Lantern decorations were applied by pasting paintings on a translucent base onto the lanterns, constructed of similar translucency.
Construction of a lantern was of a narrow bamboo strips body, covered by thin rice, other paper or thin cloth depending on the intended durability of the finished lantern.
It was not the only way to decorate lanterns. I remember an occasion, when visiting one of my favourite paper shops, where I was told a big order for lanterns was received from a temple for delivery in a few days.
There would be no time for me to talk with the staff. Instead, I was given a lantern, brush and paint and instructed to paint a simple pattern onto the lanterns Several members of staff each painted a particular motive with the simplest design (mine) painted first and in conveyor belt fashion the lantern passed from person to another, each adding more detail and complexity until completion.
A wonderful experience! (ref. Mr. Daniel Lee)
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Commonly used in temples as guardians at the entrance, images of a tiger and a dragon were used at either side, with a frontal view of a dragon as a central piece as sometimes a third piece.
Besides the tiger and dragon images, the most common, other images like the 8 immortals also appear; 4 in each on a pair of lanterns, where they could be seen in battle with ‘fishmen’ or other activity. Flower vases, birds and other decorative images were also used. All these iconographic details recur in other categories of this collection. There is need for research on these, since in the 4 such pieces we had photographed, the 2 of the characters appear in all 4.
There are some used pieces in the collection, which were taken down when replacing the old ones for new. They certainly have retained their beauty, if not enhanced it. |
