Why Do 92% of Global Lantern Festivals Come From This Chinese City? Unveiling Zigong Lanterns’ Global Dominance

—By ForestPaintingLantern | July 2025

On New Year’s Day 2024, the “Oriental Giant Dragon” lantern display in New York’s Times Square made headlines on CNN. In the same month, the “Desert Starlight” light show at Dubai Mall attracted millions of visitors. Paris Disneyland’s limited-edition Spring Festival castle lanterns garnered tens of millions of likes on social media. Behind these phenomenal light shows lies a common name: Zigong, China.

Official data reveals that Zigong lanterns command a staggering 92% share of the global large-scale lantern exhibition market, with annual exports exceeding $230 million. They have served top-tier projects like Disney, the Paris Olympics, and Saudi Arabia’s NEOM city. Even more astonishing, this fifth-tier city in Sichuan, with a registered population of only 3.2 million, boasts the world’s only complete lantern industry chain—from design and R&D to production and installation, and from talent cultivation to international exhibition planning—forming an irreplaceable industrial ecosystem.

This article, written by Forest Painting Lantern Factory, which has been deeply involved in China’s lantern industry for over two decades, will thoroughly analyze this unique “Made in China” case by exploring:

The Truth of the Industrial Chain: Unveiling the secrets of cost control from a single steel wire to a lantern festival for thousands.

Cultural Adaptability: Explaining how the Oriental dragon lantern conquered Saudi royalty and European and American families.

Technological Moat: Showcasing how 3D printing + AI are revolutionizing a millennium-old handicraft industry.

Future Blueprint: Looking ahead to the transformative direction of the lantern industry in the metaverse era.

Chapter 1: The Industrial Code: Why Can’t Global Lantern Exhibitions Do Without Zigong?

1.1 Data Speaks: Absolute Market Dominance

According to the 2023 annual report by the China Lighting Association:

Global Market: Out of 387 large-scale lantern exhibitions held overseas throughout the year, 358 featured core lantern sets from Zigong.

Key Clients: Including Disney (annual procurement exceeding 20 million RMB), Universal Studios, and the Saudi Ministry of Tourism.

Invisible Penetration: 60% of the Chinese-themed lanterns in European Christmas markets are actually OEM products from Zigong.

Output Value: The Zigong lantern industry has an annual output value of 6.3 billion RMB, creating over 100,000 jobs in surrounding areas.

Typical Cases:During the 2023 Qatar World Cup, the “Desert Ship” lantern display on Doha Corniche attracted 300,000 visitors in a single day.

The Houston Winter Lights Festival in the USA has purchased Zigong lantern sets for five consecutive years, with ticket revenue exceeding $8 million in 2023.

1.2 Cost Killer: End-to-End Control from Design to Implementation

In-depth Case:

For the 2023 “China Time” lantern exhibition project in Hamburg, Germany, the Zigong team set three records:

1.Design Speed: Completed a customized plan featuring Hamburg’s landmark elements within 72 hours.

2.Transportation Efficiency: 47 lantern sets required only 2 standard containers (compared to 8 for traditional methods).

3.Installation Precision: All circuits lit up successfully on the first try in a -15℃ environment.

1.3 Talent Barrier: The World’s Only Lantern “Whampoa Military Academy”

Zigong has built a comprehensive talent training system:

Basic Education:

• Zigong Lantern Vocational School (Technical Secondary School): Trains 600 technical workers annually.
• Curriculum: Traditional craftsmanship (40%) + Modern technology (40%) + International business (20%).

Higher Education:

• Sichuan University of Science and Engineering Lantern College: The world’s first undergraduate program in lantern art.
• Core Courses: Lighting Engineering, International Exhibition Management, Digital Content Creation.

On-the-Job Training:

• Overseas installation engineers must pass:
• 200 hours of safety operation training (including high-altitude work, electrical safety).
• Cross-cultural communication tests (simulating Middle Eastern, European, and American project scenarios).

Talent Reserve Advantages:

• A standing pool of 2,000 installation engineers ready for overseas deployment.
• 500 multilingual project managers (English + minor languages).
• 30 senior exhibition curators with international certifications (e.g., PMP, LEED).

Chapter 2: Cultural Export: How Does Oriental Aesthetics Conquer the World?

2.1 Customized Design: From Chinese Dragons to Interstellar Camels

Zigong has established the world’s largest lantern design database:

• 100,000+ Asset Library: Covering cultural symbols, festive elements, and popular IPs from various countries.
• AI Design System: Input local cultural parameters to automatically generate compliant designs.

Regional Customization Cases: ◆ Middle Eastern Exclusive Edition:

Saudi “NEOM” Project:

• Transformed traditional dragon lanterns into Star Trek-style mechanical camels.
• Built-in temperature sensors (automatic liquid cooling activation at 50℃).

Cultural Taboo Handling:

• Removed all human figures.
• Replaced with geometric Islamic patterns.
• Light color temperature controlled below 3000K (conforming to local aesthetics).

◆ European & American Bestseller Formula: Oriental Elements (30%) + Local IP (50%) + Interactive Technology (20%)

Paris Disneyland Case:

• Phoenix shape (Oriental element).
• Overlayed Peter Pan shadow effects (local IP).
• AR scanning to release sky lanterns (interactive technology).

