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Chinese Religious

What is the importance of Chinese lanterns in Chinese history and/or mythology?

I already have the Lantern Festival and how it had to do with religious beliefs. And I also have how it provided entertainment and illumination.

Lanterns, the traditional folk craftwork, are still popular all over the country. And the art of lanterns, as the precious traditional culture of Chinese, is also inherited and continues among folks. We can say that lanterns play an important and irreplaceable role in Chinese long history and symbolize the brilliant culture of China.

The craftwork of lantern is still widely used in current society which can be seen in some happy days such as the Lantern Festival, wedding and celebration ceremonies. Besides, lanterns have some other functions in daily life. For example, at ancient time, when there was no electricity, lanterns were used as a tool of illumination, which brought great convenience to everyday life. At that time, people of all classes admired the specific culture of lanterns. As verified by historians, Chinese lantern was the earliest invented portable illumination instrument in the world. However, Chinese lantern was not just used to illuminate. It was also historic. The elaborate pattern of lantern was the intelligence gathering of ancient laboring people. Ancient lanterns were on the greatest artistic level. What’s more, the lanterns used in royal families and palaces were the most valuable, which had elaborately engraved decorative design, smooth lines, and plump patterns. All these designs fiercely impact on eyes. Besides, some lanterns not only have elegant lines and engraved designs, but also were decorated with Chinese characters, portraits of historic figures, pictures of the divinities of some legends, and the landscape of China, which perfectly blend the nature with the humanistic ideas and thus vividly reflect the high level of civilization of the society at that time.

The ceremonial use of lanterns centered around burials, weddings, and changing residences. White gauze was used on the outside of crudely constructed lanterns approximately a foot and a half long and eight to ten inches in diameter. Four red paper letters would be attached to the gauze signifying the expression, "a hundred children and a thousand grandchildren," an extremely friendly and good-luck saying that expressed the wish for a large family and a lot of respect in old age. These lanterns were "regarded as an omen of good" (Doolittle: 325) and were hung on the poles carrying sedans as they transported people in weddings, funerals, or in the process of moving.

As a cultural symbol, the lantern stood for joyfulness, the return of spring, and a renewal of the earth. Undoubtedly, the most important and complex showing of lanterns occurred during "Shang Yuan, the first creative power, or the spring sun which comes to warm the earth and revive vegetation. Since it is the festival of light, lanterns characterize it" (Spencer: 232). Shang Yuan, the Festival of Lanterns, was celebrated from the tenth or eleventh day of the first lunar month. The festival lasted to the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the same month.

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