The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, which is February 15 this year. The traditional festival signals the end of Spring Festival celebrations, and brings the festive atmosphere to a final climax.

In addition to lantern shows, solving lantern riddles, eating sweet dumplings and other folk activities, this time-honored festival was regarded as Valentine’s Day in ancient China.

Hundreds of lanterns are displayed as part of the Lantern Festival celebration in Shangrao City, east China’s Jiangxi Province, February, 14, 2022. /CFP

Hundreds of lanterns are displayed as part of the Lantern Festival celebration in Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, China, February, 14, 2022. /CFP

Many romantic poems with Lantern Festival themes depict ardent love and profound thoughts. Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) poet Xin Qiji’s poem “The Lantern Festival Night – To the Tune of Green Jade Table” is one of them.

But in the crowd once and again, 
I look for her in vain. 
When all at once I turn my head, 
I find her there where lantern light is dimly shed.

The classic line, which describes how the protagonist looked for a woman standing in the crowd, is still widely quoted and circulated today.

Western Australia state said the new law is the only Aboriginal heritage legislation in the country to require that Aboriginal people give “informed consent” for agreements but Indigenous groups say it did not go far enough.

Western Australia’s parliament has passed legislation aiming to better protect Aboriginal heritage in the mining state.

Western Australia state Premier Mark McGowan said on Wednesday the new legislation, which overhauled a 1972 law, took a respectful approach to managing Aboriginal cultural heritage in a state rich in mineral and energy resources on their land.

“Finding a balance between the protection of that rich cultural heritage and delivering on the economic potential of natural resources to ensure our state’s continuing prosperity is crucial,” McGowan said in a statement.

The state said the new law is the only Aboriginal heritage legislation in Australia to require that Aboriginal people give “informed consent” for agreements.

Aboriginal groups: Not enough

Indigenous groups said it did not go far enough and are now counting on changes at the national level.

One of the main concerns raised by Aboriginal groups is that the legislation keeps the final say over development decisions with a government minister in cases where a developer and traditional owners cannot agree terms.

“This will be business as usual on our sacred sites, which leads to the continued destruction and desecration of Aboriginal cultural heritage,” National Native Title Council Chairman Kado Muir said in a statement.

The state’s Chamber of Minerals and Energy has backed the legislation but said the next step of setting out regulations within the new framework would be tough.

“Change of this scale is complex, and the challenge ahead to deliver on the potential set out in the bill should not be underestimated,” the chamber’s chief executive Paul Everingham said in a statement in November.

READ MORE: Australia alters anthem to reflect Indigenous history

Destruction of a 46,000-year-old site

In May 2020, global miner Rio Tinto exploded two rock shelters at Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara as part of its operations to feed an insatiable global appetite for iron ore.

Indigenous heritage protection has become a major issue after Rio Tinto’s legal destruction of the culturally significant rock shelters dating back more than 46,000 years, sparking public and investor outrage.

An Australian inquiry into Rio Tinto’s destruction of Juukan Gorge recommended a new national legal framework and for Aboriginal people to be the top decision makers on heritage issues.

Aboriginal groups are now counting on federal legislation to go further than the Western Australia law.

READ MORE: Top bosses at Rio Tinto quit after destruction of indigenous site