The Mid-Autumn Festival Lantern in Contemporary Hong Kong
1998; The MIT Press; Volume: 14; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2307/1511891
ISSN1531-4790
Autores Tópico(s)Hong Kong and Taiwan Politics
ResumoSince the Shang Dynasty (1557-1027 BC), the eighth lunar moon in autumn has been widely accepted as the most auspicious day for celebrating the harvest. People later started to call the occasion the Festival, celebrating the harvest in conjunction with a certain phase of the moon (the main indicator for setting festival and other dates) by getting together with their families and going out to admire the moon.' As the Chinese understanding of lunar events and cycles increased (e.g., full moon or no moon), the number of myths and activities related to the moon increased correspondingly.2 In order to have nighttime celebrations, and to involve decorations and reinforce the mood of happiness, lanterns were introduced to the festival during the Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D.). Gradually, the lanterns began to play a more important role in the festival. Since the festival's origins lie in the celebration of the harvest, the shapes and images of the lanterns were related to nature, agricultural produce, and the local culture of the various regions of China.3 Materials found locally were used to make the lanterns. Some were made from cloth or fruit skins, and others from bamboo strips or leaves. The techniques required to hand-make these lanterns were quite simple and learned locally (figs. 1-5). The lanterns also were associated with the fundamental functions and meanings of the festival: gathering, thanksgiving, and praying. In brief, the Mid-Autumn Festival lanterns totally reflected the characteristics, nature, and living standards of the different regions or communities of China.
Referência(s)