Look: Dubai's desert, lakes light up with 3,000 lanterns in first ever Chinese festival celebration
The night came alive with the glow of 3,000 lanterns in a stunning array of shapes and sizes, each one hanging or placed celebration of the Chinese Lantern Festival on Saturday. These included traditional red lanterns offering words of good fortune and blessings to the new year, as well as innovative designs like digitally enhanced water fountains and lotus-shaped lanterns drifting along the lake.
The festival took place at Al Marmoom Oasis, a wildlife and safari park near Al Qudra in Dubai, ahead of the official Lantern Festival.
The event, which took around two months of preparation, was organised by the consulate-general of the People's Republic of China in Dubai, in partnership with many different organisations. This marks the first ever Lantern Festival celebration in the UAE by the Chinese Consulate. It provided the Chinese expat community with a sense of home while also offering others a chance to experience Chinese culture.
The Lantern Festival, which usually falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese Lunar calendar, symbolises family reunions and reflects the deep desire for unity and happiness. Traditionally, families gather to hang lanterns and solve riddles. This year, the Lantern Festival falls on February 12, coinciding with the first full moon of the Lunar New Year.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
In an interview with Khaleej Times, Ou Boqian, consul general of the People's Republic of China in Dubai, explained that the festival was not only an opportunity to share Chinese culture, blessings, and strengthen friendships, but also to bring tradition and innovation together.
"Today's Lantern Festival can be seen as a fusion of tradition and innovation, and we hope to create an immersive cultural experience for our foreign friends,' Boqian said. She added that an event such as this also promotes 'cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and other countries".
"Today, nearly a thousand foreign friends and Chinese people living and working in the UAE have gathered at this event, and we hope that in this joyful and harmonious atmosphere, everyone can share in the joy and blessings of the festival, starting a new journey filled with hope," she added.
For some, like Li Zheng, a teacher at Chinese School Dubai, the festival provided a special sense of connection. "It makes us feel quite at home," she said. "Although we work overseas, this year we can celebrate with fellow Chinese community members. It's a very special and unforgettable experience."
The desert setting under the stars was a perfect backdrop for the celebrations, which featured various cultural performances.
These included beautiful music on traditional instruments such as the Pipa (a Chinese lute) and the Guzheng (a plucked string instrument), as well as the captivating performance of the Sichuan Opera.
In addition, vendors sold a range of traditional Chinese items, including traditional porcelain vases, handcrafted hairpins and jewellery.
The festival traces its roots back 2,000 years ago, during the Han Dynasty's rule in China. It was adopted by the Chinese population after the ruling emperor witnessed Buddhist monks lighting lanterns on the 15th day of the lunar year.
Since then, it has evolved into a celebration during which ancient rituals are performed to honour the heavens.
The Lantern Festival also holds a romantic significance, often referred to as China's version of Valentine's Day. In ancient times, young women were restricted from going out freely. But on the eve of the festival, both unmarried men and women would seize the opportunity to meet one another. This makes the Lantern Festival one of China's most romantic traditional celebrations.
ALSO READ:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
11 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Etihad Cargo, Ezhou Huahu Airport sign deal
Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Ezhou Huahu Airport during Air Cargo Europe 2025, reinforcing the carrier's commitment to expanding access across Asia-Pacific and unlocking greater trade potential between China and global markets. The agreement was signed by Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer at Etihad Airways, Luo Guowei, Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager of Hubei Airport Group Company and Chairman of Hubei International Logistics Airport Company, and Li Wei, Deputy General Manager of Hubei International Logistics Airport Company. The signing took place at the Etihad Cargo stand and marks the start of a long-term collaboration between the two organisations. As part of the agreement, Etihad Cargo will strengthen its strategic presence at Ezhou Huahu Airport, which will serve as a key gateway within its broader China network. This complements the carrier's ongoing operations in Shanghai (PVG) and Shenzhen (SZX), ensuring nationwide access and greater flexibility for customers. 'Ezhou Huahu Airport is already recognised across China for its outstanding capabilities and world-class logistics infrastructure,' said Stanislas Brun, Chief Cargo Officer at Etihad Airways. 'This partnership will amplify Ezhou Huahu Airport's strengths across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It represents an exciting opportunity to accelerate the development of more connected, efficient logistics solutions and those not yet engaging with this corridor risk being left behind.' The partnership will focus on increasing flight frequencies, opening new routes and building joint solutions for cross-border e-commerce, cold chain logistics and high-value manufacturing. The integration of Ezhou's hub warehouse with Etihad Cargo's global network will create a seamless two-way trade channel, strengthening market access for Chinese exports while enhancing inbound logistics flows.
