An aerial view of the lantern festival held in Caocun town, Rui'an, a county-level city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Caocun town in Rui'an, a county-level city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, renowned for its history of 800 years of lantern culture, recently held its longest, largest, and most diverse lantern festival yet.

The lantern festival covers an area of 300 mu (20 hectares), with more than 40 thematic lantern groups. It combines ancient craftsmanship and modern lighting art to create a visual feast that has drawn numerous tourists.

The festival, which continues until Feb 25, also features dragon and lion dances, snack markets, and various other activities.

Caocun town is famous in Wenzhou for its rich lantern culture. Every year, it holds a grand lantern festival around the 15th of the first lunar month. In 2023, the town's lantern festival was listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage item.

Lanterns with dragon and phoenix designs at the lantern festival held in Caocun town, Rui'an, a county-level city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Bright lanterns at the lantern festival held in Caocun town, Rui'an, a county-level city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]