Increased exchanges across the Taiwan Strait have brought about another unprecedented collaboration this time in the cultural sector. For the first time in six decades, the Chinese mainland and Taiwan will jointly host a large lantern festival to celebrate the Chinese new year.

 

Lanterns will light up the night sky of both sides of the Taiwan Strait in Nanjing on the mainland and Chiayi in central Taiwan. It's in celebration of the Chinese new year, and aims to promote exchange and communication between the two sides.

Lanterns displaying cultural characteristics of Taiwan will be displayed at the Confucius Temple in Nanjing. In Chiayi, the trademark lotus lantern from the Qinhuai Lantern Fair will be on show.

A special tourism delegation from Taiwan will travel to Nanjing to appreciate the lanterns. Lantern artisans from the mainland will go to Chiayi to direct the installation.

Qinhuai Lantern fair, also known as Jingling Lantern Fair, is a popular folk custom in the Nanjing area. Today, it's a large-scale fair held annually at the Confucius Temple of Nanjing, between Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival.

There have been 22 fairs held to date, and it's one of the most famous celebrations of the Lantern Festival on Chinese mainland.

In 2006, the fair was named as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of China.