Annual lantern show sheds new light on ancient culture

It was tricky, for instance, to arrange the 400-odd fish-shaped lanterns to form the 50-meter-long and nearly 2-ton dragon that "flies" over Ninghui Road, she says.

Also challenging was placing the lanterns in the water near Jiuqu Bridge.

"The craftspeople had to wear waterproof suits and go into the cold water to install them one by one," Yin recalls.

Actually, the show debuted at the amusement park Jardin d'Acclimatation in Paris on Dec 15, where it will run until Feb 25 and also marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France.

The Paris show features 60 installations of lanterns shaped like dragons and other mythological creatures, in addition to Chinese folk performances and Shanghai delicacies.

"I really love all of these, especially the part showcasing mythical creatures and Chinese mythology," says Damien French, a visitor to the show in Paris.

And people from around the world are also visiting the show in Shanghai.