If I had to pick one event that truly captures my heart at Lan Su, it would be Lantern Viewing Evenings. Picture this: countless red lanterns adorning rooftops, stunning larger-than-life floating lanterns glowing on Lake Zither, powerful drumbeats filling the air, and an illuminated dragon soaring through the pavilions. This is the iconic Lunar New Year experience at Lan Su—and you won’t find it anywhere else!
But have you ever wondered why we host Lantern Viewing Evenings during Lunar New Year? It’s inspired by the Lantern Festival (元宵節, Yuánxiāo Jié), a dazzling celebration marking the end of Lunar New Year festivities on the 15th day, under the year’s first full moon.
Dating back over 2,000 years to the Han dynasty, this festival began as a way to honor Buddha with lanterns. Over time, it became a lively public celebration filled with fun traditions. People gather to admire the glowing lanterns, enjoy sweet tangyuan (rice balls), and solve lantern riddles (猜燈謎)—my favorite! These riddles are often poetic and cryptic, written on bookmarks hanging from red lanterns.
Here’s one I translated—can you guess the answer?
“It has a head, but no neck shows,
Its body cold, as water flows.
With wings that never let it fly,
No legs, yet it still glides by.”
Got it? The answer is fish! You’ll find more riddles like this hanging with the lanterns in our Boat House during Lunar New Year.
Speaking of lanterns, I hope you get to see our breathtaking new dragon lantern in the center of Lake Zither, titled 龍騰盛世, “A Prosperous Era of Dragon’s Rise.” Another favorite is the plum blossom lantern in our Entrance Plaza, titled 福春雙喜, “Double Joy of Fortune and Spring.” It features the characters for fortune (福) and spring (春), echoing the real plum blossoms by our front door. Plus, it makes the perfect festival selfie spot!
Sometimes, when life throws curveballs, I take a moment to look at the glowing lanterns and hear the dragon dance drumbeats. It reminds me how lucky I am to have a job that lets me turn my passion—and childhood dreams—into reality, sharing the joy of Lunar New Year with others.
Don’t miss out the most magical experience during the Lunar New Year celebration. I’ll see you at Lan Su, among the lanterns.
Venus Sun
Vice President of Culture & Community
Lan Su Chinese Garden
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