February 12 marked the Lantern Festival, serving as the grand finale of Chinese New Year celebrations, at the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the host city located in the Chinese mainland. This year, an international cultural exchange event was held to honor the traditional occasion, fostering unity and cultural understanding among participants from across Asia.
Co-hosted by CGTN and the Heilongjiang branch of China Media Group, the event brought together over 1,270 athletes, delegation members, and media representatives from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest edition of the Asian Winter Games in history. Notable delegations included those from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Mongolia, along with first-time participants like Saudi Arabia and Cambodia.
Participants immersed themselves in traditional Chinese customs, enjoying activities such as making and tasting tangyuan (sweet rice dumplings), which symbolize reunion, and engaging in lantern riddles. The festival also featured an exhibition showcasing China's intangible cultural heritage, where attendees could explore Chinese calligraphy, fish-skin painting, lacquerware, Guzheng and Guqin performances, and lantern-making techniques, deepening their appreciation for China's rich artistic traditions.
The vibrant atmosphere was enhanced by traditional dance performances, including the powerful beats of the Long Drum Dance and the lively rhythms of the Northeast Yangko Dance. International guests eagerly joined in, learning to play the drums and dance the Yangko, adding to the excitement and cross-cultural interaction. A unique highlight of the event was the appearance of a patrolling robot dog, which captivated many attendees and introduced a modern technological element to the celebrations.
Prominent figures in attendance included Ho Zhen Ting, vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia; Zhou Jian, director of media and broadcast for the Olympic Council of Asia; and Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, a deputy to the National People's Congress and head of the Hong Kong, China delegation to the Asian Winter Games. Delegations from nine countries and regions, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Mongolia, participated with over 40 representatives.
The Lantern Festival event provided a unique opportunity for athletes, delegations, and media representatives from across Asia to experience the richness of Chinese culture. It also served as a platform for participants from diverse cultural backgrounds to interact and exchange ideas, fostering greater cultural understanding and friendship across Asia.
Reference(s):
Lantern Festival celebrated at Asian Winter Games in Harbin, NE China
cgtn.com
