LANTERN LIGHT PATH FOR SHANXI VILLAGE

Workshops combine tradition with modern desires to create popular products

As the Year of the Snake approaches, the rural landscapes of northern Shanxi Province are in a festive mood, decorated with countless red lanterns.

In the famous Yangzhao “Lantern Village” in Jishan County, Shanxi, the busy season has returned as villagers are busy fulfilling orders from domestic and international markets and workshops are full of lanterns awaiting shipment.

Jiao Tingting, 25, has learned the art of lantern making from her grandfather since she was a child, progressing from bamboo lanterns to modern folding lanterns. “In traditional Chinese culture, lanterns are often viewed as symbols of good luck, prosperity and reunification,” she said.

Lanterns not only provide illumination, but also carry rich cultural connotations and symbolic meanings and have evolved into a decorative item.

The tradition of lantern making in Yangzhao dates back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. In 2008, “Traditional Lantern Making Craft of Yangzhao Village” was included in the first city-level list of intangible cultural heritage in Yuncheng, the village's administrative town.

Most Yangzhao lanterns are handmade, with workers in workshops carefully crafting lanterns using a standard process.

“We are busy making lanterns all year round, especially during various festivals when demand is higher,” said Guan Jungsg, who runs a local lantern processing factory. “To welcome the Year of the Snake, orders have increased significantly since October and workers have been busier. I was answering order calls and managing deliveries all the time.”

Yangzhao is home to 22 companies and professional associations engaged in the production of lanterns, as well as three manufacturers of lantern accessories. Annually, they produce around 10 million pairs of lanterns – pairs that traditionally symbolize good luck – with a total production value of 150 million yuan (US$20.5 million). Lanterns provide jobs for over 2,000 people in the village and surrounding areas.

Guan said the workers at his factory are mostly villagers. Workers are paid by the piece and one person can make 200 to 300 lanterns per day. In their free time after farming, the villagers engage in making lanterns.

It is reported that some villagers can earn over 100 yuan a day from making lanterns, bringing an annual income of nearly 40,000 yuan. Many villagers have built two-story houses and can afford to buy cars.

Yangzhao's lanterns were once presented to the imperial court as decorative objects. Using traditional production techniques, the village mainly produces plush lanterns and traditional palace lanterns, which are exported throughout the country and overseas. The plush lantern with a diameter of 1.2 meters is the best-selling item. Adorned with auspicious patterns such as peonies and phrases such as “Every year there is a surplus,” it embodies people's fervent hope for a better life.

In recent years, Yangzhao workshops have continued to innovate, producing nearly 100 different types of lanterns, including lanterns made of sheepskin, flowers, white gauze and acrylic paints. To meet market demands, workers have started producing electronic toy lanterns that contain interactive elements such as sound and light and have become a new favorite in the market.

Jiao emphasized the importance of designing lanterns to appeal to young people and combine tradition with innovation. She said she has also opened an online store to further tap overseas markets. “Our lanterns can also be customized to meet the needs of different customers,” she said.

According to Yangzhao Party chief Ma Jinfeng, the village is upgrading its infrastructure to build a lantern industrial park. “Red lanterns not only decorate people's lives but also bring us prosperity,” he said.

Contact the authors at zhuxingxin@chinadaily.com.cn