A 12-metre-tall lantern based on a fictional fairy character has been set up at Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) in celebration of China’s National Day.
With Hong Kong’s signature skyline as its backdrop, the large-scale lantern sits on the lawn of WKCD’s harbourside Art Park. It is one of four giant lanterns displayed at a four-day carnival themed around huafu – traditional Chinese dress – to mark 76 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949.
The four-day carnival ends on Thursday.
The main lantern, which stands 12.8 metres tall, features a female character dressed in blue holding a traditional Chinese fan and surrounded by flowers. According to local media, the lantern mimics Zixia Fairy, a character from the classic 1995 Hong Kong film A Chinese Odyssey, played by actress Athena Chu. Chu attended the opening ceremony on Monday as a guest.
Another large-scale lantern features a female character wearing what appears to be a traditional dress from the Qing Dynasty. Local media reported that the lanterns would light up at night, and some characters can make movements, including blinking and turning their bodies.
According to local media, the carnival was jointly organised by Bauhinia Culture Holdings Limited, China Tourism Group, pro-Beijing party the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, and an organising committee representing the arts and cultural sector.
See also: HKFP Lens: Hong Kong runs red with patriotism on China’s 76th National Day
The event received a mixed reaction on social media. Some users on Threads questioned the resemblance of the lantern to the film character, while others said the display was “scary,” especially when lit up at night. Some users said it was impressive for the organisers to build a large-scale lantern with so much detail, but that it would have been more visually pleasing if they were not so gigantic.
Patriotic displays spanned across Hong Kong on Wednesday, with flags and banners adorning Hong Kong’s harbourfronts, shopping malls, and public housing estates. The city also celebrated the occasion with dining discounts and half-priced movie tickets, while permanent exhibitions at the Hong Kong Space Museum and Science Museum opened to the public for free.
The Hong Kong government displayed a total of around 130,000 “festive articles” to mark the National Day, the Home Affairs Department told HKFP on Thursday. They included Chinese flags, HKSAR Flags, celebratory banners, stickers, posters, lamppost buntings, digital posters, flower plaques, lighting and large installations.
The items will be displayed until mid to the end of October, the department said, adding the cost of the decorations were “absorbed” by respective bureaux and departments from within their existing resources, in accordance with the principle of “fiscal prudence.”
Hong Kong leader John Lee vowed on Wednesday to ensure the city will feel the benefits of economic development, adding that improving livelihoods was the “ultimate aim” of his policies.
Hong Kong’s Immigration Department recorded a total of 232,751 visitors from mainland China on Wednesday, including 57,924 who came on high-speed rail, crossing through the West Kowloon Express Rail Link.
Words by Kelly Ho.
