A craftsman puts the finishing touches on decorative red lanterns.

 

Zigong lanterns are an item of national intangible cultural heritage. Many lantern-making craftsmen from the Zigong area of Sichuan Province have traveled around the world as ambassadors of this profession. They believe that this traditional craft will never die out as long as people want to see these lanterns.
 

The procedure of lantern making is complex. First, the craftsmen make the frames by welding iron wires onto steelwork, while iron wires are attached to each other using pincers. After the frame is done, the electrician installs electronic wires on them. The final procedure involves attaching paper to the exterior, or “paperhanging.”

50-year-old Zhong Yingli has been engaged in this career for 20 years, and her main task is paperhanging. She has been to several countries including the United States and Mexico, with a pair of small scissors and a small brush. Her work is to daub the glue to the lantern frames and then apply stick strips of cloth that she cut into suitable sizes.
 

The biggest challenge for Zhong is the head of the Chinese dragon, due to the extremely intricate procedures required and high demands placed on craftsmen. “I don’t even remember how many lanterns I have made. My favorite ones are the big red lanterns,” Zhong said. Zhong’s family members are all involved in lantern making and they haven’t been home for the Spring Festival for 20 years. This is because the Spring Festival is the biggest traditional festival that uses lanterns  for decoration or celebration.  
 

Zhang is Zhong’s partner at work. Twenty years ago, Zhang was a farmer, and then he left his hometown and family to begin a career in lantern making. Like other craftsmen, he has the ambition to sustain the art of lantern making and spread it to other countries, because “Chinese lanterns are far more complex and delicate in size and design than those in other countries,” he said.
 

Wang Mingxuan has been an art designer of lanterns for nearly 40 years. He draws the three-dimensional design of a lantern before the actual construction procedure. His record workload is nearly 100 sketches in a single day. He said he had grown weary  tired after traveling for so many years outside of home, and due to the large amounts of work every day. But when he pictures in his mind the final product from his design, he feels the strength to persist, he said.