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Media Press Mid-Autumn Festival: Lantern
I remember I did a traditional cellophane lantern in my schooling year. When Mid Autumn Festival was just around the corner, our Art & Craft teacher would ask us to make a lantern from all sort of materials. In order to perfect the skill in making the cellophane lantern, I stopped over a lantern shop on my way back home from school. I stood there for hours watching an old “sifu” (master) sitting on a stool while making the lantern. After the “spying” and learning, I happily went back and tried it out myself. Though the piece didn’t turn out nice but I was very happy with the result done by my little hands.
Handmade Cellophane / Glass Paper Lantern is a sunset industry due to the tediousness and the skill needed to produce it. Not many youngsters are interested to learn and inherit the skill because it can’t make them a living. If I am able to find this special cellophane again, I will make a tutorial to show you how to make a traditional cellophane lantern.
Do you remember the Pagoda lantern I made 2 years ago… gosh!!! Can’t believe that it has been 2 years!!! I am still using it on every Mooncake Festival. Browse through the above album and you will find some creative lanterns I found in my local town ship.
Happy Mid Autumn Festival!!!
Red Round Lantern hanging high up by the roadside
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Hi,
My name is Kim, and it’s always been a life long goal of mine to make a lantern for the moon festival. As a child, I was always jealous of my peers who competed in our community’s lantern competition with pikachu, powerpuff girls, or firefly lanterns made by their parents. I learned that during this time of the year, Vietnamese parents spend time with their kids by making them lanterns. My parents lacked this skill, and so I wanted to preserve this culture when I have kids in the future. During my senior year of high school, I attempted to make a large goldfish using cellophane; however, when it came to lighting up the lantern, I discovered that the heat easily melted the cellophane. I enjoyed reading your blog and seeing your lanterns photo and I would appreciate it if you can offer me basic advice to create a traditional lantern, such as what materials are appropriate to use, where I can buy glass paper (if that exists in the US), how to light up the lantern without melting it, etc. Every piece of detail will help me. I look forward to your reply.
- Kim
Hi Kim, thanks for your wonderful story about your childhood with lantern.
I am not sure what type of cellophane you used but if it is not very near the the flame, it should be nice and safe.
I hope I can make up a simple tutorial about cellophane lantern, let me arrange for that. If possible I would try to do it this year since Mid Autumn is just around the corner, otherwise, sorry for keeping you waiting.
Hey there! Did you ever make the tutorial? I am wanting to make a dragon for a very special person this Chinese New Year AND her birthday, but can`t find instructions anywhere
I didn’t have any tutorial for Dragon but I did share an chinese dragon puppet from Family Fun, here. May be it could be a good fit for your special person.