With the Chinese New Year we look ahead to the Year of the Rabbit. The Rabbit symbolizes longevity, peace, and prosperity so for many this is a year of hope. In honor of the Chinese New Year, the Nashville Zoo has been putting on an incredible light festival of Chinese art and folktales that they call Zoolumination. Of all the things that we have done in Nashville- this is the absolute favorite of them all.
The entire zoo was filled with larger than life illuminated pictures taken from Chinese folktales and mythology. We entered through the an amazing archway and then were greeted by a group of cranes. This is the largest Chinese lantern festival is the country.
There are over 1,000 lanterns fashioned from silk and wires throughout the zoo that have been created by Chinese artists. The creativity and ingenuity of creating such beautiful art was inspiring.
Each pathway was lined with lights. From archways of lanterns, or butterflies glittering overhead, to blossoms along the path- there is something to see everywhere you go.
We really loved seeing the tales of mythical animals come to life with the lanterns. From winged tigers to 9 tailed foxes to magical peacocks, the stories came to life through these amazing lighted scenes.
We really loved the scene with the ocean creatures. It was set out on the pond and the beautiful lanterns with their reflection in the water was so beautiful.
Being at the zoo at night is a different experience. Most of the animals are asleep when night comes. But we did get to see the Black Bear and a group of flamingos as they played in the water. One particularly cheeky flamingo walked right up to us and flapped its wings and squawked at us. Apparently we were disturbing the bedtime routine.
There are two resident dragons at the zoo. The first is the Cloud Dragon. Cloud dragons have been popular in Chinese folktales since the 5th century. The other is the mighty Turtle Dragon said to hold up the heavens. The details of these dragons were stunning and walking beneath them really gave a feeling of their grandeur.
One part had an entire Chinese city created with buildings, lanterns, and people depicting a celebration time. This was Chang’an, during the Tang Dynasty from 618-907, as they celebrated Shang Yuan. Chang’an was an ancient capital city such as Rome or Cairo. To see this city come to life was amazing.
We had such an amazing time at Zoolumination. We were blown away by the lanterns and their bright details that every one of them had. Starting the year this way did feel like we were ushering in a year of peace and prosperity. It seemed to fill us with light and hope. What a beautiful look at Chinese art and folktales.
{Know if you go: Zoolumination goes from the last week of November to the first week of February. Tickets must be purchased in advance, $19/adult and $15/child. There is a parking fee of $8 per vehicle. Because it only goes from 5-9, arrive early so you have time to get in and enjoy.}
If you enjoyed this incredible art exhibit, here are some others you might consider:
Roots of Knowledge Stained Glass – Utah
Thank you for coming along through the beautiful Chinese light experience at Zoolumination. May the year of the rabbit bring you peace, prosperity, and hope.
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