Beijing Palace Lanterns

Beijing Palace Lanterns

　　Beijing Palace Lanterns are crafted with superb artistry, offering both practical use and decorative appeal. During the traditional Chinese folk festival known as the “Shangyuan Lantern Festival,” households across the country hang lanterns to celebrate, resulting in a spectacle where “a thousand lights illuminate the market, and myriad floral flames bloom.” Red gauze lanterns are used for festivals. In addition, Beijing mainly produces silk-painted lanterns, which carry a strong imperial aesthetic. Both palace lanterns and gauze lanterns were historically used mostly in the imperial court. At that time, lantern artisans from across the nation gathered in Beijing, giving rise to a traditional craft dominated by palace gauze lanterns. At the same time, the production of folk lanterns in Beijing was also exquisitely made, with the area around Beijing’s Dengshikou once hosting a thriving lantern market. In the late Qing Dynasty, Beijing Palace Lanterns won a gold medal at the Panama Exposition.

　　Beijing Palace Lanterns are exquisitely made, with carefully selected materials. The frames are generally crafted from precious woods such as rosewood, sandalwood, and pearwood, adorned with painted glass, silk, and gauze for an elegant and luxurious effect. Red gauze lanterns, highlighted with golden clouds and tassels, appear particularly splendid and dignified. On auspicious occasions, when these resplendent lanterns are hung high, they greatly enhance the festive and joyous atmosphere.