Hosted by the China Friendship Association of Cultural Circles and the Chinese Cross-Straits Interchange Association, and organized by the Kunshan Tourist Association, the 2013 Cross-Straits Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival will be held from September 17 to October 6 in Kunshan.

The lantern festival uses the cross-Straits exchange to display traditional cultural customs across the Straits. It features lantern art and waterfront landscapes by exhibiting 80 sets of lanterns and seven themed lantern zones covering an area of 300,000 square meters.

The seven themed lantern zones include the Kunshan zone, water lantern zone, recreation zone and Juhui Temple zone exhibiting Taiwan culture and Mazu culture. The main lantern is shaped like a twin lotus flowers on one stalk with a diameter of 60 meters and a height of 20 meters. It is the tallest and grandest lantern in the seven lantern zones. This lotus lantern is a symbol of friendship across the Straits.

At the same time, cultural exchange between the Straits also plays a big role. A grand road show featuring 18 floats and 19 performing matrixes of performers will perform on the night of September 17. During the lantern festival, artists from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Kunshan will perform in the cultural carnival to show the intangible cultural heritage and folk customs of Kunshan and Taiwan. Delicious food, special products and handicrafts will also appear in the lantern festival.