Beidi Community in Zhongshan's Nantou Town held its annual charity lantern party on the evening of March 4. Nearly 3,000 local people and guests gathered to reminisce about hometown bonds and seek blessings for the Chinese New Year.

The lantern party tradition, a folk custom passed down for nearly 200 years in Nantou, was inscribed into Guangdong Province's representative list of intangible cultural heritage in 2018.

Lantern bidding is the highlight of the event. This year's Beidi lantern party featured 6 decorative lanterns and auspicious items including "Smart Schoolbags" available for bidding. The event raised over 400,000 yuan in donations, which will support the community's welfare programs in terms of poverty relief and aid for vulnerable groups.