Carnival With Lights, Bonfire and Firework

Mo Tingitng

In Guangxi， there is an area often referred to as the “Heaven on Earth”. It is the limestone district stretching along the valley of the Lijiang River from the popular tourist city of Guilin to the scenic wonderland of tiny， laid-back， Yangshuo. This is a land that makes man so happy to forget about the paradise， said by Han Yu， one of the eight best-known literary giants throughout the Tang （618-907） and Song （960-1279） Dynasties. This is a land that was admired so much by Xu Xiake， the long-esteemed tourist and geologist of China at the 16th century. This is a land that has been highly praised as the most beautiful land by Mr. Nixon， former President of the U.S. and other top leaders of many countries.

River of vigor and vitality

Yangshuo， an everlasting theme in Chinese paintings and a major tourist attraction is known throughout the world. With its karst landscape and idyllic countryside， Yangshuo is considered to be a glittering pearl on a green carpet. The stunning landscape has a kind of magic that is all its own. The strangely shaped hills or karsts， the verdant plants ranging from bamboos to conifers， crystal clear water and wonderful caves make Yangshuo such an appealing destination.

Words fail to describe the beauty and reputation of the Lijiang River. Lijiang River is characterized by verdant mountains， fragrant waters， mysterious grottoes and exquisite rocks. There are no skyscrapers， haggard wasteland or heavy population， but clear water， lofty hills， pastoral countryside and friendly people. Lush bamboo and green trees are standing on both sides of the river brimming with crystal-clear waters.

Reaching Yangshuo with a river journey is so enjoyable. Several hours of meandering through a natural wonderland of limestone pinnacles reaching skywards make the Lijiang River unique. Clouds seemed to hang listlessly around their summits while vegetation appears from any level surface on what are otherwise vertical slopes. Sometimes the boat rushes through narrow canyons or else floats gently on broad stretches of water. During sunny days， inverted reflection of the hills on both sides is waiting for you. In cloudy days， you will feel like entering a fairy-tale landscape surrounded by mist with different eye-feasting landscapes.

On the Lijiang River， you must see a picture that several elderly fishermen pose with lanterns and cormorants on bamboo rafts. The innovative practice of catching fish by cormorants has emerged and dominated this area since several thousand years ago. Fishermen and cormorants perch on bamboo rafts， creating a unique group that lasts for more than one thousand years. Rafts are made of five large bamboo poles lashed together and slightly upturned at either end. Some men steer the craft with long poles. A circular basket holds the catch. The “fisherman” is actually a bird： A black cormorant with a ring around its neck to prevent it swallowing the fish. Every day， a stirring moment of hunting fishes is performed here. The cormorants dive， catch a fish in their beaks and bring it back to the boat. Then the fisherman removes the fish from their throat and rewards them. This sight is more scenic at night when lanterns， used to attract the fish， are suspended from the rafts.

Annual rejoicing not only for fishermen

Yangshuo also offers more night activities. Clubs and discos lined on the West Street and some would open till the early morning of next day. Watching the cormorant catching fish， enjoying the fantastic Impression Sister Liu， strolling along the night market， having fun at local pubs… all are unforgettable. In addition， Yangshuo hosts several festivals， such as Folk Song Festival， Bear Festival， and especially the spectacular and breathtaking Fishing Lantern Festival. If you want to experience the authentic aspect of Yangshou， this festival is a must-see.

Fishing Lantern Festival， combining the traditional culture and new customs in Yangshuo， is a rather new festival usually celebrated for three days in November since 1999. Nowadays， Yangshuo Fishing Lantern Festival has become an annual carnival not only for fishermen， but also for local people and tourists.

Reputed as one of the eight best sceneries in Yangshuo， Fishing Lantern Festival began as a night fishing technique where fishermen use lanterns to attract fish. Perceiving that light is irresistible to fish during night， local fishermen used to install torches at the end of their bamboo rafts to allure fish， now they use lanterns， which are safer and more convenient. To catch enough fish， fishermen often work in team， with bamboo rafts ranging from several to dozens of and cormorants ranging from one dozen to over one hundred. The most thrilling part is to observe how these fishermen encourage cormorants to catch fish： They will kick the bamboo rafts， yelling and making splashes by paddling. Their hungry-driven feathered companions will dash into the water with lightening speed and unraveled agility to swollen the prey. At the same time， the fishing boats with lanterns sail leisurely which forms a fantastic sight.

Now the Yangshuo Fishing Lantern Festival is a time for shows， food， firework and riverside bonfires. On these three days， villagers gather at piers， dance， and light the fishing lanterns in celebration， as their ancestors have done for years. There are joint art show， folk cultural and artistic performance at squares， fine arts exhibition， calligraphy exposition， photograph show， football events， chest contest， cycling competition and other forms of artistic events. People on the banks will show various dances and competitions while in the end numerous small paper boats decorated with flowers and candles will be let adrift on the river. It is a beautiful sight with so many lights floating like twinkling stars on the water. All these activities display the happy and prosperous life in Yangshuo， constituting a fantastic scenery characterized by lights on fishing boats， bonfire， and firework. Very similar to Lantern Festival， but it is held on the river， not on land. So some people in Yangshuo treat the Fishing Lantern Festival as the New Lantern Festival. “It is also a time for us to pray for safety， good weather， and a harvest next year，” said a local fisherman.