Dawan town, Yingde city, Guangdong province staged a series of Lantern Festival celebrations on Feb 19, the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
A highlight of the celebrations was the qilin dance, which has been performed in the town for over 300 years. As night fell, lantern shows lit up the town and piaose, a traditional style of Lingnan performance that includes acting, magic tricks, acrobatics, music, and dancing, were staged, attracting a lot of interest from onlookers.
The evening celebrations culminated with the qilin dance, where young performers danced with a paper-made qilin (a mythical beast symbolizing good luck and prosperity) amidst exploding firecrackers.
Young performers hold a qilin head. [Photo/ycwb.com]
People set off firecrackers near the qilin to pray for good luck and fortune. [Photo/ycwb.com]
A person emerges from some thick firecracker smoke. [Photo/ycwb.com]