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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) held the New Territories East Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival tonight (February 5) at Tseung Kwan O Po Tsui Park to celebrate the Spring Lantern Festival.
At the carnival, visitors enjoyed the spectacular folk songs and dances, xöömei throat singing and matouqin instrumental performances by the National Song and Dance Troupe of Inner Mongolia Hing'a. In addition, there were Chinese folk craft demonstrations including Mongolian folk art such as bark painting and paper-cutting, Guangdong's dough figurines and finger painting, as well as small palatial lantern making. Other popular programmes included unicorn dances, a choral performance, harmonica, accordion and saxophone performances, an arts pavilion, lantern quiz, a wish-making corner and roving entertainment.
Festive lanterns featuring animal characters such as rabbits, bears and octopus were the main attraction for photo-taking. The lantern installations will still be open to the public tomorrow (February 6).
The LCSD will also hold a lantern carnival at Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC) Piazza tomorrow. Details are as follows:
Urban Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival
Date and time: February 6 (Monday)
7.30pm to 10.30pm
Venue : HKCC Piazza
Programmes : Inner Mongolia ethnic songs and
dances, xöömei throat singing and
matouqin performances, Chinese folk
craft demonstrations, Cantonese opera
excerpts, Cantonese folk music,
Chinese ethnic dances, dragon dance,
lantern quiz, fortune-telling, game
stalls and wish-making corner.
Apart from lantern carnivals, the "Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition on Craftsmanship of Festive Lion/Dragon Making" organised by Hong Kong Heritage Museum will remain on display in the foyer of the HKCC until February 8. The exhibition displays paper effigies of golden dragons, festive lion dances and Hailufeng unicorns to showcase traditional techniques by three local paper-craft masters.
Another thematic lantern exhibition, "Glittering Toys - A Showcase of Chinese Zodiac", will continue lighting up the HKCC Piazza until February 26. Lantern designs based on the 12 animals of Chinese Zodiac are interwoven with Chinese folk toys, such as clay toys and cloth toys from different parts of China. For example, the dragon lantern is modelled on clay toys of Shaanxi Province. In addition, eight "auspicious circle" lantern installations with themes including Five Blessings to Your Family, Successive Years of Surplus and Seasons of Wishful Days wish good fortune to members of the public.
Ends/Sunday, February 5, 2012
Issued at HKT 21:00
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