Chang’an Lantern Festival in Xi’an City Wall 2026

The 2026 “Chang’an Lantern Festival & Xi’an City Wall” Spring Festival series of cultural activities officially kicked off on January 1, 2026, spanning the three major holidays of New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, and Lantern Festival, and ending on March 22 (the fourth day of the second lunar month of the Bingwu year). The 81-day exhibition period extends the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival from the beginning of the new year into mid-spring. The exhibition area covers several important gates of the Xi’an City Wall. The core viewing areas include Hanguang Gate, Wumu Gate, Yongning Gate, Wenchang Gate, Heping Gate, and Jianguo Gate, where major lantern displays and core activities will be showcased. Anyuan Gate, Shangde Gate, Shangwu Gate, Northwest Corner, Anding Gate, Yuxiang Gate, Southwest Corner, Northeast Corner, Changle Gate, and Zhongshan Gate are non-core exhibition areas, but they will also be decorated with distinctive lanterns, creating a unified light and shadow landscape throughout the entire area. The year 2026 marks the Year of the Horse (Bingwu year). This year’s lantern festival, themed “A Thousand Lanterns Illuminate Chang’an, the Horse Welcomes Spring,” revolves around the main theme of “National Treasures Rejuvenated, Chang’an Shines Brightly.” It meticulously crafts three interwoven yet distinct cultural threads: “National Treasures Rejuvenated,” “Poetic Chang’an,” and “Galloping Horse of the Zodiac,” allowing visitors to not only enjoy the lanterns but also gain a deeper understanding of Chang’an’s history and poetic charm.