Mid-autumn lanterns to go on display
The Leisure & Cultural Services Department today said it will hold lantern displays from September 7 to 12 in Causeway Bay, Tung Chung and Tai Po to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s establishment.
The illuminated lantern installation named Moon Story at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay is the highlight of the displays. It was created, designed and co-ordinated by a local team of architects and produced by Mainland organisations, with the support of the Hong Kong, Macao & Taiwan Affairs Office of the Ministry of Culture & Tourism.
The work of the installation fuses the traditional craftsmanship of Sichuan’s Zigong lanterns and modern art to tell the ancient story of the moon festival with the aim of enhancing the cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Sichuan.
Moon Story consists of three spherical lanterns ranging from three to 4.5m in height. With lighting and colour effects, the display depicts a heartwarming scene of a rabbit with the Moon.
The Moon Story will be on display until September 25.
Other colourful lantern decorations to be showcased at Victoria Park include a seven-metre-high lantern titled Happy Duo under the Full Moon crafted by local paper craft master Hui Ka-hung.
As a bonus, lanterns made by primary and secondary students will enhance the celebratory atmosphere with creations that include a revolving lantern featuring horses and the Moon, and lanterns about childhood memories and the 12 zodiac signs.
Meanwhile, at Tung Chung Man Tung Road Park, lantern decorations themed Floral Wishes in Cheery Pitches will offer visitors blissful scenes with vast swaths of flowers and five groups of colourful lanterns displaying birds, flowers and baby pandas.
The lanterns at Tai Po Waterfront Park will comprise a large-scale revolving lantern, as well as lanterns featuring wishing paper cranes, paper boats and sky lanterns, symbolising reunion and togetherness among family and friends, the department added.
In addition, an illuminated art installation, Hugs without Distance, is now on display at the Cultural Centre Piazza. It was created by local artist Ken Lo and is based on the concept of “more hugs”. Two rabbit installations have been set up at the pools, with the rabbits facing each other and surrounded by heart-shaped light boxes with illumination effects.
The light-up time of the decorations at the venues will be from 6.30pm to 11pm every night and the time will be extended to midnight on Mid-Autumn day ie September 10.