The History of Flying Chinese Sky Lanterns
A brief overview...
The use of sky lanterns is becoming increasingly popular. Many people use them for informal get togethers or parties. Often people use sky lanterns at birthday parties, anniversaries or even grand opening events for businesses. One of the most popular times to incorporate sky lanterns into a special occasion is during a wedding. Regardless of the reason, sky lanterns lend a festive air to any occasion. They are fun and beautiful to look at. It is no wonder their use is growing rapidly. But, this is not a new occurrence. Sky lanterns have been used for centuries and have a rich history steeped in tradition.
Sky Lantern Festivals
When were Sky Lanterns first invented?
Sky lanterns were first invented by the Chinese and were actually used as a functional tool in times of war. Troops would use them as signals to other soldiers to message each other briefly. They would rise in the air to alert the friendly troops of danger or to tell them that all was well. Then, they would fall to the ground. Since then sky lanterns have been incorporated into much more pleasant uses.
When it was peacetime, sky lanterns began emerging in non military applications. Commoners would use them to help bless their crops or to request good favour. They would light the sky lanterns and pray for whatever it is they wanted or needed. Sometimes they would wish for good fortune, a good harvest, fertility or whatever they wanted. The belief was that the sky lanterns would float up to the heavens to be closer to the gods’ ears. The additional belief was that the more sky lanterns were used and the longer they remained in the air, the better chances the people would have of their wishes and prayers coming true.
Sky Lantern Festival Video
How have Sky Lanterns progressed since then?
From there it was a natural progression to also use sky lanterns to thank the gods for their blessings. To thank the gods and as a sign of prosperity and luck, sky lanterns started being incorporated into wedding ceremonies. This tradition lasted for centuries and remains a tradition today. However, while this started out in Asian cultures, the popularity of using sky lanterns as a part of wedding ceremonies has grown and many other cultures now use it. In modern times, you see traditional white sky lanterns often used for formal weddings along with coloured flying lanterns for less formal weddings.
While flying lanterns have a history in war, religious ceremonies and weddings, their use has greatly evolved from ancient times. Nowadays you can see sky lanterns used for any type of celebration. Sky lanterns now come in many different colours, sizes, shapes and themes. They can be used for casual occasions, business use or formal occasions. With the ever increasing concern over the environment some sky lanterns are even eco friendly, ensuring no wildlife is harmed by scraps of metal and that the sky lanterns disintegrate quickly to leave no trace or waste on the earth.
Where can I purchase Sky Lanterns in the UK?
- Chinese Lantern | Chinese Sky Lanterns | Khoom Fay Chinese Lanterns - Sky Candle
Sky candle are specialist stockists of quality Chinese sky lanterns and Khoom Fay Chinese lanterns. View and buy our Chinese lantern collection online. - Chinese Lanterns | Chinese Flying Paper Lantern from Night Sky Lanterns
Great range of all types of Chinese lanterns, from novelty flying lantern packs to paper chinese lanterns.
