Photo taken on February 5 shows visitors viewing the 37th China Qinhuai Lantern Festival at Confucius Temple scenic area in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. (CFP Photo)

A visit to Qinhuai Lantern Festival at Confucius Temple scenic area in Nanjing is a must-do for locals and tourists to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which also marks the official end of the Spring Festival celebrations.

Photo taken on February 5 shows a child holding a sugar painting in the shape of rabbit at Confucius Temple scenic area in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. (CFP Photo)

A woman surnamed Zhen said she visited the traditional festival at 4 years old in 1999 for first time and had her first rabbit-shaped lantern then, a beautiful memory she has cherished. On February 4, her family of three visited the festival again. "Bringing home a lantern marks a happy end of Lunar New Year celebration," she said.

The 37th China Qinhuai Lantern Festival consisted of 170 designs under different themes,inluding lanterns featuring traditional culture at Confucius Temple area and those elevated with modern light effects installed at Laomendong. Lanterns along the Qinhuai River also paid homage to cultural and historical legacies.

Among the visitors, Ms. Wang from Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province said she always believes a visit to Qinhuai River is essential to understanding Jiangnan culture. The 27-year-old also put on hanfu, traditional Chinese attire, to experience "a time travel to the ancient time." Many tourists also agreed that Nanjing, as the ancient capital of six dynasties (222-589), is an ideal place to wear the historical Han Chinese outfit while embracing the rich history and culture.

Photo taken on February 4 shows visitors viewing lanterns at Laomendong historical area in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. (CFP Photo)

The lantern festival in Nanjing has also attracted widespread attention on social media platforms since its opening on January 14. This success came from a creative fusion of tradition and modernity, such as designs featuring auspicious symbols of koi fish and lotus flower as well as China's new achievements of C919 jet, rockets and 5G.

People were also seen queuing up to buy the city's popular snacks such as plum flower cake, salted duck and ice-sugar gourd.

"Sales has tripled compared with the same festival last year, and traditional lanterns in the shape of rabbit and lotus flower are most popular," a store owner said.