Beijing lantern art, known as dengcai or huadeng, turns festival nights into a glowing wonderland 🏮. From Spring Festival to the Lantern Festival, these colorful creations light up skies and hearts alike.
The famed Dengshikou area of Beijing, literally the "Mouth of the Lantern Market," saw streets brim with brilliant hues during the Ming and Qing dynasties. These lanterns symbolized happiness, prosperity and that unforgettable festive spirit.
Today, Beijing lanterns are recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage item of the Chinese mainland. This luminous art form blends painting, paper mounting, embroidery, carving, paper-cutting and calligraphy to create dazzling designs that honor tradition and spark joy 🎨🪡.
Leading the charge is Liu Shaobai, a talented craftsman who trained under Li Banghua, an inheritor of imperial palace lantern-making skills. Through fresh designs, hands-on workshops and community events, Liu keeps this age-old tradition burning bright 🔥.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
