FOCUS: Lights of Magnolia to feature Chinese lanterns, dragons, more

Image provided.

By Herb Frazier, special to Charleston Currents  | Chinese lanterns will glow for four months beginning Nov. 15 at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, illuminating America’s oldest garden at night for the first time in its 343-year history.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens has partnered with the Zigong Lantern Group in China to present “Lights of Magnolia: Reflections of a Cultural Exchange.” The lantern festival includes custom-designed installations of large-scale thematically unified lanterns, a fusion of historic Chinese cultural symbols and images that represent the flora and fauna of Magnolia.

The lantern festival, the first ever at a public garden in North America for Zigong, places Magnolia in a position to play a prominent role in supporting Charleston’s tourism traffic, said Tom Johnson, the garden’s executive director.

Lights of Magnolia will take guests on a walking tour of more than 20 neat things to see.

“We are expecting record-breaking attendance for this visually stimulating display of stunning Chinese art that will glow in the night,” he said. “Magnolia is constantly looking for opportunities to enhance the garden experience for our visitors, and I believe we’ve found a unique opportunity with the Zigong Lantern Group.”

The Zigong Lantern Group, based in Zigong, China, is ranked number one internationally and recognized as the industry leader in Chinese lantern festivals around the world.

“This is a great beginning for Magnolia and the whole of Charleston,” said Meng Liu, executive director of China-Overseas for China Lantern International.  “We are all excited and confident that this event will get the attention it deserves. Everyone who experiences this unique event will remember it forever.” 

Zigong Lantern’s hand-made, three-dimensional sculptures will be illuminated at night throughout the gardens from Nov. 15 to March 15. Magnolia will open its gates during the evening to allow guests to view the colorful lantern displays erected over nine acres of Romantic-style gardens.

The lanterns are placed along a predetermined walking route throughout the historic gardens, Liu said. The design is unique and match Magnolia perfectly, she added.

The lanterns were constructed in China, shipped to Charleston and assembled at Magnolia. Each of the displays has been installed over and around black cypress ponds and lakes. The reflection of the lanterns on the surface of the water will create an optical illusion that will expand their actual size.

“Cultural Chinese lanterns began during the Eastern Han Dynasty of the Chinese Empire from 25 to 220 AD,” said Justin Corsa, executive director of North America for China Lantern International. “They were initially used as lamps and were for Buddhist worship. The art of the lantern festival has been innovated over hundreds of years and is now a combination of traditional and modern materials with ancient craftsmanship.”

• Learn more online.  Tickets are $11-$26.  On-site parking is limited, but shuttles are available.  For more information and frequently asked questions, click here..

Veteran journalist Herb Frazier coordinates public relations and outreach at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.  

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