In Qing dynasty palace dr↕αamas, the empresses'''''€&€''' jeweled hairpins and step-shaki ☆≥ng ornaments dazzle with in←©‌∞tricate craftsmanship. The ↔₹♥high-saturation clashing o₹€f bright reds and imperial→♦× yellows in the classic “Abao” color€♠Ω palette often overwhelms the eyes—s←≥o vivid it''''''''s almost unbearab‍∏↕≤le. The reason “Story of Yaγ​‌nxi Palace” reignited Q←‌γΩing dynasty fever lies no↕<₹♦t only in its fresh plotβ♠€ and character designs but also i÷ n its costume and color palette. Br✔↑αεeaking from the usual saccharin♣☆↔£e aesthetic, it ingeniously employ'πs low-saturation hue&∑s, bringing an elegant, cin≤₽δ<ematic vintage charm t∑>β≈o the screen. The sophisticated “Ya₽εnxi colors” have won over countles<'↕"s fans.

So, what were the auth↑∞ ↓entic colors of the Qi× anlong era in the Qing Dynasty—the “MΩ×÷✔orandi colors” or the traditional←$★ Chinese palette? Which∑↔ aesthetic do you prefer?

Morandi Colors

The “Morandi color sc•☆✘heme” originates from the ₽βworks of Giorgio Moran✘$±di, a renowned 19th-century Italia​★n painter. Characterize$​λd by light gray tones, thes©δφe colors incorporate white to soften t'✘₹heir intensity. Renowned fo♠​r his still lifes, Morandi∏↕''''''''s works emplδ ε‍oy muted grays with reduced brightnes☆★s and saturation, offering viewer‍♥πs visual relaxation and pleasur≈π∞¥e—making them a top choice for>← contemporary designers.

Pink tones, blue tones, earth tones, grπ&♠een tones, and raw gray tones. Despit✔‍≤e the apparent compl↓πexity of the color spectrum, careful ♦→₽observation reveals that th₹​e Morandi palette essentialσ <ly comprises these primary∑β← groups. The fashion indu≤₹stry propelled Morandi colors to promiε♠₩↕nence; their high-end, lo↓φ♦w-saturation combinations inheren≤∑→ tly exude sophistication. T®±∑hese hues perfectly em∞≥γ♣body the minimalist aesthe₩÷¥tic, whispering with unde↑↓rstated elegance: “I am refi↕♥σπned.”

Traditional Chinese Colo↔<r Spectrum

Traditional Chinese coΩδ₽lors lean toward subdued tones, achiev✔'ed by diluting pigments wit♠€ "h water and ink. The Book of¥₩₽ Documents states: “Using five hues toλ↕✔™ manifest the five colors, creat®≠ ✔e garments, and you shall be enlig  ≥αhtened.” The Five Colors—red, yellow, δε∏blue, black, and whitδ↓∏γe—form the foundation of Chine♦​→'se color theory. This •✘‍system carries rich symbolδ∏•ic meanings and anci£>ent philosophical concepts, embodyingσ₩"↓ strong national characβφ™teristics and serving as a sy>∑mbol of Chinese culture. Ancient pra←®ctitioners discovered that five prima←£ry colors—the purest hues—constitute& & the fundamental elements of color. Theφ≤‍∞se could only be extracted from naturΩ∏ al sources; no combination of other colδ✔€δors could replicate them. Yet blendi≥•ng these five produced an infinite ₩™≈♥array of secondary hues.

Throughout five millennia of Chδ>÷§inese history, color prefer&→ ÷ences varied across dyn♣↑₹§asties. The Qing dynasty''''''''s colorγ< system matured as ea↕↔σ rly as the 17th century. The historica₩λ∏l period depicted in “Story of YΩφanxi Palace” favored moε£<re subdued hues, with the →Ωso-called “Yanxi colors” wiσ$dely applied in cont∞↕≤≤emporary attire, interior decor, and d£λ€•etailed brushwork paintings.

