Lantern (Zhongxin lantern)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Lantern (Zhongxin lantern)

Applicant: Lianping County, Guangdong Province

Project No.: 349

Project No.: Ⅶ - 50

Time of publication: 2011 (the third batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Guangdong Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Lianping County, Guangdong Province

Protection unit: Lianping County Cultural Center (Lianping County Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center)

Brief introduction of lantern (Zhongxin lantern)

Applicant: Lianping County, Guangdong Province

Zhongxin lantern is a kind of Folk Lantern Art with red tone, mainly distributed in Zhongxin Town, Southeast of Lianping County, Guangdong Province.

In history, the local "Shangyuan liked to cluster lanterns and perform all kinds of dragon and Lion Dances" (Annals of Lianping Prefecture in the eighth year of Yongzheng reign of Qing Dynasty). In addition, the printing plate of Qing Dynasty's Lantern patterns is still preserved among the local people. The existing Zhongxin lanterns have unique shapes, such as curling silk lamp, ginseng lamp, champion lamp, scholar lamp, Wufu lamp, grinding lamp, dragon and Phoenix lamp, Baolian lamp, Bogong lamp, purple lamp, corridor lamp, etc. Different from the small and exquisite lanterns in other places, Zhongxin lantern is large but exquisite. Its largest diameter is 12 meters, and the smallest one is 40 cm. Its basic structure is mostly columnar, with bamboo skeleton, including four corners, six corners, eight corners, twelve corners, etc. From top to bottom, it can be divided into lamp cover, lamp body and lamp skirt. Generally, there are 2 to 4 layers from inside to outside. The outer layer of the lantern is matched with paper-cut, patterns, paper ears, etc., while the lamp skirt is composed of a variety of flower case color light strips. In the lamp, there are various image pictures rotating and flowing, making the whole lighting colorful, with distinct local characteristics.

Due to historical reasons, the production of Zhongxin lanterns was once interrupted. Although it has been restored recently, fewer and fewer technicians are able to make exquisite lanterns, the production tends to be simplified, and the types of lanterns are gradually decreasing, which calls for urgent support and protection.