Lanterns are hung to celebrate Chinese New Year. That’s how these lanterns got their name - palace lanterns. Afterward, the red lanterns were hung up all over the palace, as they were officially used as the lanterns that were exclusively made for the royal court. In addition to heavily rewarding the magistrate, the emperor also appointed these lanterns as tributes. The emperor was extremely exhilarated upon seeing the lanterns. The magistrate adored them so much that he regarded them as treasures. That year also happened to be the time to pay tribute to the emperor, so he thus parted reluctantly with some of the lanterns and offered them as a gift to the emperor. One particular day, he happened to bump into the county magistrate, who was taking a stroll, and liking the lanterns very much, the magistrate bought all of them at once. The Chinese lanterns made by the old man were very unique and gorgeous, with exquisite workmanship. One day, the old man made several lanterns and sold them at the market in Gaocheng County. During the Yongzheng era in the Qing Dynasty, an old man in Hebei Province was very skillful in lantern construction. The origin of palace lanterns is thought to have come about as follows. Gradually, this Buddhist ritual became a popular festival. To promote Buddhism, Emperor Mingdi thus ordered that in addition to the palace and temples, all his subjects should display lightened lanterns on the evening of this day. Emperor Mingdi was a devoted Buddhist, and he was told that it was a tradition to light lanterns to worship Buddha on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The custom of displaying lanterns at the Lantern Festival originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty. There are many legends about the origin of the Lantern Festival. (Image: via Pixabay) Legends of the origin of the Lantern Festival In the Qing Dynasty, red lanterns were exclusively made for the royal court. In fact, there is a street named Dengshikou (lantern market) in Beijing today. During the reign of Emperor Yongle, in addition to erecting the Dali Bie Shan Lamp Post at the Meridian Gate, he also established a lantern market outside the Hua Gate. When Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty moved the capital to Nanjing, tens of thousands of lanterns were launched along the Qinghuai River. Since that time, the lantern culture has become widely popular. During the Kaiyuan era in the Tang Dynasty, people made lanterns in the shape of a dragon, with flashing lights to celebrate peace and prosperity. The custom of admiring lanterns during the Lantern Festival originated from the early years of the Han Dynasty. This lantern-lighting ceremony has evolved into the custom of carrying lanterns throughout the Lantern Festival. In ancient times, when school began in the first lunar month of the year, parents would prepare a lantern for their children, which would be lit by their teachers to symbolize a bright future during the year to come. Guru Wu Dunhou says umbrella lanterns (family name lanterns) signify abundance for the male family members because the sound of the word “lantern” in mandarin is similar to that of “male family members.” In the past, every family would hang family name lanterns under the eaves and in living rooms. According to the Taiwanese lantern guru Wu Dunhou, lanterns used at weddings (palace lanterns) are symbolic of joyous celebrations, while bamboo splint lanterns signify a funeral notice. The decorations are applied using different methods - calligraphy, paint, embroidery, and paper cut-outs.Īpart from being used to add light and atmosphere to the night, Chinese lanterns carry a symbolic meaning. The shade is made from either silk or semi-transparent paper. Commonly, the frame is fabricated from bamboo, wood, rattan, and steel wire. The materials used for Chinese lantern making also vary. During the Kaiyuan era in the Tang Dynasty, people made lanterns in the shape of a dragon. Sometimes, this lantern design also comes in a square shape. The most traditional design is an oval shape in the color red, decorated with golden tassels. The shapes of Chinese lanterns also vary. In addition, there are revolving scenic lanterns for people to play with. There are many different decorations that appear on Chinese lanterns that can be divided into figurative motifs, landscape designs, flower and bird motifs, dragon and phoenix motifs, and fish and insect motifs.
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