Mountains, Seas and Lights Shine in Wuxi | 2026 Wuxi Plum Garden Autumn Lantern Festival Grandly Opens

As dusk falls over the Jiangnan region, lanterns light up the ancient garden. The 2026 Wuxi Plum Garden Autumn Lantern Festival, themed Mystical Realms of Mountains & Seas, Night Unfolds at Plum Garden, has officially kicked off. It brings mythical scenes from the ancient classic Shan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas) into a century-old Jiangnan garden, presenting an immersive night tour feast of intangible cultural heritage lantern art and setting a new benchmark for cultural night tourism in Wuxi.

All large lantern installations for this show are handcrafted by master artisans of Zigong lantern heritage. Over a hundred craftsmen spent months refining the works, with more than 20 themed lantern groups on display. Iconic creatures from Shan Hai Jing, including the roc, the auspicious Bai Ze beast and nine-tailed fox, as well as magical fairy plants, come to life. Moving beyond conventional lantern designs, the lanterns adopt hand-painting and gradient colouring techniques instead of mass spray painting. Fine textures glow gently through the fabric, as if these mythical beasts have stepped out of ancient manuscripts, wandering among pavilions, streams and woods in perfect harmony with the Jiangnan garden scenery.

Beyond static lantern displays, the event features a rich lineup of night performances: glowing firework shows, lantern puppet parades, intangible heritage acrobatics and starlight concerts. The mix of static art and live entertainment keeps visitors staying longer. Built for long-term outdoor exhibition, the lanterns use waterproof LED lights and stable steel frames, balancing stunning visuals with safety for parks, scenic spots and theme park large-scale light projects.

Where Jiangnan gardens meet time-honoured lantern craft, ancient myths blend with modern light art. This successful lantern show in Wuxi once again demonstrates the versatile adaptability of Zigong lanterns. Custom LED light sculptures of varied themes and sizes are available, delivering turnkey lantern solutions for scenic spots, theme parks and festive events worldwide.

Yashi Culture specialises in Zigong lantern design and manufacturing. We undertake custom festive lantern installations, arch lanterns, animal light sculptures and themed lantern seas, creating exclusive night tour light projects for global clients.