Zigong's lantern festival ignites Lunar New Year celebrations in Sichuan
In Sichuan province's Zigong, the 32nd Zigong International Lantern Festival opened ahead of the Lunar New Year, featuring more than 200 handmade lanterns and grand-scale displays—such as a 210-meter "Magical China" Kunpeng and a 180-meter "Legend of Mulan"—crafted by about 1,200 workers using straw, chilies and recycled bottles to symbolize good fortune and guidance as the Year of the Horse begins.