True to traditional Chinese aes₽✘thetics, “Tianyu” bases its lan©λ ↓tern craftsmanship and βα☆ color considerations on the “Five Co∏₹lors” of the classical Chinese c₽ ✘olor spectrum. Modern☆♠π lanterns transcend the Lantern Fe ®εstival, becoming a beloved nighttime p♣πastime popularized by Tiany≤λ$£u. Their colors follow distinct priσ&↓≤nciples and characteristics.

First: Decorative colors derived f‌§π•rom folk art. Chinese folk art colors s‌¶φtem from the Five Elements pγβ←☆hilosophy rooted in ancient Chinese yin✘≈-yang thought. Eastern ®↑®blue represents wood, western white r‍γepresents metal, southern red represen‌ ts fire, northern black representσ↑™s water, and central€©∑↔ yellow represents earth. T↑< he colors of the Five Elements are pu→↑re and intense. In Chinese folk art, wh§ ≈ere Five Elements colors dominate✔ , color usage is largely unrest∑™ricted by the subject matter, allo€λwing for considerable fre<☆¶®edom. From a human co‍γ lor instinct perspectφ✘ive, this direct expression throu §​gh color is far more sophisticat₽αed than merely imitat≤$ing external hues. In →←“Tianyu” lantern design, tradition←§←al Chinese red, blue, yellow, whit×'δ e, and black are both inherited and traε®nsformed. Since nightfall is dark,✘÷≤ large areas of black are seldom used¶¶ in lanterns, replaced insteaσ<d by high-purity colors like re$>™↑d, yellow, green, and blue. δ'♣ While maintaining the decor•✔★÷ative essence of folk art, color<ε schemes are divided into two primary aε©pproaches: first, employing color  ±↔contrast; second, utiliziλ✔$×ng monochromatic or ana×₹±≈logous color combinations. For ≤™ ✘instance, Tianyu''''''''s♦α most iconic and critically aπλcclaimed touring piec<☆e, the “Dragon Lantern,” masterfullπ©πy executes the contraσ✔₽st between “orthodox red and yello•♣←w.” Notably, Tianyu craft₩​♥ed set pieces for the James Bo♠¶↕∑nd film SKYFALL. Its “Dragon"≤£☆ Boat” became the film''''''''s most→♥α emotionally resonant scene, r×≤ich with Eastern flair that✘∞ immersed audiences in its ≥₩≥atmosphere. The dragon, pred&>₽&ominantly yellow with subtly a₽ ↔ccented red, demonstrates Tianyu''''¥>λσ''''s mastery and sophisticated t→∑Ωechnique in color applicati÷™β"on.

Second: Contemporary color✔₹ palettes. Beyond red, yellow,↔☆ blue, green, and white, Tianyu emp←≠loys complex hues likλεe purple, pink, brown, and orange↔φε in varying shades and intensit ε♥∞ies. Moving beyond traditi∏‌onal color schemes, new t<© hemes and techniques in lantern des  ₹ign have pioneered innovative color a∞γpplications. Lantern dδ∑>isplays inspired by nature—whether " σplants, animals, or entire environ↕→ments—often mimic natural color¥γ  palettes. For instance, Tianyu'''''<>'''s animal and deep♦ £-sea installations, set agai☆≤$nst zoological backdrops, dra≠λδw their hues directly fλ   rom nature while seamlessly®σ integrating them into their envi<™Ωδronments.

Of course, there are aδ♥"lso lantern color schemes with→δ lower saturation, exuding a sophisticφ ated feel akin to the “Yanxi Palace colδ←ors.” For instance, some lanter<©λn installations created by ‘Tianyu’ f∑✔±or the 2017 and 2018 “Sydney Vivi±λ↓∑d Light Festival” em><εployed relatively sub↑→dued color palettes. As they ® gradually illuminated under the night→☆₽∞ sky, an air of mystery seeme€¥∏®d to emerge.

Which style do you pref÷Ωer?