Chinese Lantern — History, Utilization, Tradition, Culture, and Artifact

Chinese Lantern is an ancient traditional craft inherited for thousands of years, the art of night illuminating in darkness.

Throughout history, Chinese lanterns have included a series of styles, types, functions, and utilizations.

They can fly in the sky, hang in front of doors, place indoors, float in rivers, and shine in religious places.

Lanterns in Part of Painting "Ming Xianzong Yuanxiao Xingle Tu" About Celebrations of Lantern Festival of Chenghua Emperor (1447 — 1487) in Imperial Forbidden City, by Court Artist of the Ming Dynasty — National Museum of China

Origin of Chinese Lanterns - Overnight Lights From the Imperial Han Palaces

Types and Utilizations of Lanterns in China

Chinese Lanterns in Festivals and Ceremonies - Color, Shape, and Pattern

Materials, Art, and Crafts Skills in Making Chinese Lanterns

Hanging Palace Lanterns, Hand Hold Lantern, Hanging and Hand Hold Gauze Lanterns in Painting "Zhengyue Hanye Tanmei" By Court Artist Chen Mei of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912) — Palace Museum

Origin of Chinese Lanterns — Overnight Lights from the Imperial Han Palaces

In ancient China, bronze lamp stands were used for lighting, mainly by royals.

Bronze Lamp Stand of the Warring States Period (403 BC — 221 BC) — Hebei Museum

Later in Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD), sophisticated lanterns were invented, with refined cases that protect the flame.

Bronze Painted Light of the Han Dynasty, Burnt Smoke Gas can be Channeled Through the Neck of the Wild Goose into Its Belly — National Museum of China (Photo by Dongmaiying)

The Lantern Festival on the 15th of January on the Traditional Chinese Calendar, when every family would hang creative and beautiful lanterns the whole night, also came from the Han Empire.

In different versions, the festival was believed to be under the command of one of these three emperors of Han:

Liu Heng (202 BC — 157 BC), the Emperor Wen of Han, set the festival to memorize the success of having defeated a rebellious scheme that was initiated by the family of Empress Lv (the first queen of the Han Dynasty, the wife of Emperor Liu Bang), to honor peace and loyalty.

Liu Che (156 BC — 87 BC), the Emperor Wu of Han, started to worship Tai Yi Shen, the most honorable and paramount deity of heaven during that period, on the first full moon in the new year. In this grand ceremony, countless lanterns would be lightened from dusk till the following day to illuminate the imperial palace.

Liu Zhuang (28 — 75), the Emperor Ming of Han, commanded to hang and light lanterns in his imperial palace and temples to worship Buddhas and promote Buddhism.

Either way, the Chinese lantern and Lantern Festival originated in the imperial Han palaces and soon spread to the civilian world.

Hanging Lanterns in the Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace of Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 — 1912), Photo From Official Website of Palace Museum.

Types and Utilizations of Lanterns in China

Some common utilizations of lanterns throughout history include illuminating, praying, celebrating, showing status, guiding spirits, decorating, and entertaining.

Palace Lantern or Gong Deng - Luxurious Fine Arts

Palace Lanterns or Gong Deng are exquisite and artistic lighting used in imperial palaces.

They originated in the palaces of the Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD) and thrived in the Sui Dynasty when Emperor Yang of Sui (569 — 618) ascended to the throne and commanded to illuminate his new capital city using countless beautiful Palace Lanterns.

Palace Lanterns mainly use exquisitely carved or painted fine wood as the skeleton, inlay with silk or glass that decorates with auspicious paintings or patterns. Usually, they are shaped with anise, hexagonal, or four corners.

Exquisite Palace Lantern of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912) — Shanghai Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Gauze Lantern or Sha Deng - Simple and Creative Lighting

Gauze Lanterns of Sha Deng are simpler lamps used by scholars and civilians since the Han Dynasty.

They usually use bamboo as skeletons and gauze to cover the lighting candle.

People can decorate on plain gauze as they wish, usually paintings and poems with auspicious meanings or to express their ambitions and talents.

Gauze Lantern, Including Lamp Stand and Gauze Cover Next By, in Painting "Dongpo Hanye Fushu Tu" by Artist Qiu Ying (about 1497 — 1552).

Status Lantern or Zixing Deng - To Show Identity and Social Status

In history, lanterns written with the master's family name, political position, or titles had been used as an essential way to show one's identity and status.

Prominent families usually use these status lanterns with power, respected reputation, and wealth, which could be hung in front of every gate of their mansions or held by their family members and servants.

Sky Lantern or Kongming Lantern - Military and Pray

Sky Lantern was invented by Zhuge Kongming (181 — 234) to send messages and mislead enemies when he and his army were enclosed in a war.

Later, Sky Lanterns or Kongming Lanterns were widely used to pray when people wrote their wishes on the lanterns' surface and sent them to the sky on important festivals or memorable occasions.

However, the Sky Lantern is a type of paper-made hot air balloon, which is easy to cause fire today, especially in big cities or places with gas or electricity. Therefore, today, it is banned in many areas.

Water Lantern or He Deng - To Guide Spirits and To Pray

Water Lantern or He Deng, usually lotus-shaped, is the light placed on rivers or lakes on festivals or important occasions to offer deities living in rivers and lakes, worship ancestors, or pray for good luck.

