Christchurch and Auckland Lantern Festivals 2010
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The 11th Auckland Lantern Festival took place over the weekend of 27 February and was a huge success. Thanks to all those who came along in record numbers to participate in the celebrations. Some 240,000 Aucklanders were wowed by a leading Shanghai music ensemble, Mongolian throat singers, rolling lantern folk dancers from South China as well as Lantern making masters and other artists.
Take in the atmosphere of the weekend through our slideshow of the festival. We've also put together separate slideshows of the performers and lanterns. Check out TV3's photo gallery and blogger Amy Williams' tips for the Festival. In our Young Leaders' section, Elizabeth Chan reports back on a roaring start to the year.
The festival then moved south to Christchurch’s Victoria Square on 6 and 7 March. Again, the weekend was a huge success, with over 50,000 in attendance. View photos on our Christchurch slideshow, or via our Facebook page. The city's Arts Centre hosted papercutters from Taipei as part of the Festival,
Event partner: | |
Principal Sponsor: |
Skycity Auckland Community Trust
China Travel Service (NZ) Ltd.
The Chinese Ministry of Culture
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
The Lantern Festival is traditionally held on the 15th day of Chinese Lunar New Year. Each year Asia:NZ commissions new lanterns from our lantern-maker in Zigong in the western Chinese province of Sichuan. These are shipped from Shanghai by sponsor COSCO (New Zealand) Ltd. We also bring in performers from different areas of China with the assistance of sponsor Cathay Pacific. Our core sponsor for the Festivals is HSBC.
2010 - Year of the Tiger
In pride of place at both Festivals in 2010 was our tiger lantern, marking the new Year of the Tiger in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
The Tiger is a sign of courage, revered in the old days as the sign that wards off the three main disasters of a household: fire, thieves and ghosts. Read more about the what the Tiger stands for in our Education section People born in the Year of the Tiger are said to natural leaders, intelligent, alert and far sighted. Other tiger years are: 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998. Find out your Chinese Zodiac animal.
Background
What is the Chinese Lantern Festival all about? Click here to find out.
2009 - the Year of the Ox
2008 - the Year of the Rat
