"Artists have unveiled a striking series of reed installations at Dongting Lake in Yueyang, transforming the winter marshes into a large-scale outdoor gallery as part of the Dongting Lake International Reed Art Festival. Footage shows visitors exploring the artworks, including a giant maze, finely detailed animal sculptures and atmospheric installations. Later, tourists are treated to a glowing sunset over the fields. Set across Junshan Island, the exhibition blends contemporary art with the lake’s vast reed beds, where golden stalks sway across the wetlands under the winter sun. “My friends and I often come here to soak up the atmosphere and experience the true essence of Dongting Lake. Yueyang has provided us with such a fantastic space - a real hub of joy for us locals - and we are all absolutely thrilled with it,” said visitor Ms Li. This year’s festival features 15 large-scale works created by artists from China and neighbouring regions, all using locally sourced reeds as their primary material. The exhibition is structured around four thematic chapters, each examining the relationship between human life and the natural environment. “What sets this area apart from ordinary parks, in my view, is that typical parks tend to be overly commercialised. Many paid attractions feel rather generic, but here, every sculpture is unique. Moreover, each piece includes information about its respective artist and sculptor,” said another visitor. Held under the theme ‘Boundaries and Symbiosis of Life’, the festival also features interactive exhibits such as the Reed Installations and the Labyrinth of Love, encouraging visitors to engage more deeply with the artworks while reflecting on environmental conservation. The festival opened on 6 December and is expected to continue until around February, depending on water levels at Dongting Lake."