A lighted dragon lantern is waved by hundreds of villagers in Nanma town of Dongyang city, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

The dragon lantern dance in Nanma town of Dongyang, Zhejiang province is a time-honored tradition for local villagers to celebrate the Lantern Festival which fell on March 2 this year.

Villagers express their gratitude for the past year's harvest and extend good wishes for prosperity in the following year.

Nanma's dragon lantern is famous for its outstanding length and impressive shape. In 2009, a dragon lantern broke the Guinness World Record for its unparalleled length of 5.5 kilometers.

With increasing economic and social development, the dragon lantern dance tradition, an activity representing inspiration and unity, has gained more popularity among rural folks.

Experienced craftsmen jointly make the dragon lantern out of bamboos in Nanma town of Dongyang, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]