The fifteenth day of the first lunar month marks the traditional Lantern Festival. Also known as the “First Moon Festival” or “Spring Lantern Festival,” it is a time-honored Chinese folk celebration. The first lunar month is called “Yuan” (meaning ‘first’), and ancient people referred to night as “xiao.” The fifteenth night is the first full moon of the year, hence the name “Yuanxiao Festival.” Only after celebrating the Lantern Festival does the Chinese New Year truly conclude. The Lantern Festival features numerous customs, with lantern displays being the main attraction. The Song Dynasty poet Xin Qiji penned a timeless ode celebrating the festival''s splendor: “The east wind blows at night, setting a thousand trees aglow with blossoms, then blows them down like rain. Fine horses and ornate carriages fill the fragrant streets. Flute music fills the air, the light from jade lanterns dances, and all night long, dragons and fish dance.”

Today''s Lantern Festival displays an astonishing variety of lanterns. Modern lantern art has evolved beyond traditional techniques, innovating into unique regional art forms. While candles are still used as light sources in some lanterns, electric bulbs are more common to enhance brightness. In ancient times, candles and oil were the primary fuels for everyday lamps.

During the Warring States period through the Qin Dynasty, illumination relied on a standing, flammable “candle.” Regarding its construction and materials, Jia Gongyan''s commentary states: “Made with a reed core wrapped in cloth, then coated with honeyed syrup—much like modern wax candles.” This indicates that the so-called “candles” of that era were initially nothing more than torches made from bundles of flammable reeds or oil-rich twigs from pine or bamboo. The Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Emperor Qin Shi Huang also mentions that for his burial, “human and fish oils were used as candles, designed to burn for an extended period without extinguishing.”

During the Han dynasties, twisted oil lamps for illumination emerged, with the most common being bean-shaped lamps. By this period, animal fats with low solidification points, such as tallow, were already being used as liquid fuel. Prior to the Eastern Han Dynasty in China, animal fats were the predominant source of lighting fuel. From the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties through the Song and Yuan periods, significant changes occurred in lighting fuels. In addition to animal fats, vegetable oils and wax candles became primary lighting materials, and petroleum began to be used as a lighting fuel. Chinese candles utilized various raw materials, including yellow wax and white wax. Yellow wax, derived from beeswax secreted by worker bees'' abdominal wax glands, formed the primary component of honeycombs. White wax originated from the secretions of white wax insects, a phenomenon often depicted in murals found within Tang Dynasty tombs.

By the Ming and Qing dynasties, lighting fuels became even more diverse, with petroleum and vegetable oils gaining widespread use. Beyond northern Shaanxi, examples of petroleum lamps appeared in southwestern regions, accompanied by detailed descriptions of oil extraction tools and methods: Place clean, whole tung nuts into a steamer basket and steam thoroughly. After steaming, transfer them to a mortar for pounding. The mortar should be approximately one foot five inches deep, with the pestle body crafted from stone—no iron mouth is needed. Simply select sturdy, smooth stones from deep within the mountains and carve them into shape. Pounding removes the entire waxy coating from the seed kernels. This wax layer is sifted off and set aside in a tray for steaming. After steaming, the kernels are repackaged and pressed. Once the outer wax layer is removed, the inner kernel is a black seed. Using a small, fire-resistant, smooth stone mill surrounded by glowing charcoal embers, the black seeds are added by handfuls to the mill. After grinding, blow away the black husks with air to reveal pure white kernels. Crush these kernels, steam them, then wrap and press using the previous method. The extracted oil is called “water oil,” exceptionally clear and bright. When poured into a small lamp, a single wick could burn until dawn, surpassing all other pure oils.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, accumulated experience in wax production and usage expanded candle materials. As diverse plant oils became common raw materials, candles gradually spread from imperial courts to middle and lower social classes. In his work The Book of Crafts, Ming dynasty scholar Song Yingxing detailed the method for making candles using bamboo oil: Split a bitter bamboo tube lengthwise, boil it in water until plump (to remove any residual bark oil), then secure it with a small bamboo hoop. Using a pointed iron ladle, pour oil into the tube, insert a wick, and the candle is complete. After the wax solidified, the bamboo strips were carefully removed along the length of the tube. The bamboo tube was then opened to extract the candle. Another method involves carving a small wooden stick into a candle mold. Cut a piece of paper and roll it around the stick to form a paper tube. Pour tallow into the paper tube, and it will solidify into a candle. This type of candle remains unaffected by wind, dust, cold weather, or heat.

Oil lamps originated from the discovery of fire and humanity''s need for illumination. With society''s advanced development, most people have long abandoned oil lamps or candles, now enjoying electric lighting. Though lamp-burning has departed from practical necessity, it evokes the prosperity of specific eras and has shaped enduring national traditions.

“Without moonlight, lanterns fail to delight; without lanterns, spring feels incomplete. When spring graces the earth, people shine like jade; beneath burning lamps, the moon gleams like silver. Villagers adorned in jewels and pearls fill the streets; festive music and song celebrate the village deity. Without raising a cup and sharing laughter, how could one savor this splendid night?” As the annual Lantern Festival approaches, why not light a lantern and experience this tradition, now over two thousand years old?