August 3, 2009 - Each year, hundreds of tiny coloured lights infuse the Chinese Garden of Montréal's Botanical Garden with a soft, shimmering glow. Quite apart from the flamboyant mélange of red, yellow and orange which carpets this splendid Montréal venue in autumn, these lights herald a highly anticipated fall spectacular known as The Magic of Lanterns. This much touted annual rendezvous dazzles visitors by the thousands... and so it should! Imagine a thousand lanterns of myriad shapes and sizes-from marine animals to characters of mythical renown-designed in Montréal, handcrafted in Shanghai and set to a yin and yang-inspired backdrop. The effect is more than surprising, it is magical.
Each year, this age-old Chinese tradition unveils new and different facets of the Asian persona. For this year's eleventh edition of the event-set to run from September 11th to November 1st-the chosen theme is 'A Thousand and One Stars' in honour of International Year of Astronomy celebrations. Accordingly, this year's lanterns will draw inspiration from the classic imagery and instruments of Beijing's Ancient Observatory in a special homage to traditional Chinese astronomy. Thus the Azure Dragon, Black Tortoise, White Tiger and Vermillion Bird will be making inaugural appearances in Montréal's Chinese Garden. Come explore the mythical and scientific dimensions of Asian culture in the company of amateur astronomers who, each Thursday evening, will make telescopes available for use by visitors.
The Magic of Lanterns
