There are few things I enjoy more than a good festival.
Between the vast selection of one-of-a-kind displays, food vendors, upbeat
entertainment, and diversity of people, festivals provide photographers with
endless subjects and lively moments to capture on camera. Lately, I’ve been inspired
by images shot at various lantern festivals across that country.
If you’re unfamiliar with these spectacular events, they
were inspired by an age-old Lantern Festival held each year in China. The
original Chinese Lantern Festival is a festival celebrated on the 15th
day of the first month of the lunar calendar that marks the end of the Chinese
New Year Celebrations. Occurring on the first full moon night in the Chinese
lunar year, the festival symbolizes the awakening of Spring. People in China
traditionally celebrate with loved ones by appreciating the full moon, lighting
up lanterns, solving riddles on lanterns, setting off fireworks, and eating
rice glue balls.
The Lantern Festival originated from the Eastern Han Dynasty
when Buddhism was first being introduced to China. It is part of Buddhist tradition
for monks to light up lanterns in honor of Buddha on January 15th.
Therefore, Emperors of the Han Dynasty who wanted to promote the religion
ordered people to light up lanterns like the monks do in palaces and temples
across the region to demonstrate their respect for Buddha. Civilians were also
asked to string up lanterns on that night, giving birth to the Lantern
Festival. During the Song Dynasty, it was custom for people to write riddles on
paper strips and attach them to the lanterns for others to figure out. The subjects
of the riddles were traditionally songs, poems, or historical events. Fireworks
were added in the Qing Dynasty, making the festival a record-breaking grand
occasion.
Over the past 2,000 years, the Lantern Festival has grown to
include more customs and activities. The lanterns have become increasingly more
elaborate over the years. Many lanterns depict aspects of Chinese history and culture,
incorporating themes from Chinese legends and images that reflect traditional values.
Lanterns often represent animals from the Chinese zodiac and heroic figures. Some
lantern designs are purely aesthetic rather than symbolic, and the diversity of
lanterns is astounding. The popularity and aesthetic delight of the Lantern
Festival in China has sparked countless other lantern festivals around the
world, including the United States.
One of the well-known lantern festivals in the States that I’ve
been inspired by pictures from is the Holiday Lantern Festival at the Global
Winter Wonderland inside the Great America Theme Park in Freemont, California
held from November through January each year. The festival boasted eco-friendly
lantern recreations of some of the world’s most beloved architectural
achievements including the State of Liberty, the UK London Bridge, and Egyptian
Pyramid. Some of this past year's displays were 100 feet wide, towering into the air more
than 50 feet high. Festival goers also enjoyed captivating entertainment
including martial art performances, acrobats, and laser lights shows,
sight-seeing attractions at the Global Village, and classic holiday characters like
Santa Claus and Rudolph.
Another worthwhile event with fascinating photographs is the
Chinese Lantern Festival at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. This
unconventional festival held from November through January featured 22 hypnotizing lantern
displays in and around the fairground lagoon including The Temple of Heaven,
Statue of Liberty, animated creatures, and a large Blossoming Lotus. Other visual delights included a collection of architecture,
fabric flora and fauna including flamingos, dinosaurs, pandas, and even a
dragon made from 15,000 porcelain dishes! Visitors had the pleasure of browsing
Old World handcrafts, watching artists weave palm leaves into detailed animals,
paint with liquid sugar, and create creature confections. Not to even mention
the spread of delicious Chinese and Western food!
Last month, visitors enjoyed all the buzz of a
Chinese village around the Lunar New Year at the annual Chinese American Museum Lantern Festival in Los Angeles. Held at the Chinese American Museum,
the festival featured historic New Year celebrations with everything from musical
performances to vibrant lantern displays. The festival offered an assortment of
unique attractions including a glow-in-the-dark show, acrobats and lion dancers,
and hands on crafts like origami, kite-building, and lantern-making.
Looking for an opportunity to take your own lantern festival
photos? Mark your calendar for the 2013 San Diego Lantern Festival taking place on July 19-21 in the Little Saigon San Diego Commercial and Cultural District.
The festival typically draws between 10,000-15,000 visitors- bringing together
businesses, neighbors, students and community groups. The festival features a fantastic
array of cultural activities to be submersed in. From delicious food, street
performers, eccentric vendors, and carnival rides, there’s something for all
ages to enjoy. At night, you can look forward to a display of more than 6,000
lanterns lighting up the sky. Don't forget your camera!
Martha Fox a guest contributor from Carolina Lanterns, a South Carolina based lighting company specializing in custom-made gas and electric lanterns.
