Scribble

<strong>The Lantern Festival:</strong> An aerial view of a lantern show in the ancient city of Xi'An. Taking place on the 15th day of the first lunar month (February 5 this year), the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Jie in Mandarin Chinese, marks the end of the weeks-long Lunar New Year preparations and celebrations.

The Lantern Festival: An aerial view of a lantern show in the ancient city of Xi'An. Taking place on the 15th day of the first lunar month (February 5 this year), the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Jie in Mandarin Chinese, marks the end of the weeks-long Lunar New Year preparations and celebrations.

Zeng Wenping/VCG/Getty Images

<strong>The wildest Lantern Festival celebration:</strong> Perhaps the wildest event of them all happens in Taiwan. The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, an annual tradition held on the final day of the Lunar New Year in Tainan City, has been happening for over 130 years. Participants wear motorcycle helmets, fire-retardant clothing and thick gloves as hundreds of thousands of firecrackers go off behind them.

The wildest Lantern Festival celebration: Perhaps the wildest event of them all happens in Taiwan. The Yanshui Beehive Fireworks Festival, an annual tradition held on the final day of the Lunar New Year in Tainan City, has been happening for over 130 years. Participants wear motorcycle helmets, fire-retardant clothing and thick gloves as hundreds of thousands of firecrackers go off behind them.

An Rong Xu/Getty Images

<strong>Rice balls: </strong>In preparation for the Lantern Festival, workers make tangyuan at a factory in Yueyang in central China's Hunan province. These rice balls are a popular Lantern Festival snack.

Rice balls: In preparation for the Lantern Festival, workers make tangyuan at a factory in Yueyang in central China's Hunan province. These rice balls are a popular Lantern Festival snack.

Imaginechina/AP

<strong>Tasty tiles:</strong> The round motifs of tangyuan symbolize the reunion and wholeness of families. But as these mah jong-shaped treats demonstrate, the rice balls aren't always round.

Tasty tiles: The round motifs of tangyuan symbolize the reunion and wholeness of families. But as these mah jong-shaped treats demonstrate, the rice balls aren't always round.

Wang denghu/Imaginechina/AP

<strong>A wall of lava: </strong>A blacksmith throws molten metal to create a shower of sparks on the eve of the Lantern Festival at a park in Beijing in 2022.

A wall of lava: A blacksmith throws molten metal to create a shower of sparks on the eve of the Lantern Festival at a park in Beijing in 2022.

Noel Celis/AFP/Getty Images

<strong>Chengdu, China: </strong>The centuries-old custom, dashuhua (translated as 'hit tree flower'), is considered a custom of the town of Nuanquan. But these days it takes place in cities all over China.

Chengdu, China: The centuries-old custom, dashuhua (translated as 'hit tree flower'), is considered a custom of the town of Nuanquan. But these days it takes place in cities all over China.

Zhou Ying/VCG/Getty Images

<strong>Light it up:</strong> Craftsmen prepare for a molten iron fireworks show to celebrate the Lantern Festival at the Jingzhou Garden Expo Park on February 26, 2021 in the Chinese city of Jiangzhou.

Light it up: Craftsmen prepare for a molten iron fireworks show to celebrate the Lantern Festival at the Jingzhou Garden Expo Park on February 26, 2021 in the Chinese city of Jiangzhou.

Huang Zhigang/VCG/Getty Images