Corey interviews Zuoquan Deputy Mayor Wa Chunfang. On Feb. 7-8, China.org.cn reporter Corey Cooper visited Zuoquan County, Shanxi Province to view local She Huo Jie ("Community Fire" Festival) activities during the Lantern Festival at the conclusion of the Chinese New Year holiday. [Photo: China.org.cn / Qiao Zhenqi]

Zuoquan: alive with local charm

On Feb. 7-8, we visited Zuoquan County, in eastern central Shanxi Province, to experience the traditional Lantern Festival customs in the local community. With comparatively fewer inhabitants (around 130,000 people compared to Yuci District's 430,000), Zuoquan is a relatively small locale, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in character.

The entire county center in Zuoquan was lit up in colorful lanterns, but the decoration didn't stop with public facilities -- we found that individual homes and residential buildings were also decorated wall-to-wall. In the evening as the sun went down, the entire town lit up, reminding me of boisterous Christmas decorations in some cities in the U.S., but on a grander scale.

In that regard, Zuoquan has one of the largest Lantern Festival displays of any small town in China -- in the town's central square, elaborate lighted displays portrayed mythic tales from Chinese literature, such as the classic fables "Journey to the West" and "The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea." Local officials told us that the Lantern Festival displays had been jointly sponsored by the county government as well as national and local businesses, particularly in the coal industry, and some local residents also participated as joint sponsors.

到左权感受最具魅力的地方民俗

2月7日至8日，我们参观了山西省中东部的左权县，体验了当地的元宵节民俗。左权县共有13万人口，与拥有43万人口的榆次区相比，虽然规模略小，然而鲜明的地方特色却毫不逊色。

左权县城中心装点着五颜六色的灯笼。除了公共设施，连居民住宅也都经过精心装点。太阳下山后，整个县城都亮起来了，让人不禁想起美国一些城市热热闹闹的圣诞装饰，只不过规模不同。

左权县的元宵灯会规模空前，恐怕中国的城镇中没有几个能比得上。在县城中央广场上，工艺精良的灯笼讲述着中国的神话故事，例如经典的“西游记”、“八仙过海”等。据当地领导介绍，元宵节灯展由县政府和煤炭等国家和地方企业共同筹办，一些当地居民也参与了活动的筹办。