3 October 2012 ~ Lantern Festival

Listening to: Amy Winehouse ~ Cupid (Tempodrom, Berlin, 10/15/2007)



The Lantern Festival is another aspect of the Mid-Autumn Festival.


Chinese Lanterns are more than just decorations. Since 250 B.C. they have silently spoken of births, deaths, social status and approaching danger.

Banned during the Cultural Revolution, today they have resumed their place as honored guests at ceremonies and festivals.  The placement and color of lanterns serve as a vital communication link in the communities. For example, since red suggest vitality and energy at its maximum state, a red lantern placed outside a doorway tells of a birth or marriage.  Traditional ones are made of paper. Round fan fold ones are the basic ones while fruit and animal shaped lanterns like rabbit, fish, butterfly and star fruit shaped ones are for children. Candles are used to light up the lanterns traditionally but modern safety concern has brought battery powered plastic cartoon characters. I thought I would see a lot of lanterns out and about, but I did not. Here are some adults.  

And a dad (not sure if it's his, but I did not see any children with him).

 

 

I did spot a few people walking.

 

http://youtu.be/-Rn2rm7wHUQ

 

http://youtu.be/gfoD77NSiEc

 

This woman on the metro train didn't even go for a lantern.