Xi'an City Wall welcomed more than 120 international friends from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, and South Africa to participate in a lantern making activity on Jan 7.

More than 120 international friends take part in a lantern making activity on Xi'an City Wall on Jan 7. [Photo/Xi'an municipal government's WeChat public account]

In China, when a woman gets married, her maiden family gives her a lantern every year, hoping that she will be pregnant, have a child, and that her family will flourish.

Martin from the UK provided a wonderful translation for the international friends, and all the participants were very interested. He said that he knew that lanterns were to be hung during the Chinese New Year, but he didn't know that there was such a warm and interesting cultural story behind it.

International friends make their lanterns. [Photo/Xi'an municipal government's WeChat public account]

The international friends watched traditional lanterns with Chinese regional features, such as rabbit-shaped lanterns and fire gourd-shaped lanterns.

In addition, with the guidance of teachers, each of them personally made a four-cornered palace lantern and hung it in a designated area of Xi'an City Wall.

 "It's really fun to make lanterns on Xi'an City Wall. Chinese culture is so charming, I love China," Nicole from Canada said.

Two international friends hang their lanterns on Xi'an City Wall. [Photo/Xi’an municipal government’s WeChat public account]

To date, more than 2,000 residents and tourists have participated in the Xi'an City Wall lantern making activity.

These handmade lanterns will be lit and on display together with more than a 1,000 other lanterns during the 2020 Xi'an City Wall Lantern Festival from Jan 17 to Feb 24.