Shanghai lantern show lights up Spanish celebration

A centuries-old folk tradition from Shanghai took center stage last week at La Merce Festival, one of Barcelona's biggest cultural celebrations, as performers carrying giant bamboo lanterns rolled, spun and danced their way through the Spanish city.

The Fengxian Rolling Lantern, with a history of more than 700 years, brought a distinctive taste of Shanghai to the festival, combining dance, acrobatics and feats of physical strength.

"It brings the real Shanghai. It brings the rooted culture and history of Shanghai to the most traditional festival in Barcelona," said Esteve Carames, director of cultural programs at the Barcelona Institute of Culture, the municipal body responsible for organizing La Merce.

For Carames, the performance also offered audiences an opportunity to discover a side of Shanghai that can be less familiar internationally.

"They explain to us how the people in Shanghai are and what the traditions in Shanghai are," he said. "This is very valuable for us."

The spectacle quickly won over festivalgoers, many of whom were encountering the tradition for the first time.

Barcelona resident Diana said she was struck by the performers' expressions and their control of the lanterns.

"I was amazed," she said, recalling one performer manipulating a large lantern using his mouth. "I was not expecting that."

Australian tourist Daniel, who plans to visit Shanghai next April, described the performance as "absolutely amazing and spectacular", highlighting the costumes, choreography, music and fireworks.

"It's definitely added to my excitement about going to Shanghai," he said, describing the performance as "one of a kind".

A tradition born by the water

The Fengxian Rolling Lantern originated in what is now Shanghai's Fengxian district, along the northern shore of Hangzhou Bay. In ancient times, when the coastal area was frequently affected by flooding, local communities performed with rolling lanterns as part of rituals seeking protection from water-related disasters.

Over generations, the practice gradually moved beyond its ritual origins and became a popular form of entertainment during festivals and harvest celebrations.

Made primarily from bamboo, the lantern consists of inner and outer spherical structures, allowing it to roll and rotate while maintaining its shape. Its large size traditionally caused crowds to make way as performers approached, earning it the popular descriptions "king of lanterns".

The folk art blends intricate movements with considerable strength and control. One of its most challenging techniques is "Spider Spinning Silk", in which a performer grips a strip of cloth with their teeth to control the lantern, while rotating their body in sync with it.

The Fengxian Rolling Lantern was added to China's national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

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