Tourism Breaking News
4 days ago
- Tourism Breaking News
Middle East travel spending set to soar 50% by 2030, driven by inbound tourism, luxury, and business travel boom
Post Views: 35 Travel spending in the Middle East is on course to surge by 50% by the end of the decade, reaching nearly USD 350 billion by 2030, according to the newly released ATM Travel Trends Report 2025. The report, developed by Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in partnership with Tourism Economics, highlights that the inbound travel to the Middle East is forecast to rise by 13% annually between 2025 and 2030, with Asia and Africa emerging as key source markets and outbound business travel forecast to surge at 9% per year. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: 'The report's findings confirm that travel growth in the Middle East is incredibly strong, with annual growth averaging more than 7% through 2030. Bold national visions, game-changing developments, and enhanced connectivity are some of the key factors driving this momentum.' Leisure travel from Europe continues to dominate, accounting for half of all visitors, with India and the UK leading as top international source markets. China is also a rising force, with Chinese leisure spending projected to increase by an impressive 130% by 2030.
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Hajj 2025 begins: Thousands of UAE pilgrims arrive in Makkah for sacred journey
As Haya Qawas stepped into the view of the Holy Ka'aba, she felt as if she had been transported to another world. The sight of the sacred stone building brought her to tears, and her heart raced with joy. "It was like I had been waiting for this moment my whole life," she told Khaleej Times. Qawas is among thousands of pilgrims from the UAE who have travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah. This year, Saudi authorities have implemented stricter measures to protect pilgrims from the intense heat, as temperatures are expected to soar above 40°C. Hajj begins on Wednesday, June 4, and will continue until Monday, June 9. What is Hajj? Hajj is a religious obligation for all Muslims, with exceptions made for those who are elderly, disabled, or financially unable to participate. It is a spiritual milestone in the life of every Muslim, where people of all walks of life — rich and poor, young and old — stand together in identical white garments, stripped of status and worldly attachments. 'Those were days of physical exhaustion, but I experienced a kind of emotional and spiritual peace I had never known before,' Qawas said, referring to the journey to Makkah. 'I truly felt close to my Lord, as if my sins were melting away with every tear, every tawaf (the act of walking around the Ka'aba), and every weakness." Abdulrahim Shraim, Qawas' husband, felt much of the same feelings, his heart beaming with joy at the sight of the Ka'aba. This will be his first time performing Haj, and Shraim and an estimated 1.8 mn pilgrims are preparing the long and strenuous journey. The high temperatures will add on to his exhaustion but said that it will be worth it. Her husband, Abdulrahim Shraim, who is performing Hajj for the first time, echoed her sentiments. The high temperatures are adding to the physical fatigue, but Shraim believes the experience will be worth it. 'All the travel fatigue vanished, and my heart felt so light,' he said. The married couple are among the estimated 1.8 million pilgrims who will be performing Hajj this year. 'Greater reward' When Khaleej Times last spoke to Sarah Tiry, she was preparing to embark on a night journey to Mina, an area 8km southeast of the city of Makkah which houses hundreds of thousands of tents to accommodate pilgrims. The stay-at-home mum from South Africa will board a bus along with her group that will leave for Mina at 2.30am. From there, she expects to make the trek from Arafah to Muzdalifah. 'There are times where the bus route may have taken an extra hour to reach our hotel, but that was due to the police blockages around the Makkah area, but Alhamdulillah we are meant to bear with a little inconvenience for the greater reward of this journey,' she said. Tiry also shared that she had prepared for the heat by wearing a cotton hijab and using unscented products, as Muslims in the Ihram, a sacred state a Muslim must enter in to perform the Haj, cannot use perfumes or strongly scented products. Although travelling with her husband, she found companionship and support from two women she met during the trip. 'I've made 2 friends and it's like we've known one another forever,' she said. 'The support, familiarity and companionship you get is like no other in a short space of time. It's something you need while you're here as a lot of the time you won't be with your partner." Layali al-Tashriq Jaseem Khateebi, a Dubai resident, is also travelling with his wife and other family members for Hajj. 'We haven't started our journey to Mina yet. Because of the extreme heat, we will either go later this evening or early tomorrow morning." The stay in Mina, known as Layali al-Tashriq, is a time for pilgrims to recite the Holy Quran, offer prayers and nawafil, perform dhikr, and listen to Islamic lectures. Currently, Jaseem and his group are staying in Aziziya, a neighbourhood close to the holy sites. Khateebi described the crowds this year as massive, and while travelling to the holy sites is difficult due to the heat, he noted that most pilgrims stay inside their accommodations during the hottest part of the day. 'During the afternoon, hardly anyone steps outside, it's just too hot. Most pilgrims stay inside their hotels or accommodations until the temperatures drop,' he said. Jaseem added that many prefer to visit Masjid Al Haram in the evening or early morning. Despite the scorching heat and the large number of pilgrims, Jaseem commended the organisers for ensuring a smooth and safe experience. 'There are clear signage, regular announcements, and people helping us all along the way. It gives us peace of mind, especially for the elderly in our group,' he added. Organisations across the UAE, including the Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Centre and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, sponsor free Hajj trips for Emiratis who are unable to afford the pilgrimage, including the elderly, widows, and divorced women. The official Hajj delegation of the country will also look after UAE pilgrims in the holy site by giving them free healthcare services and preparing them for their journeys.
