Lanterns are closely linked to the lives of Chinese people. There are lanterns everywhere in temples and living rooms. Carefully calculate that China has a lamp after the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the paper lantern may be after the invention of the Eastern Han Dynasty paper.
Chinese lanterns are not only used for lighting, they are also often a symbol. Wu Dunhou said that he used to make bridal lights (namely palace lights) to represent wedding celebrations; bamboo lanterns indicate that this is a funeral occasion; Lights), because "lamp" and "Ding" have the same voice, which means that people are prosperous. Therefore, in the past, every family had a surname lamp hanging under the eaves and in the living room. At today's welcoming game, there are still two big lanterns in front of the gods, which is the continuation of this custom.
However, the lantern is most reminiscent and hopeful for the Lantern Festival. The custom of watching lanterns in the Lantern Festival originated in the early years of the Han Dynasty. During the first year of the Tang and Kai Dynasties, in order to celebrate Cathay Pacific ’s people ’s security, the lanterns were tied together. popular. When Zhu Yuanzhang built the capital of Nanjing in the Ming Dynasty, he even set off 10,000 water lamps on the Qinhuai River; Yongle Dynasty set up a lamppost on the Daoshan Mountain at the Wumen Gate, and set up a "lamp market" outside the Huamen Gate, making Beiping a "Dengshikou" street . After the Republic of China, although the lantern festival is still there, it is a lot more bland. Fortunately, due to the popularity of China, lanterns are gradually playing an important role in home decoration. It becomes cloth, plastic, iron wire, and the shape and color of the lantern are very different from traditional ones.
Traditionally, temples are dominated by yellow, and the size and color of lanterns are all changed according to personal preferences, it does not matter a certain symbolic meaning.
