People throng to Yu Garden in Shanghai for a lantern show during Lunar New Year. Last year's show in the garden attracted more than 5 million visitors. [PHOTO/GAO ERQIANG/CHINA DAILY]

The centerpiece of the show this year is a 9-meter-high lantern in the shape of a pig－2019 is the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese zodiac.

The design features the pig as the Chinese god of wealth holding a gold ingot, or jinyuanbao, a type of currency used in imperial China, while surrounded by a happy human family, which symbolizes harmony and good fortune.

Lanterns depicting China's development over the decades are also showcased as 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Also found in Yu Garden is a group of lanterns arranged to form a 40-meter-long set illustrating Shanghai's growth during the 40 years of reform and opening-up.

On the wall of Songyun Building, lanterns are shaped like stamps that are decorated with items reflecting the four brands of the city－services, manufacturing, shopping and culture－such as the C919 China-developed passenger jet, new energy vehicles and the Lujiazui financial hub.