KUCHING: Hundreds of traditional Chinese sky lanterns, also known as Kun Ming Den, were lit and released at Friendship Park here Thursday night, creating a picturesque scene over the night sky.

Participants hand-write wishes onto the lanterns, most of them are about family and well-being, before launching them into the night sky. The festival started in 1990 and runs annually.

“They are like a bunch of stars filling the night sky,” Wong said. “Each lantern is different from another, and you can tell that they are all handcrafted and carry different meaning ...