Lanterns in China are not only used for lighting, but also a symbol. Wu Dunhou said that he used to make bridal lanterns (that is, palace lanterns) to represent wedding celebrations; Bamboo lanterns announce that this is a funeral occasion; Umbrella lamp (word surname lamp), because the pronunciation of "lamp" and "ding" is the same, indicating that people are prosperous. Therefore, in the past, every household had a surname lamp hanging under the eaves and in the living room. Today, there are still two big lanterns in front of God's head, which is a continuation of this custom.

Lanterns have other meanings besides lighting. Every year when a private school (an ancient school) starts in the first month, parents will prepare a lantern for their children, which will be lit by the teacher, symbolizing the bright future of the students. It's called "turning on the light".

Later, it evolved into the custom of carrying lanterns on the Lantern Festival. Because the pronunciation is similar to "Tianding", lanterns are also used to pray for children. In the Japanese occupation era, patriots painted folk stories on lanterns to teach their children and grandchildren to know their own culture, so it has the significance of being passed down from generation to generation.

Legend of lanterns

Legend has it that Jiang Ziya did not have his own post after he became a deity, and only a fairy acted for him when he traveled. On New Year's Eve, the gods returned to their places, but Jiang Ziya had nowhere to go. Seeing his pity, people lit a lamp on the head of a high club and let him spend the night under the lamp. Over time, the custom of lighting lamps has been formed.