Paper lantern
Encyclopedia
Paper lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, as well as various methods of construction. In their simplest form, they are simply a paper bag
with a candle
placed inside, although more complicated lantern
s consist of a collapsible bamboo
or metal frame of hoops covered with tough paper
.
Often associated with festival
s, paper lanterns are common in China
and Japan
, and similarly, in Chinatown
s, where they are often hung outside of businesses to attract attention. In Japan the traditional styles
include bonbori
and chōchin and there is a special style of lettering called chōchin moji
used to write on them.
Airborne paper lanterns are called sky lanterns, and are often released into the night sky for aesthetic effect at lantern festival
s.
In China, paper lanterns can be classified into 5 distinct classes; the Baby's Bottom is the miniature class, often used in modern times with Christmas lights. The second class is the Rolling Paper, the tall, cylindrical lanterns often associated with restaurants and bars. The third class is the Tomato Light also known as Big Red; the classic round mid-size lantern. The fourth class is the Crystal Magic; the variously-shaped geometric lamps constructed of many square and triangular panes. The last is known as Buddha's Gastronomy; the large and extra large lanterns used to decorate temples and for show at festivals.
communities during Christmas
.
During the Festa della Rificolona :it:Festa della Rificolona held in Florence, Italy, children carry colorful paper lanterns through the streets of the city.
Paper bag
A paper bag or paper sack is a preformed container made of paper, usually with an opening on one side. It can be one layer of paper or multiple layers of paper and other flexible materials. A bag is used for packaging and/or carrying items....
with a candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
placed inside, although more complicated lantern
Lantern
A lantern is a portable lighting device or mounted light fixture used to illuminate broad areas. Lanterns may also be used for signaling, as 'torches', or as general light sources outdoors . Low light level varieties are used for decoration. The term "lantern" is also used more generically to...
s consist of a collapsible bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
or metal frame of hoops covered with tough paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
.
In Asian culture
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s, paper lanterns are common in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and similarly, in Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
s, where they are often hung outside of businesses to attract attention. In Japan the traditional styles
Traditional lighting equipment of Japan
The traditional lighting equipment of Japan includes the andon , the bonbori , the chōchin , and the tōrō .-Andon:...
include bonbori
Bonbori
The is a kind of Japanese paper lamp used in the open. It normally has an hexagonal profile and is used during festivals. It can either hang from a wire or stand on a pole. Famous is the , held annually at Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū in Kamakura, Kanagawa. Artists paint on the about 400 bonbori erected...
and chōchin and there is a special style of lettering called chōchin moji
Edomoji
are Japanese lettering styles, which were invented for advertising in the Edo period.The main styles of Edomoji include Kanteiryū, Yosemoji, Kagomoji, Higemoji, Chōchinmoji and Kakuji .-Kanteiryū :...
used to write on them.
Airborne paper lanterns are called sky lanterns, and are often released into the night sky for aesthetic effect at lantern festival
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day...
s.
In China, paper lanterns can be classified into 5 distinct classes; the Baby's Bottom is the miniature class, often used in modern times with Christmas lights. The second class is the Rolling Paper, the tall, cylindrical lanterns often associated with restaurants and bars. The third class is the Tomato Light also known as Big Red; the classic round mid-size lantern. The fourth class is the Crystal Magic; the variously-shaped geometric lamps constructed of many square and triangular panes. The last is known as Buddha's Gastronomy; the large and extra large lanterns used to decorate temples and for show at festivals.
In Western culture
Placing candles or tea lights in a succession of small paper bags (known as luminarias or farolitos) is a common tradition in HispanicHispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
communities during Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.
During the Festa della Rificolona :it:Festa della Rificolona held in Florence, Italy, children carry colorful paper lanterns through the streets of the city.