Underground lantern show brings light to Sanmenxia

A lantern archway is modelled after a traditional Chinese-style hat. [Photo by Zhu Xiang/Xinhua]

The highly anticipated light show in the underground residences of Sanmenxia's Shanzhou district recently began trial operations.

The lantern show will be open to the public starting Feb 5 to welcome the upcoming Spring Festival. 

Over 114 different light displays will be shown during the event, bringing an unprecedented visual extravaganza to the ancient residency. The cave dwelling exhibition will be the main attraction, with a total area covering 500 mu (33.3 hectares).

A total of 35,104 lanterns, along with 14,625 various other adornments, have been used to turn the district into a vivid wonderland of light and color.

The district's ancient underground courtyard, also known as the underground siheyuan (quadrangle houses), is a unique historical treasure, having sunk six to seven meters into the ground.

Due to the special structure, temperatures in the courtyards are no lower than 10 degrees centigrade during the winter and no higher than 20 degrees centigrade during the summer.

The architectural technology of the underground dwellings was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2011.