One of the festival’s biggest highlights is the immersive light artwork “Tree of Life” that centers around the Olympic Sports Center Area. The overall light design connects iconic landmarks, including Olympic Green, the Olympic Tower, the Bird’s Nest, the Water Cube, and the National Speed Skating Oval, creating a visual string along the northernmost point of Beijing’s Central Axis. The “trunk” connects the Central Axis with the main venue, while the “crown” is woven from vibrant light artworks, nurturing “fruits of life.” This artwork not only interprets the enduring vitality of a city with rich cultural heritage but also poetically expresses the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind.
This year’s festival features the theme “AI in Chaoyang,” emphasizing international characteristics, technological innovation, and cultural ambiance. The festival is very high-tech, with many artworks incorporating online platforms, digital avatars, AR experiences, the metaverse, and interactive robots, echoing the theme and showcasing the achievements of Chaoyang’s digital and cultural industries.
The festival’s international flair is another notable characteristic, with diverse, unique artworks such as “Hulahoop,” “Nura,” and “Color Cubed” created by artists from France and Australia, among other countries, erected on the lawn, demonstrating the global appeal of Chaoyang.
The festival is more than a light show, but a district-wide showcase of the art of light and shadow. The whole district is actively engaged, with the Olympic Sports Center Area and the Liangma River Cultural and Economic Belt as the twin cores of the festival, in addition to other 10-plus venues at the Central Business District (CBD), the Urban Innovation Center on Chaoyangmen Outer Street, the Dawangjing Business District and other business districts. The time-honored yet trendy city of Beijing, a host of both Summer and Winter Olympics, eagerly awaits guests from all directions amid the dazzling lights.
