A man prays with incense sticks during the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations at Vihara Gunung Timur temple in Medan, Indonesia, Jan 28, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Stunning light show in Liverpool tells stories of Chinatowns

LIVERPOOL - Three days of Chinese New Year celebrations kicked off with a spectacular outdoor projection show Friday in Liverpool, Europe's oldest Chinatown.

Projected images lit up the traditional arch, one of the largest outside of China, with a special show telling the tale of Jingwei, a bird in Chinese mythology.

"The Legend of Jingwei" was based on the story of an emperor's daughter who, after perishing at sea, transformed into a bird and endeavored to fill the ocean with twigs and stones to prevent anyone else from meeting the same fate.

BBC The story has been adapted to showcase how Chinatowns in Liverpool, and around the world, have developed from the seeds sown and the pebbles laid by the earliest Chinese settlers, and how these small "islands" have developed into vibrant and diverse communities seen today.

Digital experts Illuminos are behind the lumiere creations, using special projectors to beam stunning pictures onto the Chinese arch and nearby buildings.

Illuminos artist, Rob Vale, said: "We're thrilled to be providing the video projection element of this year's New Year celebrations.

"The piece we have created is a really exciting mix of elements, playing with aspects of traditional Chinese shadow puppetry, mixed with specially filmed characters from the Chinese community," he said.

The moving images have been blended with music from the famous Liverpool Pagoda Youth Orchestra, with the soundtrack a specially commissioned piece by Jah Wobble with members of the orchestra performing on the track.

Also taking part in the soundtrack is Miami-born rapper MC Jin, recognized as the first Asian-American rapper to be signed by a major record label, becoming an icon to Chinese youngsters across the world.

One of the members of the Pagoda orchestra, Chi Chi who is 18, composed the track for MC Jin to perform.