A man hugs a person dressed as a panda at a celebration of the traditional Lantern Festival in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, yesterday. Foreign consuls, experts and representatives from overseas enterprises were invited to the celebration. The Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, marks the end of Spring Festival. Since Lantern Festival is held to mark the first full moon of the new lunar year, Chinese celebrate it by hanging colorful lanterns, playing games and gathering with friends to eat sweetened rice dumplings.

    Xinhua