China's lanterns originated with which period?

China with lanterns for a long time, history since the Qin Dynasty on the use of lanterns, Lantern Lantern custom originated in the early Han Dynasty, but the material is not known. Paper lanterns must have been invented after the invention of Caihou paper in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Lanterns synthesize a variety of folk traditional crafts such as painting art, paper-cutting, paper tying, stabbing and sewing, etc. Among the lanterns made in ancient China, palace lanterns and gauze lanterns are the most famous, and it is still the custom to watch running lanterns and palace lanterns. The earliest function of the lantern is only lighting, after successive generations of lantern artists inheritance and development, the function of the expansion to festive decoration, while forming a colorful variety and high level of craftsmanship.