Fish lanterns are traditional Chinese folk dance props. Their frames are usually crafted from bamboo strips, covered with cotton paper or white cloth painted with fish-scale patterns, and fitted with candles or LED lights inside. They consist of three parts: head, body, and tail, which can rotate. Common forms include carp and mandarin fish. During performances, they move in routines such as "carp swinging its tail" and "fish leaping over the dragon gate." The name is a homophone for "yú" (meaning "surplus" in Mandarin), symbolizing abundance and good fortune. Fish lanterns are widely used in festive parades and ceremonial celebrations, with formations such as square arrays and Bagua arrays. The fish lantern tradition can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty, with branches such as the Zhanqi fish lantern, the Wangmantian fish lantern, and the Yuliang fish lantern still kept alive in Huangshan, Anhui.

The Zhanqi fish lantern originated in the Southern Song Dynasty. Shaped like a carp, it conveys the meaning of abundance year after year. Handmade Zhanqi fish lanterns are delicate in form and beautifully painted, with distinct local characteristics. During the Spring Festival, as night falls and drums begin to sound, fish lanterns of all sizes weave vividly through the darkness. In January 2008, the Zhanqi fish lantern was inscribed on the second representative list of Huangshan City's municipal-level intangible cultural heritage items.

The Wangmantian fish lantern is a traditional folk activity passed down for over 600 years in Wangmantian Village, Xitou Town, She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. It is also one of the oldest and best-preserved traditional New Year customs in the Huizhou region. In May 2022, the Wangmantian fish lantern was inscribed on the sixth representative list of Anhui Province's provincial-level intangible cultural heritage items.

The Yuliang fish lantern was originally the main attraction of the water parade and illuminated boats at the Taizi Temple Fair. It symbolizes blessings and competition. The Yuliang fish lantern rests quietly at Yuliang Dam, witnessing the prosperity of the past and accompanying Huizhou merchants as they departed from here to pursue distant horizons, creating the legend of "no town without Huizhou merchants." In August 2024, the Yuliang fish lantern was inscribed on She County's ninth representative list of county-level intangible cultural heritage items.

Recommended Location:

Huizhou Prefectural Government Square, Huangshan City

Parade Route:

Prefectural Government Square → Xuguo Stone Archway → Zhonghe Street → Clock Tower → Deshengmen Toad Well (return) → Zhonghe Street → Xuguo Stone Archway → Dagujing Street → Anhui Huizhou History Museum → Nanqiao Tower → Prefectural Government Square