In religions and folklore, Water Lantern can relieve lost ghosts from hopeless wandering and lead them to the place they belong. Hence, placing Water Lanterns has been an important activity in the Ghost Festival.

Lotus Shaped Water Lanterns Floating on River, Photo by Dongmaiying.

Stone Lantern - Buddhism Offering and Votive Lamp

Originating no later than the Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD), Stone Lanterns or Shi Deng were placed outside Buddhist temples as offerings or votive lamps that could bring people light in the darkness.

Gradually, Stone Lanterns were also used in gardens and mausoleums and spread to other Asian countries.

Stone Lantern of the Tang Dynasty (618 — 907) — Beilin Museum of Xi'an (Photo by Fubudong Xuduobai)

Revolving Lantern or Trotting Horse Lamp - To Entertain

Revolving Lantern or Trotting Horse Lamp, in Chinese Zou Ma Deng, is a traditional toy with auspicious meanings.

Inside a Revolving Lantern is a wheel and axle that pastes with paper-cutting figures.

After the candle is lightened, the rising heat generates airflow, which can make the wheel and its attached paper figures revolve.

The earliest Paper-cutting figures were brave generals riding horses, hence the name Trotting Horse Lamp.

Later, more images with auspicious meanings were used to make Revolving Lanterns, usually used on happy occasions and festivals.

Revolving Lantern or Trotting Horse Lamp with Paper Cutting Figures

Festival Lantern or Hua Deng - To Celebrate

Festival Lanterns or Hua Deng are mainly used to decorate and celebrate important festivals, which include the most affluent styles.

Since Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD), when people started to celebrate the Lantern Festival, more types of lanterns have been invented by creative people throughout history.

Unlike other types, Festival Lanterns or Hua Deng can use all materials available and be made in any size and shape as people capable.

Mythical Creatures, Mythological World, Deities and Legends, Zodiac Animals, Historical Figures, Landmarks, Auspicious Flowers, Architectural Buildings, Arts and Crafts, almost shapes everything could be made into beautiful lanterns.

Chinese Phoenix or Fenghuang Shaped Festival Lanterns or Hua Deng

Chinese Phoenix or Fenghuang Shaped Festival Lanterns, Photo by Buxiang Xiedaimade Tuwan.

Chinese Lanterns in Traditional Festivals and Ceremonies - Color, Shape, and Patterns.

Chinese New Year or Chun Jie

The most popular Chinese New Year Lanterns are red round lanterns, sometimes decorated with auspicious characters and patterns.

An important rule of Chinese New Year lanterns is to hang them in pairs (always even numbers) and on the south side of the house if possible.

Hanging Lanterns to Celebrate Chinese New Year

Lantern Festival or Shang Yuan Jie

Lantern Festival, or Shang Yuan Jie, on the 15th of January in the Traditional Chinese Calendar, is the time to light all types of beautiful Festival Lanterns or Hua Deng.

Different Types of Beautiful Lanterns of the Song Dynasty, in Painting "Guandeng Tu" By Artist Li Song (about 1166 — 1243) — Taipei Palace Museum

Ghost Festival or Zhong Yuan Jie

Ghost Festival is the time for worshiping and memorizing the deceased, hence placing the Water Lanterns or Lotus Lanterns.

Mid-Autumn Festival or Zhong Qiu Jie

Mid-Autumn, or Zhong Qiu, is the festival of reunion with family and celebrating the harvest, and the common lantern shapes include fruits, grains, and animals.

The most popular one is the Jade Rabbit Lantern, modeled on the Jade Rabbit living on the moon in ancient mythology and folklore.

Jade Rabbit and Moon Paper Lantern for Mid Autumn Festival

Colors and Patterns of Chinese Lanterns on Wedding and Funeral

According to the different types and functions of Chinese lanterns throughout history, the uses of colors and patterns are not quite strict.

Besides festivals, two ceremonies have regulated the use of colors and patterns regarding lanterns, which most Chinese people still follow.

Wedding

Red has been the most popular color for Traditional Chinese Wedding, and the auspicious character, "Double Happiness" is the commonest symbol for wedding lanterns.

Besides lucky characters, other patterns representing love are also popular, such as dragons and phoenixes, Chinese knots, and flowers.

Click to Read More About Chinese Symbols for Love and Traditional Love Tokens

Palace Lantern of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912), Decorated with Double Happiness Characters and Dragon and Phoenix Patterns — Palace Museum

Funeral

White paper and bamboo batten made lanterns are the standard lighting for Traditional Chinese Funerals.

They usually have memorial and condolence characters, sometimes the deceased family name and status, written on them.

They are usually plain and simple, mainly used to illuminate and lead the path for the departed one's spirit and to inform nearby people of their unfortunate encounter.

On the First Day of School

In ancient China, students would bring a lantern every year on their first day of school to let their teachers lighten it on.

This ceremony, named Kai Deng, symbolizes using knowledge and virtue to illuminate one's bright future.

Copper and Glass Made Palace Lantern of the Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912) — Palace Museum

Materials, Art, and Crafts Skills in Making Chinese Lanterns

Starting from the Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD), the earliest Chinese lanterns were made of bronze, stone, then pottery.

Bamboo, wood, rattan, and metal are common materials used to make skeletons, while paper, fabric, glass, and plastic are common for covering and decorating surfaces.

Crafts skills to make artistic traditional Chinese Lanterns, including wood carving, lacquer carving, painting, calligraphy, paper cutting, embroidery, etc.