Why You Should Care About Hanging Lanterns in Your Home

There are a great many different types of lanterns, one of which that probably captures your interest the most is the Chinese floating lanterns. The very name brings to mind the exotic and mystical aspects of these items, a trait shared by a great many Asian cultures. They have become increasingly popular as an alternative to traditional torches, providing both light and another useful option for moving around in outdoors. I’ve seen them used in restaurants, celebrations, backyards, parks, beaches, and even at weddings! It seems that they are a relatively easy accessory to install and use, but that they also have a certain charisma that can’t be easily bought or manufactured.

DescriptionA lantern, according to Chinese culture, is an ever reusable source of illumination, often featuring either a protective outer case for the light source (usually a wick or a candle in oil) and a flexible inner core for holding the bulb, making it easier to tuck it away neatly and conveniently. In some cases, these lanterns may even feature the ability to be hung, allowing you to position them just about anywhere without having to worry about screws or any other such mechanisms. This is particularly true for Chinese floating lanterns, which are often hung as decoration above tables during the spring festival of Spring Festival. As such, they are often featured in pictures during this time. They come in a variety of different sizes and styles, with designs varying from very ornate to modern and simple, but always with some sort of spiritual or stylistic meaning associated with them.

HistoryA lantern, it turns out, was once a much more common fixture in ancient China. While the country has always practiced firelighting through burning candles, the Chinese lanterns we know today were developed during the Song Dynasty. During this era, as was the norm at this time, firecrackers were also used for similar purposes as the lanterns we know today, although they usually lacked the colorful glow of their Chinese counterparts. While firecrackers were often used as a distraction to keep enemy troops distracted from the real battle, the Chinese lanterns we know today quickly replaced them as an effective way to light the way, and they remain popular to this day. As such, it’s no wonder that hanging lanterns are such a popular part of Chinese culture, even outside of the country.