In Qing dynasty palace drama♥$∏s, the empresses'''''''' jeweled hairpi±♥☆ns and step-shaking ornaments d‌×₩✘azzle with intricate cra$♦ftsmanship. The high-saturation cl<£§↓ashing of bright redσ×≤s and imperial yellows in the classic ☆>>“Abao” color palette often overwhelms ≈ ​the eyes—so vivid it''''''''s almos™‌δ§t unbearable. The reason “Story ∞"πof Yanxi Palace” reignited Qi₽↕∑ng dynasty fever lies not only i☆♥n its fresh plot and character desig≤₩↑ns but also in its costume and₩£♣ color palette. Breaking from the usu™γ♠Ωal saccharine aesthetic, it ingenious₹≤ly employs low-saturation hu‍₩es, bringing an elegant, cinematic♦≤¥ vintage charm to the screen. ∑ The sophisticated “Yanx•€βi colors” have won over countlessδ  fans.

So, what were the authentic col>¥ors of the Qianlong era in the Qiφ↔≥ng Dynasty—the “Morandi colors” or ∑α¥the traditional Chines•≥✔"e palette? Which aesthetic do you pre↔•★fer?

Morandi Colors

The “Morandi color scheme” ori₽§ginates from the works of Giorgio ♥↕Morandi, a renowned 19th®€>≈-century Italian painter. Characteri₽¶↓εzed by light gray tones, these color>÷s incorporate white to soften thei§​♥≥r intensity. Renowned for his still l₩α$ifes, Morandi''''''''s works ↑↔employ muted grays with red↔☆♦"uced brightness and sat∑'σ uration, offering vi≈♠ewers visual relaxation an♠±d pleasure—making them a top choice fββor contemporary designers.

Pink tones, blue tones, earth tones,♠¥  green tones, and raw grayλ≠‌> tones. Despite the app>₩arent complexity of the color ∏ spectrum, careful obseσ rvation reveals that the Morandi pale♦¥¶ tte essentially comprises these prim&♣ary groups. The fashion i₩ ndustry propelled Morandi colγ™÷ors to prominence; their high-×ε>'end, low-saturation combinatioπ≠≤∑ns inherently exude sophist÷>∏ ication. These hues perfectly embody th∑↕♥e minimalist aesthet<✔ic, whispering with ∑ understated elegance: “I am σ‍refined.”

Traditional Chinese Color Sp♠‍→$ectrum

Traditional Chinese colors lean towa₹Ω rd subdued tones, achieved by diluting✘• pigments with water and ink. The B✘Ω♥ook of Documents states: “Us< ≥ing five hues to manifest the fi​'ve colors, create garments, andα ← you shall be enlightened.” Theα★ Five Colors—red, yellow,§≥φ¶ blue, black, and white—form the '↔foundation of Chines₽♠±​e color theory. This☆"' system carries rich symbolic mea∑₽φ‌nings and ancient philosophic←‌☆'al concepts, embodying strong nat•σ✘ional characteristics and serving ≥≠∞∑as a symbol of Chinese c§→‍ulture. Ancient practitioners discovere§€↑d that five primary colors—the pures♠∏™t hues—constitute th ¥÷£e fundamental elementsβ$  of color. These could only γ'be extracted from natural sour™ €ces; no combination ↔ δ<of other colors could r±Ω>eplicate them. Yet blendεαing these five produced an infinite arr™' ay of secondary hues.

Throughout five millennia of Chines$<≥e history, color preferences​®  varied across dynasties. The ®$  Qing dynasty''''''''s color system mat× ≥ured as early as the 17‍& £th century. The hist•÷orical period depict  ‍£ed in “Story of Yanxi P∑γalace” favored more subdue→∑d hues, with the so-called “Y↓₩π£anxi colors” widely applied in♦∏→ contemporary attire, interior&¥ decor, and detailed •☆εbrushwork paintings.

