The famous festival “The Great Lanterns of China. Signs of the Universe 2019” will start in Pakruojis Manor. The momentous event, which draws tens of thousands of visitors from Lithuania and neighbouring countries, is now being held for the second year in a row.
It is no coincidence that every lantern has its meaning and seemingly tells an individual story to the people of Lithuania. The head of the Haitian Culture team, which created the lanterns, Lory Hui says that all the lanterns were created as per tradition to help people overcome the darkness of winter. In the Pakruojis Manor festival, every lantern touches upon the signs sent by the universe, which Chinese philosophy and faith is based on. For example, in Chinese culture, the Dragon and the Phoenix symbolise fortune and happiness and when they are together – it typically signifies celebration.
The mythical entities in Pakruojis Manor that were crafted out of porcelain not only demonstrate unique Chinese lantern making technologies, but are also the spiritual centre of the celebration, where people pray and come up with wishes. Make sure to visit the Blessing Wall – next to it, people regain hope for the New Year and can light a candle to make next year successful. One of the most famous Chinese symbols is the crane and, in this festival, the Crane Island lantern symbolises loyalty, honesty and nobility. Also, pay attention to the festival’s main accent – Monster Nian. Based on Chinese stories, every 12 years on New Year’s Eve, Monster Nian would wake up and travel around villages, devouring grain, livestock and people.
The people would flee their homes to protect themselves, but in one year, a beggar appeared and got rid of Nian. He decorated a house with red paper and numerous lanterns, and namely the festive atmosphere repelled the monster. This group of lanterns at Pakruojis Manor is intended for the New Year and together with the dragon is known as the Demon, Night and Year. Based on ancient Chinese folk myths and legends, people release fireworks to repel the monster and thus ensure health for the entire year. This tradition has remained to these days and has taken root in our country as well.
These and many impressive lanterns can be seen at the Pakruojis Manor. The festival display was constructed and decorated over three weeks by a large team of professionals from China. Thousands of meters of Chinese silk, thousands of lights and kilometres of electrical wiring were used. As such, this year, visitors will be able to see twice the number of lanterns, which were explicitly created for Pakruojis Manor. This festival will portray some of the most notable Chinese cultural symbols, which will allow us to get acquainted and discover this Eastern culture’s specialities. The shining and colourful lanterns are not only aesthetic but also significant symbols. Visit the lanterns and follow, what attracts you the most, what symbol is the closest to your heart and perhaps it will help you find out, what the coming year will be like and understand, what signs the universe is sending you, what it wants to let you know.
Such celebrations are a widespread and frequent occurrence in China. However, the festival in Pakruojis Manor is the first and only in Northern Europe. By the way, Pakruojis Manor is the largest manor house remaining in Lithuania, with an ensemble of 26 buildings, which portray in real-time manor life in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. In 2018, the manor was recognised as the most successful tourism product.
