Lantern Displays
📅 19 September – 4 October 2026
📍Lakeside Field, Lakeside Garden | Cloud Pagoda & Cleansing Biotope Ponds, Chinese Garden | Floral Garden & Resthouse Pond, Japanese Garden
⏰6:30pm – 10:30pm daily
📍Lakeside Field, Lakeside Garden
Lights by the Lake 2026 takes visitors on a journey through The Legend of the White Snake, one of China's most beloved folk tales. Across five scenes set along Lakeside Field, the lantern displays trace the story of Bai Suzhen — a white snake spirit who takes human form — and her fateful romance with the scholar Xu Xian, from their chance meeting on Broken Bridge to their eventual separation at the hands of the monk Fa Hai.
The journey culminates at Cloud Pagoda, where a reimagined ending sees all four characters — Bai Suzhen, Xu Xian, Xiao Qing, and Fa Hai — reunited in forgiveness and harmony, with a light show that brings this timeless tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption to a hopeful close.
Scene 1 - The Spirit Awakens (千年化形)
After a thousand years of cultivation, the white snake spirit Bai Suzhen finally gains a human form. Together with her companion Xiao Qing, she leaves the mountains to explore the human world. A powerful spirit Bai Suzhen may be, but she is soft-spoken and good-natured. She is intrigued by human matters, such as emotions, day-to-day living, and the unpredictability of life. Little does she know, venturing into the human world will change her destiny forever.
Scene 2 - Fateful Encounter on the Bridge (断桥情缘)
On a rainy day, Bai Suzhen meets Xu Xian, a humble scholar, at Broken Bridge in Hangzhou, and he offers to share his umbrella with her. This small act of kindness sparks off a bond between the two – Xu Xian is drawn to her elegance and warmth, while Bai Suzhen is touched by his honesty and sincerity. In that quiet moment, the threads of fate intertwine, weaving their lives together.
Scene 3 - A Mortal Life Together (人间相守)
Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian marry and settle into a peaceful life in Hangzhou. They start a small medicine shop and help the sick, enjoying their days together. This period marks the peak of their happiness, underlined by mutual understanding, trust, and loving companionship. Bai Suzhen learns more about human emotions, while Xu Xian experiences love that seems both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.
Scene 4 - The Realgar Wine Revelation (雄黄现形)
During the Dragon Boat Festival, the head abbot of Jinshan Temple, Fa Hai, warns Xu Xian that Bai Suzhen is not human. The confused and anxious Xu Xian gives her realgar wine, which is believed to make a spirit revert to its true form. Unable to resist its effects, Bai Suzhen reveals her original snake form. Shocked and terrified, Xu Xian is unable to accept that the woman he loves is actually a snake. In an instant, his love turns into fear and dismay.
Scene 5 - The Battle at Jinshan Temple (金山寺之战)
Desperate to reunite with Xu Xian, Bai Suzhen confronts Fa Hai at Jinshan Temple. In this fierce battle, she unleashes her great powers, summoning waters to engulf the temple. However, Fa Hai manages to overcome her using his superior powers and divine blessings. Though driven by her deep love for Xu Xian, Bai Suzhen is ultimately defeated, and the couple remains separated.
📍Cloud Pagoda & Cleansing Biotope Ponds, Chinese Garden
Tying in with the spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the displays at the Cleansing Biotope Ponds centre on Chang'e, the Moon Goddess of Chinese legend. One display depicts Chang'e in her celestial home, surrounded by lotus flowers, gazing down upon the mortal world — a gentle reminder that loved ones remain connected under the same moon. Nearby, the Jade Rabbit and its companions bring festive cheer, symbolising joy, luck, and abundance for all.
Cleansing Biotope Ponds - Moonlit Reunion (水上嫦娥)
After ascending to the Moon, Chang’e gazes upon the mortal world from her celestial home. On this tranquil night, she stands quietly, surrounded by blooming lotus flowers that symbolise purity and hope. Her gentle presence serves as a reminder that while our loved ones may be far away from us, we remain connected under the same moon – may the moonlight bear witness for an earlier reunion with those we miss dearly.
Cleansing Biotope Ponds - Whispers of the Jade Rabbit (玉兔送福)
Legend tells of the Jade Rabbit that faithfully accompanies Chang’e in the palace on the Moon, where she spends eternity preparing celestial elixirs. Over here, the Jade Rabbit and its friends have come together to spread cheer, hoping to bring joy, luck, abundance, and peace to everyone.
📍Floral Garden & Resthouse Pond, Japanese Garden
At the Floral Garden, the displays pay homage to the Japanese folktale of Princess Kaguya, depicting her bathed in moonlight and surrounded by blooming flowers, rabbits, and drifting clouds in a dreamlike scene that evokes beauty and the quiet magic of moonlit nights.
At Resthouse Pond, colourful koi glide beneath floating lanterns in a
graceful, shimmering display — drawing on the Japanese and Chinese symbolism
of koi as emblems of prosperity, resilience, and the steady flow of good
fortune.
Floral Garden - Kaguya's Moon Garden
Bathed in the glow of the full moon, Princess Kaguya radiates elegance and tranquility. Inspired by Japanese folktale, she is surrounded by blooming flowers, playful rabbits, and drifting clouds, creating a dreamlike scene that celebrates beauty, peace, and the magic of moonlit nights.
Resthouse Pond - Waters of Abundance (锦鲤送福)
Beneath the glow of floating lanterns, colourful koi glide through shimmering waters in a graceful dance of light and movement. Admired for their beauty, resilience, and calm strength, the koi symbolise prosperity, harmony, and the continuous flow of good fortune. This tranquil scene invites you to pause, reflect, and embrace the promise of brighter days ahead.