Help!!!!! The History of Ancient Chinese Lanterns?

Question

I have a report due and I need a site where you can find history and information on the anicent Chinese Lanterns. It is really important and it is ANCIENT history not modern festivities

Answer 1

History
Until the Sui Dynasty in the sixth century, Emperor Yangdi invited envoys from other countries to China to see the colorful lighted lanterns and enjoy the gala erformances.

By the beginning of the Tang Dynasty in the seventh century, the lantern displays would last three days. The emperor also lifted the curfew, allowing the people to enjoy the festive lanterns day and night. It is not difficult to find Chinese poems which describe this happy scene.

In the Song Dynasty, the festival was celebrated for five days and the activities began to spread to many of the big cities in China.Colorful glass and even jade were used to make lanterns, with figures from folk tales painted on the lanterns.

However, the largest Lantern Festival celebration took place in the early part of the 15th century. The festivities continued for ten days. Emperor Chengzu had the downtown area set aside as a center for displaying the lanterns. Even today,there is a place in Beijing called Dengshikou.In Chinese,Deng means lantern and Shi is arket.The area became a market where lanterns were sold during the day.In the evening, the local people would go there to see the beautiful lighted lanterns on display.

Today, the displaying of lanterns is still a big event on the 15th day of the first lunar month throughout China. People enjoy the brightly lit night. Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, for example, holds a lantern fair each year in the Cultural Park. During the Lantern Festival,the park is literally an ocean of lanterns!Many new designs attract countless visitors. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole, This is a lantern in the shape of a golden dragon, spiraling up a 27-meter -high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth. It is quite an impressive sight!

Origin
There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival.But one thing for sure is that it had something to do with religious worship.

One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient times. The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world. He had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought,storms, fafmine or pestilence upon human beings.Beginning with Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unite the country, all subsequent emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people. Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty directed special attention to this event. In 104 BC,he proclaimed it one of the most important celebrations and the ceremony would last throughout the night.

Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tianguan is the Taoist god responsible for good fortune. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is said that Tianguan likes all types of entertainment. So followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune.

The third story about the origin of the festival boes like this. Buddhism first entered China during the reign of Emperor Mingdi of the Eastern Han Dynasty. That was in the first century. However, it did not exert any great influence among the Chinese people. one day, Emperor Mingdi had a dream about a gold man in his palace. At the very moment when he was about to ask the mysterious figure who he was, the gold man suddenly rose to the sky and disappeared in the west. The next day, Emperor Mingdi sent a scholar to India on a pilgrimage to locate Buddhist scriptures. After joumeying thousands of miles,the scholar finally returned with the scriptures. Emperor Mingdi ordered that a temple be built to house a statue of Buddha and serve as a repository for the scriptures. Followers believe that the power of Buddha can dispel darkness.

So Emperor Mingdi ordered his subjects to display lighted lanterns during what was to become the Lantern Festival.

Answer 2

First Myth: Chinese lanterns are dangerous. Fact: Actually, sky lanterns are fairly safe if used correctly. They are much safer than firecrackers and are just as stunning to watch. Sky lanterns are made from non flammable materials and can be safely stored when not used. When you are ready to launch them. Simply remove them from the wrapping, follow the instructions and safety precautions and light the fuel cell. The lantern will float into the night Chinese and travel for miles until the flame is extinguished. Once this happens the sky lantern will fall to the ground and then biodegrade so no trace is left. Second Myth: Chinese lanterns are harmful to animals. Fact: Chinese lanterns with no wire are perfectly safe for animals. The problem is that once sky lanterns fall to the ground and degrade, small bits of wire remain. This wire has been eaten by livestock and wild animals causing severe injury and sometimes death. However, this is easily preventable by choosing wire free eco lanterns. The wire free eco lanterns are safe for use around animals and will not cause any harm. Added to this benefit is that they will also degrade a lot faster. Third Myth: Chinese lanterns are bad for the environment. Fact: There are eco friendly lanterns available. Many sky lanterns are environmentally friendly and 100% biodegradable. If you opt for models that also contain no wire you will have an eco friendly lantern that will degrade very quickly and leave no trace on the earth. Fourth Myth: Chinese lanterns are illegal. Fact: Chinese lanterns are not illegal. Care needs to be taken when using lanterns near water or around air fields where the glow from the lantern may be confused with distress signals. There are also some parks and some events where lanterns are banned. However, if this is the case it is typically posted so you are aware before attempting to use them. But, Chinese lanterns are not actually illegal. They can be used for your private occasion or even for business use when you wish.

Answer 3

hi man, I an a chinese who is good at chinese history. I want to qive u some more detail. The earist time to see lantern is not in sui Dynasty.
I remember earily than han Dynasty there are the lantern. For three kingdom preiod, the smartest person called zhu ge liang already use the lantern to show alarm.