Colorful customs go on show for Lantern Festival

Inviting friends for a feast

The day of Lantern Festival is also a god worship day to people in Meishe village of Xiuying district in Haikou. On this important festival, villagers often hold a ceremony to worship a local god and invite many people, whether friends, relatives or strangers, to enjoy a feast at home. According to a local, Wang Yikun, the more guests one family has, the better omen it is.    

Watching puppet shows

Puppet shows are a treasure of Lingao county, which is called the "Chinese folk art village". Locals have a deep affection for this genre of drama.

The shows are often the most popular activity among local people at times of major holidays or traditional festivals. They play drum music, sing fisherman's songs in antiphonal style, and perform dragon and lion dances to celebrate Lantern Festival.

Fat chicken competition

On the evening of each Lantern Festival, families around Lecheng Old Street often place a boiled chicken with flowers in its mouth and a necklace around its neck on a table in front of their doors. The judges choose the fattest chicken as the winner and its host receives respect for his hard-working and talent.

A lantern show in Haikou's Fucheng is crowded with tourists and locals. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]