Shedding light on Mid-Autumn tradition

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for lanterns, according to Leung Yau- kam, an 85-year-old master lantern craftsman.

Mr Leung, one of the SAR's few remaining masters of the craft who has been making lanterns for the past 76 years, said traditional paper lanterns in the shape of star fruit, rabbits or peeled oranges convey the real meaning of the Chinese festival.

He was sad that children wanted plastic lanterns fashioned after popular Japanese cartoon characters nowadays.

'Forty to 50 years ago, everyone had traditional lanterns. Now they want ones with batteries. They don't want ones with candles anymore.' Mr Leung said the orange- shaped lantern was the most traditional. It has been used since the 14th century to symbolise an uprising which took place on a night with a full moon. At that time, lanterns were hung outside houses of Han people to indicate a revolt against the rule of the Mongols.

A message was also hidden in cakes to spread the news. Those cakes have become the mooncakes of today. When the revolt succeeded, the Ming dynasty was established and Hans ruled Hans again.

Mr Leung said: 'A rabbit lantern symbolises the jade rabbit which Chinese folk stories say lives on the moon with legendary beauty Chang O, while the star fruit is a traditional festival food chosen for its shape.' Other less traditional but more popular paper lanterns include aircraft, tanks and cute animals.

In fact, the Chinese art of lantern-making belongs to a broader form of paper and embroidery decoration. 'There is a lot of work in making a lantern and it is not as simple as many people think,' said Mr Leung.