Nowadays the broad Zhonglou Road is crowded with a sea of spectators. It takes two to three hours to finish one procession. With throngs of spectators, the long dragon-like lantern shows, a deafening sound of drums and gongs, it is truly a spectacular event. When the processions concludes, the sea of people disappear onto the streets with the people talking about this year's grand event. The most Ningxi-characterized music of "Zuotongluo," music of the gong, would ring across town in the quiet night until dawn.

As an event unique in style and rich in content, integrating folk songs and dances, music, opera, acrobatics, and folk performances, the lantern festival in Ningxi town is a show representing a range of folk arts. It carries great importance in Taizhou, while also pushing forward the economic development and the cultural prosperity of Ningxi town.

The traditional festival was once suspended after the founding of new China until 1985. Now the festival is held every year with a greater event organized every three years. The traditional content of the festival is generally preserved with some simplifications and developments such as modern floats, festival lanterns, and various modern cultural activities. What was once a folk custom event attended only by farmers has developed into a mass cultural and entertainment activity enjoyed by people of all walks of life. The lantern festival on the second of the second month of the lunar year in Ningxi town is not only a traditional folk festival but also a cultural phenomenon with unique local characteristics. Its cultural heritage has become deeply rooted in people's hearts and life, synonymous like the mountains and waters with Ningxi town. The excellent folk cultural heritage is worth cherishing, exploring, and carrying forward into the future.

The lighting sets of Mai Gu Tou at the lantern festival in Ningxi town, Taizhou, Zhejiang province on May 7, 2018. [Photo/hynews.zjol.com.cn]