![]() Pingxi, Taiwan, is a rural town nestled in the mountains. ![]() A Glance at the Lantern Festival in Taiwan This year, celebrate this special day wherever you are by making your own paper lantern. ![]() Thousands of lanterns are released, each bearing someone’s wishes. Then, they light a candle or butane flame inside the lantern and release it into the sky, where the hot air from the flame makes it float (similar to a hot air balloon). This breathtaking sight is part of the Pingxi Lantern Festival, one of Taiwan’s Lunar New Year celebrations.ĭuring the festival, Taiwanese people and many tourists write their wishes for the coming year on a lantern. Once a year, near the end of winter, this beautiful vision comes to life in the Pingxi District in Taipei, Taiwan. It is a form of competition wherein the person who answers the most riddles wins.Picture this: The sun has set, the stars are out, and thousands of colorful floating lanterns flicker in the sky above you. People gather around the displayed lanterns and guess the answers to the riddles. One of the favorite activities during the Lantern Festival is guessing lantern riddles. The tradition of viewing lantern displays can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, around 2000 years ago. These are the days to feast your eyes on colorful and beautiful Chinese lanterns. These are likewise seen during temple fairs or the infamous Lantern Festival. In contrast, green lanterns symbolize health, prosperity, and harmony. Therefore it is common to display or see white lanterns during funerals. On the other hand, white lanterns are used in any event that has something to do with death. These days, yellow lanterns are displayed to bring good luck to students. As such, it was forbidden to use yellow lanterns by the public. ![]() These lanterns are usually used at weddings and family reunions.ĭuring imperial times, yellow lanterns were displayed in palaces as the color represented the emperors of ancient China. Red lanterns represent wealth, fame, and prosperity. They have different symbolisms and are used on occasion. The colors and what they representĬolors say a lot about the culture and traditions of China. Illustrations were also seen in traditional lanterns, showing some of China’s beautiful landscapes, portraits of key personalities, and mythical creatures like dragons and phoenixes, birds, and fish. Various materials are used in making them the most commonly used are bamboo, wood, wheat, straw, paper, and silk. The beauty of Red Chinese Lanternsĭuring Ancient China, creating lanterns was a collection of crafts, including painting and paper-cutting. This led to the popularity of lanterns throughout the country. This practice eventually became the famous Lantern Festival.ĭuring the Tang dynasty in the year 618-907, paper lanterns were displayed to celebrate China’s peaceful life and power. The emperor ordered that lanterns be lit every 15th day of the first lunar month to worship Buddha. Buddhism was known to spread in China due to the efforts of the Eastern Han emperor. They were also used in several religious practices, like Buddha worship. The lanterns were used as lamps or covers. Red Chinese lanterns were initially seen during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). Traditionally, the lanterns are seen in red and adorned with gold tassels. They represent national pride and are commonly seen in homes and public areas. Nowadays, Chinese lanterns are used for decoration and worship. They were used to provide illumination and were influential in religious practices. Red Chinese lanterns have been displayed since ancient times.
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