for its big-screen debut.
"It's fair to say that the Boonie Bears series has maintained the most consistent quality among domestic animated film franchises over the years. Its expansion from television to movies, merchandise, and theme parks represents a fully developed industrial chain, greatly strengthening the IP's presence in the public consciousness. As for The Immortal Ascension, it's the first time that the animation IP is adapted for the big screen, which naturally generates exceptional attention—especially following the successful live-action web series last year. If this first animated film adaptation succeeds, it has the potential to become a major film IP in its own right," said Hu.
Beyond the reliance on established franchises, another significant creative trend is the growing number of animated films drawing inspiration from China's rich classical literature and historical epics. This approach aims to connect with audiences through deeply rooted cultural narratives.
A leading example is a prominent Chinese animation studio Light Chaser Animation's upcoming "The Three Kingdoms: War 1 Luoyang", which dramatizes the early power struggles from the famed historical period.
"We are seeing a clear increase in animated films adapted from classic Chinese novels and myths. Light Chaser Animation Studios' 'New Culture Series' has performed exceptionally well in our animated film market—for example, 30,000 Miles from Changan earned over 1.8 billion yuan (around 257.98 million U.S. dollars) at the box office. This series has truly succeeded in creatively transforming and innovatively developing China's outstanding traditional culture for the big screen, while also resonating emotionally with today's young audiences through its storytelling and character adaptations," said Hu.
Beyond sequels and adaptations rooted in traditional culture, original animated films are also carving out their space with unique concepts and distinctive styles, showcasing further creative possibilities.
Titles such as Arco, a 2025 animated science-fantasy film, and Pixar's Hoppers exemplify this trend of innovation.
"I believe animated films will remain a major force in the global box office in 2026. The worldwide top-grossing film of 2024 was Inside Out 2, and in 2025 it was China's Ne Zha 2. So I'm confident that animated films will once again rank among the highest-grossing releases globally this year," Hu said.
Animated films set to dominate 2026 global box office with strong lineup
