Artisans and technicians in Dunhuang, a county-level city in Jiuquan, have been diligently crafting and installing festive lanterns in preparation for the Dunhuang Lantern Festival, which celebrates the upcoming New Year holiday. This initiative aims to enrich winter and spring cultural and tourism offerings while boosting nighttime economic activity.

Staff install lanterns for the 2026 Dunhuang Lantern Festival in Jiuquan. [Photo/Website of China Jiuquan]

The lighting ceremony for the 2026 Dunhuang Lantern Festival will be held on Dec 31. From Jan 1, the festival will be open to the public free of charge daily from 7:00 pm to midnight at the Dunhuang Night Market until Mar 31.

Drawing inspiration from core cultural resources such as the Mogao Grottoes murals, Dunhuang manuscripts, and Silk Road heritage, the festival centers on themes including "flying apsaras embracing the moon" and "splendid desert chronicles", blending traditional Dunhuang motifs with modern lighting technology and international artistic expression.

Lantern installations at the 2026 Dunhuang Lantern Festival in Jiuquan. [Photo/Website of China Jiuquan]

The festival will showcase 22 large-scale thematic lantern installations and over 1,200 distinctive lanterns. Through LED lighting, dynamic effects, and other technologies, Dunhuang's cultural heritage is being transformed from a static exhibition into a dynamic storytelling experience.