6 must-visit cities in China for Chinese New Year 2026 (5)

Zigong City, southwest China's Sichuan Province

When the lanterns rise, the New Year spirit truly begins — and if you're looking to witness China's most dazzling lantern spectacle during Spring Festival, Zigong is simply unmissable.

Home to one of China's most iconic national intangible cultural heritage traditions, the Zigong Lantern Festival, often praised as the "No. 1 Lantern Festival under Heaven," carries centuries of folk artistry and collective festive memory. Here, traditional lantern-making techniques are transformed into glowing wonders, weaving together craftsmanship, mythology and history to light up the season.

This year's festival blends lantern art with intangible heritage techniques such as tie-dye and paper-cutting. The displays bring to life epic Chinese myths, legendary tales, and classic historical stories. Centered around the Year of the Horse, the festival showcases folk symbols, rituals and storytelling elements in a grand visual narrative — an artistic scroll of light where tradition and imagination coexist in full bloom.

With 11 massive signature lantern installations and more than 200 medium and small lantern displays, Zigong builds not just a lantern show but a glowing world of its own, where visitors can walk through Chinese culture brought to life in light.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 23, 2026 shows lanterns during the 32nd Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Show in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)