Floating River Lanterns

Culture 2012/09/26 View：2367

Floating river lanterns is an ancient traditional custom in China. It is used to mourn passing relatives and bless living people.

You can see wide popularity of this traditional custom in many nationalities, such as Tujia nationality and Miao nationality. People from everywhere usually float river lanterns on double third day, Chinese Valentine’s Day and Mid-autumn Festival.They put different river lanterns with all kinds of shapes and colors on the river, which suddenly making the black river at night become shining and beautiful. Generally, river lanterns are made into shapes like lotus petals. Putting them in the river and letting them float freely after lighting candles within the lanterns. Making a river lantern is not complicated now. Various colors of calendared papers are used to paste it. Pasting four corners of a sheet of square calendared paper. Lamp wicks are usually made by hemp ropes since they can keep burning for a long time and resisting wind.

Translated by Becky

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