CHINESE LANTERN

FESTIVAL
MEMBERS
1. Pattraporn Kheerinpharadorn
2. Puttraruksa Pisansisumsuk
Lantern festival fact
Popular Chinese name: Yunxioji /ywen-sshyaoww jyeah/ 'first night festival'

Alternative Chinese name: Shngyunji /shung-ywen-jyeah/ 'first first festival'

Date: Lunar calendar month 1 day 15 (February 11, 2017)

Importance: ends China's most important festival, the Spring Festival

Lantern festival fact
Celebrations: enjoying lanterns, lantern riddles, eating tangyuan a.k.a. yuanxiao (ball

dumplings in soup), lion dances, dragon dances, etc.

History: about 2,000 years

Greeting: Happy Lantern Festival! Yunxioji kuil!

/ywen-sshyaoww-jyeah kwhy-luh/
History
- The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, and

traditionally ends the Chinese New Year period. In 2017 it falls on February 11.

- The Lantern Festival is also the first full moon night in the Chinese calendar, marking

the return of spring and symbolizing the reunion of family. However, most people cannot

celebrate it with their families, because there is no public holiday for this festival.
Origin legend
- There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. However, one

likely origin is the celebration of "the declining darkness of winter" and community's ability

to "move about at night with human-made light," namely, lanterns.

- One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient

times. The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world. He

had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought, storms,

famine or pestilence upon human beings.

Origin legend (continue)
Beginning with Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who named China, all the

emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring

favorable weather and good health to him and his people.

Chinese Lantern
First lantern made from paper in Eastern Han Dynasty

mainly used in ancient china. A variety of crafts were used in

making such as Chinese paintings, paper-cutting, and

pricking and seaming and many kinds of materials such as

bamboo, wood, wheat-straw and metal were used in their

manufacture. Paper and silk were the major materials.

Types of Ancient Lantern
1) Palace Lantern
It was mainly used in palaces in ancient time. It is famous for the

delicate craftsmanship, graceful and dignified pictures as well as the

courtly features. Fine wood was used to make the frames that were

covered in silk or glass when making palace lanterns. With dragon and

phoenix patterns on them, these lanterns were not only used as lamps

but also as decorations in palaces. Their shapes were diverse, such as

octagonal, hexagonal and even diametric.

 Types of Ancient Lantern
2) Gauze Lantern

Gauze was used to cover the lantern. Wire used to make frames while the candles are

replaced by bulbs. Among these lanterns, red ones are the most recognized throughout the

world. In Chinese culture, the red lantern is the symbol of booming life and prosperous

business.
Continue
So they are always hung on important festivals such as Lantern Festival, Chinese New

Year and Chinese National Day in parks or along main streets. In some famous Chinatowns

abroad, you can see red lanterns all the year round. They have become a symbol of Chinese

culture worldwide.
Types of Ancient Lantern
3) Shadow-picture Lantern

This kind of lantern appeared 1,000 years ago in

China, which was usually used for entertainment. The

shape is much like that of the palace lanterns and

there were two layers of covers. Paper-cuts are

pasted or pictures are drawn on the inner layer.

Todays Lantern
More types of lanterns appear in festivals apart from the traditional ones. More modern

technology is used on making lanterns, so people can see lanterns with music, with colorful

bulbs inside and so on. The shapes of the modern lanterns have changed a lot too. These

shapes can be cartoon characters, and the makers can even involve the computer games,

which give visitors a different new and fresh impression.

 Todays Lantern
Before the Lantern Festival, all kinds of lanterns are sold along the street and these

beautiful lanterns light the dark nights. On the lantern show, many people love the lantern

riddles most. Anyone who knows the answer to the riddles on the lanterns will get a small

gift as award. The activity attracts people because of the riddle itself rather than the gift.

The interesting riddles make the colorful lantern shows more interesting.
Finding love
- In the early days, young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding
love. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples.
- The brightest lanterns were symbolic of good luck and hope. As time has passed, the
festival no longer has such implications in most of China, but it is still commercialized as the
Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
general information
- Today, the displaying of lanterns is still a major event on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month
throughout China. Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province, for example, holds a lantern fair each
year in Culture Park.

- During the Lantern Festival, the park is a virtual ocean of lanterns. Many new designs attract large
numbers of visitors. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole. This is a lantern in the shape of a
golden dragon, spiraling up a 38-meter-high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth.
Reference
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/lantern/