Result: Social media exposure increased by 500%.

2.2 Lantern Diplomacy: A Nation’s Soft Cultural Power

Zigong lantern exhibitions have become a “soft business card” for Chinese culture:

Belt and Road Initiatives:

• “Bridge of Light” Lantern Festival in Budapest, Hungary (coinciding with the opening of the China-Europe railway).
• “Zheng He’s Treasure Ship” lantern display in Mombasa Port, Kenya (against the backdrop of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation).

Head-of-State Endorsements:

• French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted praise for the Zigong Lantern Festival.
• Saudi Crown Prince personally unveiled the NEOM City lantern exhibition.

City Marketing:

• Partnered with 20+ international cities as “Light-Friendly Cities.”
• Established 6 “Chinese Lantern Culture Centers” overseas.

2.3 Crisis Public Relations: When Cultural Differences Cause Controversy

▶ Germany’s “Dragon Lantern Discrimination” Incident:

Background: In 2022, during the Hamburg Lantern Festival, local animal welfare organizations protested that dragon lanterns “symbolized violence.”

Response Strategy:

1. Transformed the dragon lanterns into How to Train Your Dragon‘s Toothless within 48 hours.
2. Donated 10% of ticket revenue to animal protection associations.
3. Held a “Sino-German Dragon Culture Seminar” to clarify misunderstandings.

Result: Positive media coverage increased by 230%, and subsequent orders grew by 45%.

▶ US Copyright Dispute:

Problem: Disney accused a certain lantern set of infringing on Frozen characters.

Solution:

• Immediately removed the disputed lantern set.
• Launched a “Genuine IP Cooperation Program,” now with authorization for 20+ international IPs.

Achievement: Sales of genuine IP lantern sets reached 120 million RMB in 2023.

Chapter 3: Future Warfare: How Are 3D Printing and AI Reshaping the Industry?

3.1 Production Revolution: From Workshop to Cloud

Digital Twin Factory Operating Model:

1. Clients virtually tour the factory via VR.
2. AI system provides real-time quotes (accurate down to every screw).
3. Blockchain traces material origins.
4. Cloud monitoring system updates progress every 30 minutes.

Material Breakthroughs:

Eco-friendly Lantern Fabric:

• Seaweed fiber material (degrades naturally in 28 days).
• 40% lower cost than traditional silk fabric.

Smart Framework:

• Memory alloy (automatically adjusts curvature from -30℃ to 70℃).
• Self-healing coating (minor scratches can self-repair with sunlight).

3.2 Experience Upgrade: From Observation to Interaction

◆ Metaverse Lantern Festival:

NFT Digital Lanterns:

• Released in collaboration with Polygon in 2023.
• Secondary market premium reached 20 times.

Wearable Lighting:

• Touch-sensitive luminous Hanfu that went viral at CES.
• Core technology from Zigong’s flexible circuit patent.

◆ Emotional Design:

Custom Project for London Alzheimer’s Center:

• Light colors change with patient heart rate.
• Music frequency synchronizes with brainwaves.

Japanese “Cherry Blossom Lanterns”:

• Built-in aromatherapy system reproduces floral scents.
• Temperature sensors simulate the blooming process.

3.3 Why Can’t Global Competitors Catch Up?

▶ Patent Lock-in:

• Zigong enterprises hold 83% of global patents related to lantern art.
• Examples of Core Patents:
  1. Quick-release structure (installation time reduced by 90%).
  2. Boneless suspension technology (eliminates support framework).
  3. Self-cleaning coating (uses rainwater to maintain brightness).

▶ Data Assets:

• 100,000+ lantern set database.
• 1000GB+ global weather data.
• 500+ cultural taboo entries.

Chapter 4: Challenges and Future: Where is the Next Growth Point?

4.1 Three Major Challenges Currently Faced

1. Trade Barriers: European and American countries are raising access standards for lighting products (e.g., RoHS 3.0).
2. Cost Increases: Special steel prices have risen by 15% annually.
3. Talent Drain: Younger artisans prefer careers in the internet industry.

4.2 Paths to Breakthrough: Three Growth Curves

First Curve (Traditional Lantern Exhibitions):

• Develop modular mini-lantern sets (suitable for home gardens).
• Introduce “Lanterns as a Service” (LaaS) subscription model.

Second Curve (Digital Content):

• Develop metaverse spaces with lighting themes.
• Produce documentary films on lantern culture (Netflix collaboration in discussion).

Third Curve (Solution Export):

• Export overall “Lantern City” planning solutions overseas.
• Provide comprehensive training services for light festivals.

4.3 2030 Vision

Zigong’s “Global Capital of Lights” plan aims to:

• Break through 20 billion RMB in industry scale.
• Increase overseas market share to 95%.
• Establish the first “Lighting-themed” UNESCO World Heritage site.

When Zigong artisans use iPads Pro to debug the LED programs of 30-meter-high lantern sets in Dubai, and when French children learn Chinese by AR scanning lanterns, this industry is writing new rules: no longer just cheap OEM, but defining global lighting aesthetics with culture and technology.

As Martin Klaasen, Chairman of the International Lighting Association, commented: “What Zigong is doing is transforming a millennium-old craft into a universal cultural language for the 21st century—this may be the most poetic example of China’s manufacturing upgrade.”

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