Zhongxin’s Custom of Hanging Lanterns

136.Zhongxin’s Custom of Hanging Lanterns

Nominating Unit: Lianping County, City of Heyuan

Zhongxin’s Custom of Hanging Lanterns, with a history of over 200 years, is a traditional custom of enjoying lanterns for Hakka people in six towns ( such as Zhongxin, Youxi, Gaoguan in the southeast of Lianping County, Heyuan, etc.) on the Lantern Festival, which is characteristic of worshipping ancestors and giving birth to a baby. A local citizen called Naimingfu in Shangliaowu has preserved the pattern designs and printing forms of the festival lanterns in the Qing Dynasty, which was handed down from his ancestors.

The custom of hanging lanterns in Zhongxin is combined with the local Hakkas’ customs of hanging lanterns and worshipping the ancestors on the Lantern Festival. In Hakka, the Chinese character “灯” (lantern) shares the same phonetic transcription with “丁”, which means having a fl ourishing family or perpetuating the family. The custom of hanging lanterns in Zhongxin consists of six parts – setting the lantern cord , buying the lantern, welcoming the lantern, lighting the lantern, warming the lantern, and burning the lantern. Besides, there are such activities as playing gongs, drums, and eight tunes, performing the lion or dragon dance, worshipping the ancestors, and drinking wine while appreciating the lanterns.

Setting the lantern cord usually goes from lunar December 25th to the Spring Festival Eve. The family with a newly-born baby should hang a lantern cord on the girder of its ancestral shrine, with a piece of red paper on which the baby’s name is written attached to the end of it, which is later tied to the pillar of the ancestral temple. The first market opened on lunar January 9th is called ‘Happy Red Year Market’, which mainly sells Zhongxin festival lanterns. That day, the family with a newly-born baby selects the festival lanterns according to their expectations for the child’s future. For example, Bogong lantern means being blessed with inspiration, Longfeng (dragon and phoenix)lantern signifies looking forward to riches and honor, Wufu(five blessings) lantern stands for happiness ahead, Zhuangyuan (number one scholar) lantern symbolizes a success in the government’s examinations.

The activity of welcoming the lantern is usually conducted from lunar January 9th to 12th, depending on the date of birth and eight characters of the horoscope of the newly-born baby. The festival lantern is sent to the entrance of the ancestral temple by an outsider, and then welcomed to the ancestral temple by an old man who has many sons and leads a happy life, finally handed to the family to have it hanged on the girder.(https://www.daowen.com)

Lighting the lantern remains the most important part of the custom of hanging lanterns. After the Shaikh hosts the activity of worshipping the ancestors, the family will pull up the festival lantern to the lower flange of the girder of the ancestral temple, which is called ‘lifting the lantern’. When the lantern is lifted, firecrackers, gongs and drums as well as eight tunes are played, which creates a lively atmosphere. Such objects as cedar leaves, taros, spring onions, and garlic as well as hand towel will be tied into the festival lantern to pray for the brightness, health, and good luck for the newly-born baby. After this activity, the name of the baby will be recorded into the family tree, which is called “Shangding”.

After lighting the lantern, the family has to add some kerosene to the lantern every night, which is called “warming the lantern”. This activity won’t end until lunar January 20th or February 2nd when the activity of burning the lantern is held. Burning the lantern means incinerating the festival lantern with the auspicious grass. Afterwards, the flame is brought home through some bamboos, which is called passing the lantern light, which signifies the end of this custom.

The custom of hanging lanterns is of great significance, which stands for people’s expectations for the continuity of a clan and reflects the local historical and cultural memories as well as the folk tradition of offering a sacrifice to the God or ancestors. It is of great value to the study of anthropology, history and folklore.

With the change of housing pattern brought by urbanization and the increase in the mobility of social personnel, the traditional fabric of a clan living in a compact community is gradually broken down. The social environment for the transmission of this custom has transformed, with the influence of it being reduced day by day. It will face the danger of extinction unless measures are taken to protect it.