True to traditional Chinese aesthet✘<ics, “Tianyu” bases its lantern craf₹✘≠ tsmanship and color considerations oα≤n the “Five Colors” of →‍σ☆the classical Chinese color ↓∏spectrum. Modern lanterns transcend ✔ the Lantern Festival, becomi§₩ng a beloved nighttime pastime populγ♥arized by Tianyu. Their colors foll♥∏¶ow distinct principles and charact₹λ‍eristics.

First: Decorative colors deri£λved from folk art. Chinese folk art coΩ<lors stem from the Five Elements ph$​≈ilosophy rooted in ancient Chin₩¶'ese yin-yang thought. Easter∑λ n blue represents wood, western white r‌ epresents metal, southern red repre≈​πsents fire, northern black reαα™≥presents water, and cent♦™ral yellow represents earth. The colors×®÷ of the Five Elements are pure and inte¥¥$nse. In Chinese folk art, δα♣₩where Five Elements colors domi✔'¥nate, color usage is larg≈πely unrestricted by the subjecπ​→φt matter, allowing for×π← considerable freedom. From a φ human color instinct p¶♣erspective, this direct expre &δssion through color is far more so→₽★εphisticated than merely imitating ♣$♣external hues. In “Tia©γ÷ nyu” lantern design, traditio✘¥nal Chinese red, blue, yellow, white,ε↓♥ and black are both §<inherited and transforme✔>d. Since nightfall is dark, la β≈rge areas of black are seldom use®∑d in lanterns, replaced instead by h®​ ₽igh-purity colors like red, y™☆ellow, green, and blueΩ∞Ω. While maintaining the decorative β→¥☆essence of folk art, c π∑©olor schemes are divided♥↑λ into two primary approa↑✘ches: first, employing color cσ↕↑γontrast; second, utilδ↑↓izing monochromatic o♣∞♣r analogous color combination↑↕•✔s. For instance, Tianyu''''''€ σ''s most iconic and cri€¶tically acclaimed touring piece♣  ★, the “Dragon Lantern,” masterfully ex >¥≈ecutes the contrast bet&✔≤₽ween “orthodox red and yellow.” N≠↓otably, Tianyu crafted set pieces for ↔ ¶£the James Bond film SKYFALL★'₽÷. Its “Dragon Boat” be₽αcame the film''''''''s mos∞>t emotionally resonant scene,φ£‍ rich with Eastern flair that imme₹$rsed audiences in its atmosphere. <↕★The dragon, predominantly yellow with s∏♦ubtly accented red, demonstrates T$‍™ianyu''''''''s mastery anβπd sophisticated technique in color aπ®↓pplication.

Second: Contemporary color p‍✔alettes. Beyond red, yell₽><←ow, blue, green, and wh₹λ ite, Tianyu employs com™$plex hues like purple, pinβ•≤∑k, brown, and orange in v♠≠★arying shades and intensities.♠‍  Moving beyond traditional color £‍<$schemes, new themes and techni↕♣ques in lantern design have pioneer☆←↓‍ed innovative color applications.€εβ< Lantern displays inspired by natur&₩e—whether plants, animals, or®'∞ entire environments—often mim∞≈ic natural color palettes. Foφ‌♦×r instance, Tianyu''''''''s ∑ε∏animal and deep-sea installationσ↑φs, set against zoological backdrops,≈≈↔ draw their hues directly from nature ​→while seamlessly integrating them int ←₽ o their environments.

Of course, there are also l¶≠antern color schemes with lower satu¥€$ration, exuding a sophisticate≤±d feel akin to the “Yanxi Palace coγ≠lors.” For instance, som♠→"φe lantern installations created∏↔™÷ by ‘Tianyu’ for the 201§≤♥ 7 and 2018 “Sydney Vivid§&€  Light Festival” employ™γed relatively subdued color paΩβ αlettes. As they gradually i$♦€ lluminated under the night sky,  φ Ωan air of mystery see"&×med to emerge.

Which style do you prefer?