Forms and uses of different lanterns from various dynasties?

Chinese lanterns are also collectively known as lantern colors. Originating more than 1,800 years ago in the Western Han Dynasty, around the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar, people hung up red lanterns to symbolize the meaning of reunion to create a festive atmosphere. Later on, lanterns became the symbol of festivity for Chinese people. Through successive generations of lantern artists inheritance and development, the formation of colorful varieties and high level of craftsmanship. From the type of lanterns: palace lanterns, gauze lanterns, chandeliers and so on. From the shape of points, there are figures, landscapes, birds and flowers, dragons and phoenixes, fish and insects, etc., in addition to the horse lanterns for people to enjoy. Chinese lanterns combine the art of painting, paper-cutting, papier-maché, felting, etc., and are made from bamboo, wood, rattan, straw, animal horns, metal, damask and silk, etc., which are produced in various regions. Among the lanterns made in ancient China, palace lanterns and sarongs are the most famous.

Lanterns are closely associated with Chinese life, and there are lanterns everywhere, in temples and in living rooms. Carefully projected, China has lamps after the Qin and Han Dynasties, and paper lanterns may be after the invention of paper in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Chinese lanterns, not only for lighting, it is often a symbol, Wu Dunhou said, he used to do the bride lamp (i.e., the palace lantern) on behalf of the wedding festivities; gabion lamps on behalf of this is a funeral occasion; umbrella lamp (the word lamp), because the "lamp" and the "ding" phonetically the same, which means that the people are thriving. Therefore, in the past, every family had a lantern hanging under the eaves of the house and in the living room. The fact that there are still two large lanterns in front of the deity's ding-tao at today's welcome ceremony is a continuation of this custom.

However, the lanterns are the most people reverie, look forward to I'm afraid it is the lanterns of the Lantern Festival. The custom of viewing lanterns at the Lantern Festival originated in the early Han Dynasty, and during the reign of Tang Dynasty, in order to celebrate the prosperity of the country and the peace of the people, lanterns were tied up to symbolize the "colorful dragons, auspiciousness, and the strength of the people and the country," and lanterns have become widely popular since then. When Zhu Yuanzhang, the capital of Ming Dynasty, established Nanjing, he set up 10,000 water lanterns on the Qinhuai River; during the Yongle Dynasty, he erected a large lantern post at the Wumen Gate, and set up a "Lantern Market" outside the Huamen Gate, which made it possible for Beiping to still have a street called "Lantern Market". After the Republic of China, although the lanterns are still there, but a lot of bland, fortunately, nowadays because of the Chinese fever, lanterns and gradually in the home decoration plays an important role, but now the lantern material, some by the original paper, bamboo, into cloth, plastic, wire, and the shape and color of the lanterns and the traditional is also very different.

Traditionally, temples are decorated in yellow, and the size and color of the lanterns vary according to personal preference, without any symbolic meaning.

In addition to illumination, lanterns have other meanings. When private schools (ancient schools)

started in the first month of every year, parents would prepare a lantern for their children, and the teacher would light it up to symbolize a bright future for the students, which was called "opening the lantern". This has since evolved into the custom of carrying lanterns during the Lantern Festival. Because of the similarity in sound between the word and the word "tintin," lanterns were also used to pray for the birth of a child. During the Japanese colonial era, patriotic politicians drew folk stories on the lanterns to teach their children and grandchildren about their own culture, so it also has the meaning of passing on the flame.

According to their shapes, lanterns are now divided into two types: Quanzhou style and Fuzhou style. Among them, Quanzhou style is the representative of Chinese lanterns.

Quanzhou style lanterns

Generally speaking, the main materials used to weave the lanterns in the anti-state style are two kinds of bamboo and hemp fence, which are tough and elastic in texture.

The production process is:

(a) the bamboo in the steam room heated for half an hour, and then take it out, placed in the shade to dry, but not overly dry, and can not be placed in the sun under the strong light.

(ii) Use a bamboo planer to remove the rough skin of the cow face.

(3) Cut the bamboo strips to the desired length; this depends on the size of the lantern.

(4) Weaving method to complete the frame in a crosswise manner.

(5) In the center of the frame, tie a few loops of bamboo around the wall of the lantern.

(6) Gluing (mounting) lanterns, first mounted cotton gauze, and then glued two layers of single-layer paper for lanterns. (If you don't have a single light paper, a fine cotton paper will do.) Framing cotton gauze must first dilute the paste, evenly brushed on the surface of the skeleton, and then cut the gauze lightly attached to the lamp frame, and then use a brush dipped in paste to brush flat, here we need to pay attention to, brush the paste must be a clean brush can be, otherwise, the lamp surface will be a mess. At the same time, the laminating paper must be glued without seams before the real laminating is complete.

(7) Place the lantern in a cool, ventilated place to dry.

(H) color painting. Painting to individual desired pattern painting, such as figures, eight immortals, flowers and birds, ladies and so on.

(ix) After painting, depending on the situation to decide whether to write text. When the text, pattern completely dry, then a layer of tung oil, and then wait for the tung oil shade dry, the lantern is completed.

Fuzhou-style lanterns - also known as umbrella lanterns

Gui Bamboo: It is the most commonly grown type of bamboo in Taiwan. The texture is hard and flexible, making it suitable for fishing rods, brooms and other implements.

Gomer: Gui Bamboo is split into bamboo strips called "Gomer". Holes are punched at the top and bottom of the gabion and threaded with wire.

Bamboo head: On the bamboo joints of gui bamboo, grooves are carved out and fixed with thick iron wire to become the head and bottom of the bamboo lantern.

Methods:

1. Install the gabions with wires on the bamboo head pedestal.

2. A gabion is mounted on a grid of grooves, and finally the bamboo head is tied with wire to become a bamboo frame.

3. Hold the bamboo frame against the ground and slowly spread it down until it becomes a cylinder.

4. Press and fold the bamboo gimmicks with your hands to adjust the shape of the lantern, the curvature and the distance between the gimmicks.

5. Tie the cotton thread on the top of the lantern to fix the gabions.

6. Put white gauze on the gabions and fix them with paste.

7. Wait for the gauze to dry, and then apply the paisley glue.

8. After drying in the shade, the tube-shaped umbrella lamp is molded.

9. Then tracing and coloring. Generally speaking, the characters are vermillion red, and the pictures are auspicious paintings such as the Eight Immortals, the Three Stars of Fortune and Longevity, and so on.

10. Finally, install the base on the bamboo head, trim it, and it's done.

Types of Lanterns

Word Surname Lantern: One side of the lamp is the family name, the other side is the name of the official that the ancestor once served. For example, the surname "Xie" is Prince Shaobao, the surname "Zheng" is Yanping Shao Wang.

Auspicious lamps: one side of the lamp is the name of the family name or God, the other side is the Eight Immortals (Lv Dongbin, He Xianjun, etc.), the three stars of fortune, luck and longevity, and other auspicious designs.

General type: Same as character lamps and auspicious lamps, one side of the lamp is the name of the family name or god or auspicious words, and the other side of the lamp is an auspicious pattern.

Official Lamp: The words and pictures painted on the lamp are the same as the general lamp, but the bottom is black and the words are gold. It is only when the emperor gives the royal gift that this kind of lantern can be hung.