- Title: China's Silk Road reaches London in the form of lanterns for Lunar New Year
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: VARIOUS OF ALADDIN AND THE LAMP SCULPTURE
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 23:59
- Keywords: Magical Lantern Festival Chiswick House and Gardens Lunar New Year Chinese lanterns London UK rooster
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0025ZM1HEH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: London's annual Magical Lantern Festival has again transformed the historic gardens of Chiswick (pronounced: Chis-ik) House to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
This year the Silk Road was the theme of the festival, which opened on Wednesday night (January 18).
The normally tranquil neo-classical gardens now boast 60,000 light bulbs in 1,500 traditional Chinese lantern installations replicating a journey along the ancient Silk Road, past ancient Rome's Colosseum, the Egyptian pyramids and a 15m sculpture of London's Houses of Parliament.
"The Silk Road is a link between China and the Western countries for a thousand years already," said the show's designer Ian Xiang of Weli Creative.
"And now the Silk Road is reviving, so that is what is this Magical Lantern Festival Silk Road is representative of a revival of Silk Road. So you can find loads of the famous stories and landmarks along the Silk Road, for example, stuff from modern London, across Europe, Middle East, central Asia back to ancient China," he added.
For 2000 years people in China have been making delicate silk lanterns, symbolising new beginnings, letting go of old grudges and good fortune.
The 29-day-long festival of light and colour includes a combination of both traditional lanterns and the latest technology, including virtual reality.
Local Londoners loved the stately gardens' transformation.
"I just think it is absolutely glorious. And it's a fabulous space to do such an amazing thing," said Ruth Mayorcas.
"It's unique in its own way, it's nothing we've ever seen round here before, it's like travelling the world without leaving London," said Andy Saunders.
Chiswick House boasts one of the UK's earliest examples of the English landscape garden movement, itself sculpted in 1729.
London's official Lunar New Year celebrations take place in Trafalgar Square on January 29, when tens of thousands of people are expected to fill the iconic landmark. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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