The Chinese Lantern Festival

The Chinese Lantern Festival

Last week I attended the Chinese Lantern Festival that was held in Chinatown, Los Angeles, California. Chinese lantern festivals are a typical festival in the Chinese culture that is usually held fifteen days after the Chinese New Year. The festival took place at 1101 West McKinley Avenue Gate17, and by the time I arrived at the festival. Going to Chinatown for the celebrations was interesting in my case since the town is not only rich in culture and but it is also always beautifully designed to complement all aspects of learning. The town was decorated with several balloons that formed different shapes and sizes that are representative of the Chinese cultural elements. Chinese culture is rich in various aspects of culture, and sharing in the culture creates a part of connection, love, and unity within individuals that make it a unifying factor.

Most parts of the town were decorated using lanterns, some of which were used to do writings on the ground while the rest were suspended in the air and toed so that they cannot escape. From a distance, the appearance was magical as it displayed, instead imitated the aesthetic that is experienced on a night where the sky is filled with the stars. The beauty that was visible in Chinatown Los Angeles on this day was remarkable as it depicted a sophisticated creation of culture. The first thing that I noticed as I entered the town was the art form of a tree yard, where the art displayed created an image of an alley that directed me to the direction of the event.  The allay was light, with the shadows of the light illuminating from the artistic formations in the lane. The use of red color to create the balloons created a fresh theme that enhanced the beauty of the illumination. The Chinese culture has a specialized attachment to colors, and they have significant importance and symbolic meaning.

Slightly past the alley, I came across the Chinese dragon. Ideally, the dragon is an essential aspect of the Chinese culture as it showcases different cultural celebrations. I had seen this dragon in the Chinese New Year festival as well, and it was one piece of beauty and art. culturally, the dragon is a symbol of good luck, power, and strength. Following the good attributes that are associated with the Chinese culture, it is evident that the dragon is a significant and adored animal in the Chinese tradition. This particular view was stunning as the dragon was painted using blue, red, and purplish colors. In its inside, some lights illuminated to highlight the image of the dragon, showing the beauty of the dragon and illuminating its power as well as its confidence. The most fantastic aspect of this dragon was its length. It was so long as it was placed in a manner as if it coiled on the surface. The blue color, according to Chinese traditions, is a reflection of immortality. The painting of blue color on the dragon is illustrative of the fact that it gives power and strength eternally. Also, the dragon has a red glow on its mouth. Red in Chinese culture is a representation of joy, happiness, and luck that is expected to follow the Chinese people all through their endeavors. The appearance of the purplish color that can be seen on the rear parts of the dragon is a representation of royalty. The dragon is a royal creature and is also a sign of love that is expected to spread across the Chinese culture.

Moving forward, I came across what seemed like a backyard garden. It was beautiful, and I could not get my eyes off. The creativity of the lantern festivals was outstanding as light was placed on almost everything that could contain light.  The garden was illuminating with different shapes, including birds, enhancing its appearance. The colors red, yellow, and blue appeared in most aspects of the festival, and this made it even more appealing. The lantern festival was all about honoring the deceased ancestors, and the lighting associated with the festival was extraordinarily appealing to the eye. When I finally came to the venue of the festival, I had seen so many beautiful colors that illuminated through the lighting and enjoyed their aesthetics. However, I had not yet seen the best part. There was a massive ball that resembles a forest as different birds appeared to be flying above it.  The creativity that was depicted through this platform was an extraordinary one as the image and the illumination strictly displayed a reflection of the forest. Moreover, the blending of the different colors made it appear as though it was a rainbow, enhancing its aesthetic aspect. The creation was beautiful, and I could tell by the number of people standing there as they watched and admired the creativity. Another artistic creation that I loved was the basket full of fruits. It is intriguing how the Chinese community was created with creativity, that could be seen through the works of art they made. The basket appeared so magical, especially with the illumination of the light that could be seen through the different parts of the image. On this art, I noticed the incorporation of green color that enhanced the appearance of the basket. The lantern festival is all about lighting lamps that are a form of giving tribute to the ancestors.

This event was public diplomacy as it displayed the different aspects of Chinese culture and shared it with the rest of American society. Arguably, this is a people’s public diplomacy as it does not restrict anyone from taking part. It also displays aspects of art and creativity that can be used to enhance the creativity and innovativeness of the society around. The event was organized in response to the cultural calls, and at the same time, it is a show of the aspects of sharing concepts of culture with the rest of the nation. Ideally, cultural ideas tend to join people together and enlighten them about the things that a particular culture values. This gives them enlightenment about the need as well as the importance of respecting other people’s cultures. Among many other festivals, the Lantern festivals contain aspects of art, creativity, and the right eye for color blending that enhances that students in the neighborhood can use to improve their learning. Arguably, the lantern festival was yet another form of people’s diplomacy as it acts as a representation of the government in creating means of entertainment that can be used to enhance the culture-building of the nation as they take part, and also give the Americans a reason to enjoy their citizenship. Also, the cultural event creates a show of talents that are hidden within the nation, creating an impression of exploiting these new sectors to use resources and abilities. Most importantly, the cultural event reminds the citizens of the importance of nurturing and cultivating culture and taking pride in what they have.