Lantern (Suzhou lantern)

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

Applicant: Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Project No.: 349

Project No.: Ⅶ - 50

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Jiangsu Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Protection unit: Suzhou Suyi Lantern Art Co., Ltd

Brief introduction of Dengcai (Suzhou Dengcai)

Applicant: Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Suzhou lantern is a kind of traditional folk art popular in Suzhou area of Jiangsu Province, which plays a very important role in local festivals and celebrations. The annual Suzhou Lantern Festival creates a warm and happy atmosphere for the festival, which is loved by the masses.

According to textual research, Suzhou lantern production can be traced back to the northern and Southern Dynasties, and has a history of more than 1500 years. Since the Ming Dynasty, Suzhou's Lantern making technology has made great progress, and has long been well-known throughout the country. Its modeling is based on the pavilions and pavilions of Suzhou classical gardens, the lamp body is made of Suzhou superior silk, the lamp surface is drawn with the artistic techniques of Wumen School of painting, and the lantern flower is made of Suzhou Decor paper-cut, which is the representation of "Huasheng" in Tang Dynasty. Suzhou lantern production has the incomparable advantages of other regions in the country, showing distinctive local characteristics.

Suzhou's Lantern doors are complete in variety, elegant in color, unique in shape, meticulous in workmanship, and well made. They are divided into five categories: hanging lamp, wall lamp, seat lamp, large-scale artistic lantern, and combination of figure lantern. There are more than 120 varieties in shape and size, ranging from about 10 centimeters to more than 30 meters, which is unique in China. Each variety of Suzhou lantern has its own unique craft. Up to now, it is still made by hand. The process of binding, pasting, paper cutting, painting, decoration and other processes are connected up and down, and the traditional lantern making method is followed completely, which naturally integrates the elements of Wu culture.

Suzhou lantern carries rich historical and cultural connotations. It integrates paper cutting, painting, paper binding and other techniques. It has become a model of traditional Chinese handicrafts and an image representation of Wu culture.

Chinese PinYin : Deng Cai Su Zhou Deng Cai