Lantern show shines brightly in Paris

Bringing legends to life

Mythical creatures described in the book dating back 2,200 years were brought to life at the show through these delightful displays.

Kun, a legendary giant creature from the northern sea that was said to have been a fish while in water and an enormous bird, or peng, after it emerged, is one of the creatures featured. Also featured is yinglong, a powerful dragon with a pair of wings that was deemed to be the "god of rain" and "god of the warriors".

Damien, who lives near Paris, said it was the first time he has seen such a massive festival.

"I really like everything, especially the part that shows fantastic animals and Chinese mythology, which is very colorful and somewhat magical, with animals that we are not necessarily used to seeing," he said. "And also the colors… It's very lively, very rich in color. I've been to China once, and it's an extraordinary country. So, I highly recommend it."

Antonio and Bruno, who heard about the event online and took their children to see it "to enlighten them", said it was truly magnificent. The mythology section was their favorite part, particularly the white deer with leaves on its antlers.