The core essence of the S  γ&outhern Lantern City lies in the worl ♥d-renowned Zigong Lantern Fest§♥ival, celebrated far andγ♥¥£ wide. The formation of the Sout☆¥hern Lantern City has been shaped§¶ primarily by the flou↕♣πrishing development of the Ziφσ gong Lantern Festival. It haε¥€s gradually taken shape γ¶through the infusion of lanter≥λ↓n culture into various a∏§spects of the city, including urban ≤≤✔αconstruction, street s‍≥₹↔cenes and residential archite"≈≥cture, festivals and celebrations,‍λα social life, and cult"↑∏←ural arts.

The historical evolu∏✘€&tion and progression of the Zigong Lant☆ε" ern Festival form the cultural↔¥≠& lineage of the Southern‍®≤ Lantern City. As recorded in th¥§e Annals of Rong County: "The New × ®Year lantern festival in Rong ​πCounty is exceptionally grand, with ¶£®πpavilions being the prime attrac≥' δtion. Locals commonly call th∏→₹em ‘pavilions,’ with s☆ ♠everal such structures throughoΩ ™≠ut the city, each uniquely desα₽↕✔igned. Rising several stories φφ£≠high, they feature intricatel® ®y carved beams and spring-i♦Ωnspired assemblies, adorned with£ε€∑ colorful calligraphy and paintings,  ≈embedded with lights like stars. Each™₽∑£ pavilion held four to five hundred ∏"lamps, radiating dazzling splendor. Ev∞λ✔±en Western visitors were delighte£Ω÷♠d, remarking that such☆ € sights were unseen in the capit‌↕≠al." This evidence confirms that÷π£ by the Daoguang periodΩ‌€ of the Qing Dynasty, the Zigong ♠σ•∏Lantern Festival had already gained p★<φ€rominence, its scale≥≈≠€ and grandeur rivaliβ‌ng those of the capital and™ $ major cities. During≈‌ the Tang and Song dynasties, §​ the practice of lighting lanterns"γ for the New Year and decorating wi₹↓↑th festive lights around t≈‍he Lantern Festival gradually took ro φ™←ot in the Zigong region. At≤↕♥ that time, folk performaΩ₽β€nces such as acrobatics and jugglinα€π£g were also common during₽‍ these lantern-lighting celebrations, λσ★σgreatly entertaining the crowds. In π©the second year of the Chunxi era≥Ω↓ of the Southern Song D©≠♠ynasty (1175), Lu You wrote in ☆‌≥₽his poem “Qin Yuan Chun”: “Parted fr"$♠∞om Qin Tower, in the blink of an e≠φγye, spring returns, and lanterns are ×&lit once more.” This indicates th↑↔€at hanging and lighting la↔↓♠•nterns during the New Year had becom↕♠λe an established folk custom ≠&in the Zigong region by that time. Of≠¶ course, this differed ₹π± from the fully formed lantern <☆festival that would later emerge. Thus‌↑ , the Tang and Song d​₽₹δynasties represent the embryonic o↓∞r initial phase of Zi∑∏gong''''''''s lantern festiv∞™al. The festival took shape d∏§÷uring the Qingming period, gradually ₹§evolving into a large-scale folk cuδ∏≠ltural event with relatively fixed co₽>nnotations, held during specifi®₩£≈c periods, and possessing a diδ•♦×stinct lineage of transmission.£ σ' Along the developmental traject≈₩ &ory of Zigong''''''''s lantern f↕✘♥∑estival during the Ming and•₩∑ Qing dynasties, several key nodes em' erged, becoming disti↑®>nctive local features and h ε₩€ighlights of the festival.

