The 24th Mawei-Matsu Lantern Festival opens in Fuzhou, the capital of East China's Fujian province. [Photo by Wang Yi/for chinadaily.com.cn]

With the upcoming Year of the Horse, the central theme of this year's exhibition is centered on the animal, with the pronunciation of the Chinese character "ma", meaning the horse, reflecting both Mawei and Matsu districts.

On display are lantern installations of leaping horses, symbolizing progress and vitality. Other creative installations feature Fujian's signature pineapples and grapes nestled alongside Taiwan's moth orchids, while a glowing replica of Mawei's Luoxing Tower faces Taipei's 101 skyscraper across a symbolic sea.