Santa Clara (CNS) -- A gigantic environmentally-friendly lantern show, featuring Chinese cultural elements as well as many of the world's greatest architectural achievements, kicks off at California's Great America in Santa Clara, Silicon Valley, the day after Thanksgiving. It will last till January 2, 2012.
Like a small global village, the 40 groups of lanterns depict 10 famous and spectacular views from around the world, including the Chinese Temple of Heaven, painted dragon boat and typical Chinatown streetscapes, India's Taj Mahal, Paris' Eiffel Tower, the floating city of Venice, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the marvelous African savanna, as well as the pyramid of Mexico and the ruins of the Mayan Civilization.
Recyclable materials played a vital role in the many clever works, such as beverage cans, bottle caps, CDs, porcelain dishes and metal flatware.
Consul-general Gao Zhansheng of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, Mayor Jamie L. Matthews of Santa Clara, and President Huang Lu of the organizer, International Culture Exchange Group, were present at the opening ceremony. Energizing performances and food stalls that covered the range of the world's specialty cuisines created long queues of visitors.
The lanterns for the show, a tradition in Zigong in southwest China's Sichuan Province since the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), were delicately constructed by a team of 150 in China, then sent across the Pacific in 23 containers. Over there, 35 engineers spent over a month to restoring the beauty that will astonish city residents and visitors throughout the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