One such highlight is the Sky Lante≠≥ rn Festival. Beginning on theλ₩ seventh day of the first lunar montΩ λh, temples and shrines would   erect lantern poles, hang redδ✔ lanterns, and hold sacrificia✔‌l ceremonies. This even★ε☆t was known as the Sky Festiv★→"al or Sky Lantern Festival. Templ₹₹★‍es were adorned with lanterns and d♠εecorations, with lantern poles standin★±g before them bearin★®✘g 33 to 36 lanterns. Smaller temples w§↔✘$ould light the “Nine Emperor →✘¶ Lanterns,” featuring nine±∑ lanterns on each side of ®$≠'the pole. The duration of©₹☆ the lantern display ranged from aε¥← minimum of three days to overβ§ a month, depending on the amou≠"nt of lamp oil donated by de•₩λvout believers. The climax of ©≠Ωthe Sky Lantern Festival occurs oλλ₽σn the night of the fifteenth day∑≤₩λ of the first lunar month, ≥∑β‍the Lantern Festival. After <¶nightfall, besides lightin★'g the tall lantern poles and holding l←∑δσanterns high in front of®∏π and inside the temples, fireworks✘≈λ and firecrackers are set off, d↔→&€ragon and lion dances are performed, σ¥and various acrobatic shows takeφ≤ place. 

The second major festival was the ¥★ε¶Five Emperors Lanter∑∑δγn Festival, an extension of the Sky La♦↕∞εntern Festival. In the G£₹‍ongjing area, a templ<₹γe named “Five Emperors Cave”&λ was said to have originated fro'φm a mountain cave. After γ↑← its establishment, th​∏e temple became a place of intense relφ↓©igious devotion. From the Wi♥>¥nter Solstice to the Spring Fest€δival, the temple was adorned with l¥₩anterns and decorations. Worshi§ε↔§pers came to pay homage to t>∏♠he Five Emperors, and t πhose making or fulfilling vows carried ★✘offerings in a continuous stream. F∑ rom the eighth day of the first γ lunar month, lantern poles were erected♥✔€ and red lanterns lit, culminating in≈‌×™ peak worship activities on the fif ≥₩<teenth day—the Lante>₹≠€rn Festival. Nightfall brought f₹∏‌♥ireworks displays and firecracker b↑☆☆lasts, creating an extraordin"β←‌ary, all-night revelry.

Third was the Floating River Lante≥♥®rns, also known as Relea∑¶¶sing River Lanterns. HistoricalαΩ records indicate that during€& the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty₩≥, the Guojing Guizhou Temple a≈✔εδlready hosted Ullambana festival‌±∏s. The festival lasts 5 to 7♥π↓δ days, featuring activiγπties like floating river lantern₹ '♥s and offering food to the hungβ↓& ry ghosts. In the Zigon∏≠ ×g area, the Ullambana Festival and σ✔¶↔floating river lanterns t≤≥ypically begin two days before thε e Mid-Autumn Festival, which fall★<™↓s on the fifteenth day of the sev>→∏λenth lunar month. Vegetarian of≠♥ferings are made to the ≈γBuddha, prayers are offer♦γδαed, and prostrations are performed, see÷>"×king the great compassion of the Bodh≥÷©∞isattva to rescue ancestorsδ♦✘ and liberate the spirit₹©s of the deceased. S∞$≈δutra recitations and✔γ•‍ rituals are performed, alonπ$&∞g with water-land cereλ↕<✔monies, to appease wandering spi★♥‌★rits and prevent them from disturbi₹→☆ng the mortal realm. Moβ∑↕σnks and devotees gather at riverbanksγ☆‍♠ and ponds. Amidst chanting and prayer↕✘↓§s, they place the river lante€↕rns on the water to drift freely.↔Ω'↑ The foremost lanterns, collectively caβ✘λδlled “lotus seed lanterns” or “c‍♦×arp lanterns,” are de&‍♣£signated as the “leading lanterns.” T<→&™he remaining lanterns, mo€∏≤ stly red, cone-shapedφδ β paper lanterns, follow behind, als₹§o set adrift. Sometimes‍→↔ the river lantern release occurs £$₩at night. The lanterns, like a staλΩrry sky, flow slowly♣σ, evoking profound imaginati÷¶©§on and presenting a magn←¥ificent sight.

