Chinese lanterns originated in the Western Han Dynasty and have been handed
down for more than 1800 years. It is said to be related to the Buddhist ceremony of
lighting lanterns to worship Buddha. There are also fairy tales in which the divine bird
lost its way among the people, but was killed by folk hunters as prey. The emperor of
heaven was very angry when he learned about this. He sent heavenly soldiers to burn
all the people and birds on the fifteenth day of the first month. When the daughter of
the emperor found out, she gave advice to the people. On the fifteenth day of the first
month, she hung a red lantern to make the emperor think that the fire had been set off
and the people were punished. The lanterns were handed down as tradition.
Chinese lanterns integrate painting art, paper-cut art, bamboo weaving, iron
hoops, paper binding and needling, forming unique Chinese elements and symbols. In
terms of types, there are palace lanterns, gauze lanterns, chandeliers, and horse
lanterns; From the perspective of modeling, there are figures, landscapes, flowers and
birds, dragons and Phoenix, fish and insects.
Lanterns are the symbol of the red day and happy reunion. A folk song describes
its festive colors and functions: "lanterns on the 15th of the first month, red lights on
the Dragon Boat Festival in May, sky lanterns in June, lotus lanterns on the 15th of
July, jade rabbit lanterns on the 15th of August, and Kongming lanterns on the ninth
Double Ninth Festival."
Chinese lanterns are not only used for lighting, they are often a symbol. Wu
Dunhou says that he used to make bridal lanterns (palace lanterns) to represent
wedding celebrations; Bamboo lanterns indicate that this is a funeral place; Umbrella
lamp (surname lamp), because "lamp" and "Ding" have the same pronunciation, it
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 meeting, there are
still two big lanterns in front of the God's array, which is the continuation of this
custom.
中国的灯笼起源于西汉，流传至今已有 1800 多年，据说与点灯敬佛的佛教
仪式有关。也有神话故事中，神鸟在民间迷了路，却被民间猎人当作猎物杀死。
天帝知道了这件事，非常生气，就派天兵在正月十五把人禽全部烧死。天帝的女
儿知道后，就给百姓出主意。正月十五，她挂了一个红灯笼，让天帝以为火已经
放过了，民间的人受到了惩罚。灯笼也就传了下来。
中国的灯笼综合了绘画艺术、剪纸艺术，以及竹编、铁箍、纸扎与刺缝等
工艺技术，形成了独特的中国元素和符号。从种类上分，有宫灯、纱灯、吊灯、
走马灯等；从造型上分，有人物、山水、花鸟、龙凤、鱼虫等。灯笼是日子红火，
团圆幸福的象征，一支民谣说出了它的喜庆色彩和功能：“正月十五闹花灯，五
月端午挂红灯，六月无风放天灯，七月十五莲花灯，八月十五玉兔灯，九九重阳
孔明灯。”中国的灯笼，不仅是用以照明，它往往也是一种象徵，吴敦厚说，他
以前做新娘灯（即宫灯）就代表婚礼喜庆；竹篾灯则告示这是丧葬场合；伞灯（字
姓灯），因「灯」与「丁」语音相同，意味著人丁兴旺。所以，过去每家都有字
姓灯，悬挂在屋檐下和客厅中。今天迎神赛会上，神明的阵头前仍有两盏大灯笼，
就是这种习俗的延续。