Lantern Art
01 · Historical Records
Zhongxin festival lanterns are spread in the area of Zhongxin Town in the southeast of Lianping County, Guangdong Province. The Lianping Prefecture Gazetteer of the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing dynasty (1730) records that locally “at the Shangyuan (Lantern) Festival people delight in clustering festival lanterns, performing all kinds of plays and dances with dragons and lions”; among the people, Qing-dynasty pattern-printing blocks for festival lanterns are still preserved today, showing that the craft has flourished at least since the early Qing. For various historical reasons, the making of Zhongxin festival lanterns was once interrupted, and in recent years it has gradually been revived.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Existing Zhongxin festival lanterns have distinctive forms, including liaosi lanterns, can lanterns, zhuangyuan (top scholar) lanterns, xiucai (scholar) lanterns, wufu (five blessings) lanterns, mo lanterns, dragon-and-phoenix lanterns, baolian (precious lotus) lanterns, bogong lanterns, purple lanterns, and lang (corridor) lanterns. Unlike the small and delicate lanterns of other places, Zhongxin festival lanterns are large yet exquisite: the largest have a diameter of 12 meters, and even the smallest are 40 centimeters. Their basic structure is mostly columnar, usually built on a bamboo-woven frame, and comes in four-, six-, eight-, and twelve-cornered forms. Due to historical reasons, the making of Zhongxin festival lanterns was once interrupted; although it has recently been revived, fewer and fewer craftsmen are able to make lanterns with fine workmanship, production has tended toward simplification, and the variety of lantern types is gradually shrinking, so prompt support and protection are urgently needed.
Twisted-silk, ginseng and top-scholar lanterns
Surviving types include the twisted-silk, ginseng, top-scholar and scholar lanterns, their names invoking degrees and good fortune.
Cap, body and skirt
Pillar-shaped and built on bamboo frames of four, six, eight or twelve corners, a lantern has a cap, body and skirt in two to four layers.
The 1730 Lianping gazetteer
The 1730 Lianping gazetteer records that at the Lantern Festival locals clustered lanterns and performed dragon and lion dances.
Qing-dynasty pattern blocks
Printing blocks for lantern patterns survive from the Qing; the same set of motifs was reused on lanterns across the villages.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Zhongxin festival lanterns are a folk lantern art predominantly in red tones, found mainly in Zhongxin Town in the southeast of Lianping County, Guangdong Province. Historically, as the Lianping Prefecture Gazetteer of the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing dynasty (1730) records, locals “delighted in clustering festival lanterns at the Shangyuan Festival, performing all kinds of plays and dances with dragons and lions”; in addition, Qing-dynasty pattern-printing blocks for festival lanterns are still preserved among the local people. From top to bottom the lantern divides into a lantern cap, lantern body, and lantern skirt; from inside to outside it generally has two to four layers. The outer layer is decorated with paper-cuts, patterns, and paper tassels; the lantern skirt is made up of colorful ribbons bearing various floral designs, and inside the lantern pictures of various figures are mounted so that they rotate and flow, making the whole lantern colorful and vividly local in character.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Zhongxin festival lanterns come in a great variety; existing forms include liaosi, can, zhuangyuan (top scholar), xiucai (scholar), wufu (five blessings), mo, dragon-and-phoenix, baolian (precious lotus), bogong, purple, and lang (corridor) lanterns, the names mostly taking their meaning from examination honors and auspicious celebrations. Unlike the small and delicate lanterns of other places, Zhongxin festival lanterns are distinguished by being large yet exquisite: the larger the lantern, the more layers of bamboo frame and floral ribbons are needed, and the difficulty of production increases accordingly. Since the revival, fewer and fewer craftsmen are capable of fine workmanship, production has tended toward simplification, and lantern types have decreased year by year, so support and protection are urgently needed. Zhongxin festival lanterns are mostly made on market days and at New Year festivals around Zhongxin Town. In assembly the lantern cap is set first, then the body is woven, and the skirt is attached last; the pictures inside the lantern are moved by bamboo strips, so that as soon as the lamp is lit they turn and shine. In recent years locals have combined lantern making with the Lantern Festival fair and dragon-and-lion performances into a single event, forming a continuous festive custom of “making lanterns — welcoming lanterns — parading lanterns.”
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Li Xiangman 01-0114
- Chen Weiyan 01-0115
- Li Zhuqin 01-0116
- Cai Binghan 01-0117
- Yang Zenggui 01-0118
- Zhang Jinpei 03-1260
- He Weifu 03-1261
- Chen Baihua 03-1262
- Deng Hui 03-1263
- Lin Hanbin 03-1264
- Yang Yurong 04-1793
- Ma Yuanliang 05-2631
- Wang Xiaowen 05-2632
- Wang Rulan 05-2633
- Hu Jinlong 05-2634
- Lin Shunkui 05-2635
- Xu Qianshen 05-2636
- Zhang Juntao 05-2637
- Zhang Shuqi 05-2638
- Liu Yaosheng 05-2639
- Li Banghua
- Chen Dizhen
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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