The fourth tradition is thδ♦γe “Imperial Festival,” the most gran€₩×∏d of which occurred in the firs​™≥δt year of the Xuantongβ ε♣ reign (1909) during the late Qing ↔♦​Dynasty. That year, Em∏®<peror Guangxu passed away, Empero✘♣r Xuantong ascended the th&¥rone, and Prince Chun served as r₹φ₽egent. Zigong hosted a grand l♥→÷♥antern festival dubbed the “Impe≠≥∞rial Festival.” The memorial hall for E'Ω±mperor Guangxu was set u✔÷≥‌p at the West Qin Guild H∏×all, adorned with col£≥ ∑orful lanterns throughout. Centering o•©‌≤n this hall, the “Hiding Under the Sky≤₩•” displays were arranged alon♥β♥g three main routes, e≠∑≤£ncompassing nearly all streets in the↑γ Ziliu region—an unp★→recedented scale. At nigh€♥>←tfall, when the lanterns were lit, str§↕"​olling through the streets immersed one®ε in a ten-mile river of light. This “β®ΩHide the Sky, Cross the Sea”↓" spectacle dazzled with vibrant♣× colors by day and brilliant l☆α✘ights by night, drawin§₹g throngs of visitors and creating ext'£raordinary bustle.

In Zigong''''''''s lantern festivals​₩γ, dragon lantern perf✔₽‌πormances—also known as dragon dance★↕★÷s or dragon lantern displays—€∏ §accompanied the celebrations. T<✘raditionally, lanterns were unve↔←<iled on the first day of the  §πlunar new year and reti✔∏↕red on the sixteenth.★™‌ By the late Qing and Repu÷÷↑blican eras, festival  →activities expanded to incl€α  ude events like the Lantern↕ε‍¶ Procession. Historical records i®‍®ndicate Zigong'''''''★®≤↑'s Lantern Procession originated durin∑•< g the Qing Dynasty. During the Lantern ×÷↑λFestival, people woul↔↔€$d carry lanterns while vis§Ω™↔iting neighbors, and children would sh ≤"owcase their handmade lan≈φterns to compete for ♥↑"the best designs. From theβ✔σ Qing Dynasty to the early Republiε&c era, the Ziliujing salt me₩₽←rchant families organized successiv≈'←e processions during the Lantern Fest↓&ival period, led by festive d¶ §♠rum bands and featur↕<‍ing lantern-carrying parades. Leading t ‍<±he procession were a pair of larg£δe gauze lanterns, fol✔↕βlowed by four or five pa$£δirs of round lanterns. Next came re≥​<↔ctangular lanterns made of bamσ♥♦δboo frames covered with oil↑♦ed paper, each bearing verm"•ilion characters indicat‌​ing the family name and anc‍≈estral hall. Behind these sq≠§€‍uare lanterns were bamboo tor​☆ches (bright tubes), fol★λ€lowed by another group of l$‍γ>antern bearers accompanied by New € •≤Year drum and gong bands. The sur​✘φging crowds of lantern bear×®ers and spectators filled the±®↓£ streets to overflowing. From the ♦α‍victory of the Xinhai Revolu★≈"★tion until the founding of theα✔§ People''''''''s Republic, the Lanterδπn Festival was generally held on Octo>₩ber 10th each year. Lantern artisans di€ ★☆splayed remarkable creativity, crafti©↕ng diverse designs—m¥∞★ostly depicting flowe≠εσ♠rs, plants, insects, fish, birds, anγ ¥d beasts in vivid, lifelike colors. So¥φme lanterns ingeniously conve₽∏γ£yed deeper meanings th&∑•rough their forms.

The Lantern Festival has evolα≠π¥ved over time, its forms♠₩   unfolding through historical¥∏ continuity. Peeling back the fabric of♥←π time to trace its origi‍♣ns, one senses its profound rituali≥♣‌≠stic essence. The Chine ₩λse people cherish sh≥←"↔ared joy, and lantern viewing stands a≠ s a vital pillar of th<≤∏is communal celebration.