Shanghai Spring Festival: Lantern Festival, Temple & Fair Vibes

atmosphere\n\nin my previous videos\n\nyou might remember that this is a famous historic street\n\nevery year during the Spring Festival\n\nYuyuan transforms into a dazzling wonderland\n\nwith its grand Lantern festival\n\nthe tradition of flighting lanterns dates\n\nback over 2000 years to the Han dynasty\n\naccording to historical records\n\nEmperor Ming of Han\n\nand his efforts to promote Buddhism\n\nordered the lighting of lanterns\n\nin the fifteenth day of the first lunar month\n\nas an offering to Buddha\n\nthis marked\n\nthe beginning of the

Lantern Festival tradition\n\nover time\n\nas Buddhism merged with folk customs\n\nthe practice of admiring lanterns\n\nevolved from a religious ceremony into a festive celebration\n\nby the Sui and Tang Dynasty around 1500 years ago\n\nthe Lantern Festival had become a nationwide event\n\nduring emperor Xuanzong's reign in Tang Dynasty\n\nthe Shangyuan Lantern Festival in Chang'an\n\nwas held on an unprecedented scale\n\nilluminating the entire city and drawing massive crowds\n\nby the Song dynasty, about 1000 years ago\n\nthe festival had become even

more embedded in daily life\n\nwith lantern displays lighting up every street and alley\n\n accompanied by riddles, performances\n\nand lively celebrations\n\nA sea of people\n\nIt's Chinese New Year!\n\nthis year\n\nYuan's Lantern Festival is themed \n\n"The Beauty of All Things, The Wonders of All Beings"\n\ninspired by the ancient Chinese classic "Shanghaijing"\n\nthe classic of mountains and seas\n\nwritten over 2500 years ago\n\nthe lanterns bring to life\n\na mystical world filled with lush forests\n\ndeep valleys and vibrant creatures

\n\ndepicting a harmonious scene\n\nwhere the zodiac snake roams\n\namong mythical birds and beasts in an enchanting landscape\n\nin traditional Chinese culture\n\npeople believe that deities watch over\n\n and bless all living beings\n\nwith the tolling of bells comes good fortune\n\nin the first days of the Lunar New Year\n\ncrowds gather at Longhua Temple\n\n1000 year old monastery\n\ndating back to the Song dynasty\n\nthey light incense \n\noffering their prayers to Buddha and Bodhisattvas\n\nhoping for peace, prosperity and a fresh start\n\nthis act

symbolizes washing away past troubles\n\nand stepping into the New Year with renewed energy\n\nduring the Spring Festival\n\nLonghua Temple welcomes streams of worshipers\n\nbuilt in the traditional Seven-Hall\n\nBuddhist Monastery architectural style of the Song dynasty\n\nthis ancient temple is more than just a place of worship\n\nit is a sanctuary for people's hopes and spiritual aspirations\n\nit carries forward the deep rooted tradition of reverence\n\ngratitude and prayer\n\nwhere sincere devotion brings\n\ninner peace and confidence for the

future\n\nvisiting Temple fairs\n\n is a cherished tradition during the Spring Festival\n\npeople gather at temples\n\nor designated market places to enjoy food\n\nentertainment and shopping \n\nfully immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere\n\nthis year, the Panlong market embraces the theme\n\n "Silhouettes of The Serpent: a Jiangnan New Year "\n\ncontinuing the time-honored tradition\n\nof the lantern appreciation in the Jiangnan region\n\nwith rare handcrafted heritage lanterns\n\nbustling market stores and vibrant Dragon dance

performances\n\nvisitors can wander through the bridges\n\nand alleys along the water\n\nexperiencing the magic of a true Chinese New Year in Jiangnan\n\nTemple fairs originally began\n\nas religious gathering\n\nwhere people prayed for peace and blessings \n\nover time\n\npeople felt that worship alone was too solemn\n\nso they started honoring their ancestors as well\n\n by the Han dynasty\n\neven mighty generals were enshrined in temples\n\nduring the Han and Tang dynasties\n\nas a society faced unrest\n\npeople sought spiritual comfort\n\nMonks and

Taoist priests seized the opportunity\n\nto organize grand religious ceremonies\n\nto make these events more engaging\n\nthey incorporated music and dance\n\ngradually transforming solemn rituals\n\ninto lively cultural performances\n\nby the Song dynasty\n\nTemple fairs had become spectacular events\n\nheld in both cities and rural areas\n\nstreet performers showcased their best acts\n\nand the crowds filled every corner\n\nthe street food at temple fairs was another highlight\n\n by the Southern Song period\n\neven vegetarian restaurants were

booming\n\nthe most exciting part of visiting a temple fair was shopping\n\neverything from silk and brocade to weapons\n\ncalligraphy, antiques and jewelry was available\n\nthis one is a Yorkshire\n\nthe other one is a Xi Shi\n\nTwo different ones.\n\nSo beautiful\n\nso cute\n\ntoday, above Jiangnan's flowing waters and stone bridges\n\nartisans of China's intangible cultural heritage\n\nhave crafted stunning Year of the Snake lanterns\n\nusing intricate ironwork\n\nand hand painted lantern techniques\n\nthey depict a snake leaping from the water\n\nand

transforming into a dragon\n\nsymbolizing ??Rising with the Wind and Clouds??\n\nthese glowing lanterns\n\nilluminate the alleys and waterways of Jiangnan\n\ncreating a breathtaking visual feast for visitors\n\nno matter the season\n\nif you ever have the chance to visit Shanghai\n\ni highly recommend taking a stroll through Panglong Tiandi\n\nhere, you can savor cuisines from around the world\n\nindulging in a true culinary adventure\n\nin the afternoon\n\ngrab a seat by the riverside\n\nenjoy a cup of coffee\n\nand soaking the unique charm of

Jiangnan\n\na place where ancient traditions meet modern vibrance\n\nthese festive traditions offer\n\njust a glimpse of Chinese New Year\n\na cultural treasure for all of humanity\n\ni warmly welcome friends from around the world\n\nto experience it firsthand\n\nstay tuned and follow me\n\nas we continue exploring China this year\n\ndiscovering is rich culture\n\nbreathtaking landscapes and hidden gems\n\nMore than every year