Beijing Palace Lantern Maker Keeps the Traditional Craft Alive

I made the lanterns for the workers. My name is Zhai Yuliang, I'm 75 years old. I've been making lanterns since I graduated from high school. I've been doing this for over 40 years. The lantern factory used to make lanterns for the palace, but it was passed down from generation to generation. The lanterns we make now are based on the craftsmanship of our ancestors. It's mainly made of wood. The wood must be thin, not too thick, and not too hard. To make a normal lantern, you need more than 100 pieces of wood, and more than 100 tools, such as a scraper, a saw, and a carving knife. There are 96 lanterns in this cage. There's not a single nail. It's entirely made of wood. I've been making lanterns for a lifetime. My lanterns are hung all over the world. The big lanterns in Tianmen and Changzhou, the hanging lanterns in Changzhou, the landing lanterns, and the wall lanterns are all made by our workshop. I especially like this kind of lantern. My favorite is the hexagonal lantern, which is double-layered. It has a curve, a dragon's head, a bridge, a large and small pillar, and even a window. It's all Chinese elements. Its overall shape and structure have been passed down to this day. There's a hat on top, a lantern, and a dragon's head underneath. In the past, people would put some flowers and some beasts on top of the beasts. It's also called a hexagonal lantern, for the beasts. You can use it in many ways, and design a lot of different shapes. I learned three things. The first one is the hexagonal function. I still remember it very clearly. It's 14-inch. After making it, it's a little bit of a sense of accomplishment. It's also very beautiful. My one lantern can evolve into many layers. The hexagonal function is double-layered. I can also evolve it into four layers, six layers, eight layers, including purple lanterns. One function is the main one. There are some purple lanterns and purple mother lanterns next to it. It has no age limit. As long as you don't break it, don't touch it, you can hang it forever. It doesn't matter if it's 100 years old. Later, the emperor rewarded the ministers to pass this lantern outside the palace. It's very popular. It's the Spring Festival. It's the 15th. It's been a year. For example, it's self-issued by the people. It can be picked up on the spot. It's made of leather, and then it's woven into a frame. It's put on some paper, and it's woven into all kinds of shapes. For example, it can be woven into animal shapes, vegetable shapes, flowers and birds. People like to light lanterns and hang some lanterns. Children light a lantern and pray for themselves to be healthy and rich next year. It's a kind of expectation. Light a lantern. In my lifetime, I want to do this thing well and let more people know about the production of our lanterns.