从“彩灯之乡”到“恐龙工厂”——自贡制造走向全球
Lantern and animatronic dinosaur production thrives in SW China

2025年6月4日，工作人员在四川省自贡市自贡亘古龙腾科技有限公司的厂房内给仿真恐龙制作牙齿。四川自贡以其历史悠久的彩灯制作技艺和丰富的恐龙化石遗迹闻名，有着“千年盐都”“恐龙之乡”“中国灯城”等美誉。

A worker installs teeth on an animatronic dinosaur at a factory in Zigong, southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 4, 2025. Zigong, a city in Sichuan Province renowned for its centuries-old lantern-making craftsmanship and rich deposits of dinosaur fossils, bears the titles of "Hometown of Dinosaurs" and "City of Lanterns."

自贡先后举办7届“迎春灯会”、31届“自贡国际恐龙灯会”。近年来，伴随不断吸纳新技术、兼顾传统与现代主题的“国际恐龙灯会”逐渐形成特有品牌，由灯会催生的彩灯和仿真恐龙制作产业已成为当地特色产业，包括设计、制作、安装、布置和展出等环节，相关资源日渐集聚，产业链条不断扩展延伸。

The city has hosted seven "Spring Festival Lantern Shows" and 31 editions of the "Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival." In recent years, by incorporating cutting-edge technologies and blending traditional and contemporary themes, the festival has become a unique cultural brand. A full-fledged industry has emerged around it, encompassing lantern and animatronic dinosaur design, manufacturing, installation and exhibition, leading to the aggregation of resources and continuous expansion of the industry chain.

据统计，自贡市常年从事彩灯生产和仿真恐龙制作的工人有10万人，季节性用工达到15万人，全市共有1000余家彩灯企业，年产值超60亿元。自贡彩灯占据国内市场约85%、国际市场约92%的份额。

Statistics show that Zigong is home to over 1,000 lantern-related enterprises, generating an annual output value of more than 6 billion yuan (0.84 billion U.S. dollars). Around 100,000 workers are engaged year-round in lantern and animatronic dinosaur production, with seasonal employment reaching 150,000. At present, Zigong lanterns account for about 85 percent of the domestic market and 92 percent of the international market.

自贡灯会从1990年第一次走出国门，在新加坡裕华园亮灯以来，至今已在80多个国家和地区展出，国内500多个城市累计举办灯会数千场，吸引海内外观众达6亿多人次。[新华社记者 张笑宇 摄]

Since debuting overseas in 1990 at the Chinese Garden in Singapore, Zigong lantern festivals have been staged in more than 80 countries and regions around the world, as well as over 500 cities across China, attracting over 600 million visitors in total. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)