Pingtan Island is home to kind, guileless and diligent inhabitants. Since ancient times, folk customs in Pingtan are of distinctive insular features. Specifically, folk cultures like diet, marriage, birth and upbringing, festivities, socializing, and beliefs have much in common with Han Chinese elsewhere while the locals keep their own uniqueness. Meanwhile, there are slight differences of customs throughout the island, some even varying from islet to islet and from village to village. As an old Chinese saying goes, “Customs differ even in a quite short distance.”

Yuyu Kite Lantern Show

During Spring Festival, the Yuyu Kite Lantern Show is a must in Minzhu (Yuyu) Village in Northwest Pingtan’s Su’ao Township. Legend has it that the practice has been around for more than 300 years, and with it, villagers pray for long-lasting peace and good weather for crops. To celebrate the most important festive season, local villagers tie olive-shaped lanterns along a giant kite string and then release them. As the lanterns ascend in the night sky, they sparkle like stars, giving a spectacular view from above.