Hundreds ofChinese lantern art piecesin Hungary celebratesnot onlyChinese Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon,but also the diverse Sino-Hungarian cultural exchange.

BUDAPEST, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- A lantern festival opened here on Saturday as part of the celebrations for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon.

The festival showcases hundreds of heritage lantern art pieces from Zigong, a city in southwest China's Sichuan Province known for this traditional art form.

"Year 2024 also marks the 75th anniversary of Sino-Hungarian diplomatic relations," Sun Jie, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, said at the event's opening ceremony.

Sun expressed hope that this lantern festival will not only display a wonderful fusion of traditional Chinese culture and art, but also mark the vibrant commencement of diverse Sino-Hungarian cultural exchange activities in the new year.

Inside the garden and building of the Biodome on the Budapest Zoo's boulevard, following the lights from several hundred lanterns, one can step into the illuminated world of the Year of the Dragon, capturing the beauty of animals.

Endre Sos, conservation and animal health director of the Budapest Zoo, said that many people in Europe may not have fully realized the immense creative potentials of the Chinese lantern art, noting that Chinese artists, with their exquisite skills, can create lanterns in almost any shape, which is truly remarkable.

The event is available every day between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time until Feb. 24. The Year of the Dragon starts on Feb. 10.