Austere and beautiful lantern shows held across China

A hat-shaped lantern at Nanjing Confucius Temple. In ancient China, people well versed in Confucianism took examinations to become imperial officials. (Xinhua)

A lantern show in Beidaihe, north China's Hebei province. (Xinhua)

With the Chinese Lantern Festival approaching, many cities across China are holding lantern shows. The Qin Huai Lantern festival in Nanjing and the lantern show in Beidaihe in north China are very different, but this year they have one thing in common.

Glamorous, but also austere. The 28th Qin Huai Lantern Festival in Nanjing in east China is held at the famous Nanjing Confucius Temple. The ancient architecture provides an elegant backdrop for the colorful lanterns. It also eliminates the need to build new displays, achieving elegance and economy at the same time.

Many of the lights here are made by established craftsmen of traditional lanterns, so the lanterns will also fetch good prices after the show.

The lantern reflects the culture of the temple. In ancient China, people well versed in Confucianism took examinations to become imperial officials. And this hat was worn by the person who scored highest on the exam.

Meanwhile, the lantern shows in the city of Beidaihe in Hebei Province are also stretching every penny. Many of the lanterns here are made by citizens, and it's truly a pleasing sight to see your handiwork on display.

"This lantern I made is in the shape of a star. Red stands for blessings, so it's great to be able to contribute to the festive atmosphere," said a lantern maker.

Over 300,000 of the lanterns are made by regular citizens, and many are made using recycled materials. The lighting of the show is also environmentally friendly, requiring half as much electricity to power them.

It seems austerity and beauty don't have to contradict each other, so come check out these lantern festivals to see how the two are living together in harmony.