Carnival at Ko Shan celebrates Spring Lantern Festival
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     Visitors to the Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at Ko Shan Road Park and Ko Shan Theatre tonight (February 9) were treated with spectacular lantern displays, boisterous entertainment and colourful shows.

     Supported by the Bureau of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Culture of People's Republic of China, the professionally trained "Zhejiang Oriental Ethnic Folk Arts Troupe" performed Chinese ethnic songs and dances in the carnival. Other attractions included lion dance, golden oldies, Chinese acrobatics, Cantonese opera excerpts, fortune-telling, lantern riddle quiz and roving entertainment.

     Colourful lanterns were popular spots for photo-taking. A giant fish lantern greeted visitors at Ko Shan Road Park while lanterns showcasing Chinese zodiac, rose garden and boisterous dragon added colour to the carnival. Lanterns on the East Asian Games were also on display wishing the success of the Games.

     A spectacular lantern exhibition "Echoes of the Condor Heroes" illustrating Professor Louis Cha's (Jin Yong) romantic legends is on display at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza until March 1.

     The exhibition features the main characters created by Professor Cha in his famous and popular novels "The Legends of the Condor Heroes" and "The Return of the Condor Heroes". All of the characters such as Guo Jing, Huang Rong, Yang Guo, Xiaolongnu and other famous characters including the pair of white condors and a big condor are depicted in the form of lanterns. The two novels are linked by the Peach Blossom Island lit by 138 peach blossom lanterns. The production of the lantern displays is accomplished with the endorsement of Professor Cha and Ming Ho Publications Corporation Limited.

Ends/Monday, February 9, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:30

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