The fifteenth day of ¥♠  the first lunar month marks the trⱧΩaditional Lantern Festival. Also known✔→↓  as the “First Moon F∑βestival” or “Spring Lanternα± Festival,” it is a time-honored Ch​¥'inese folk celebration. The fβ×irst lunar month is ελ™called “Yuan” (meaning ‘first’∞÷→), and ancient people refε♣erred to night as “xiγ§×ao.” The fifteenth night is the first €☆full moon of the year, hence the ×±∞name “Yuanxiao Festival.” O↔δ nly after celebrating the La♦✔₩♠ntern Festival does the Chinese •✘↔₽New Year truly conclude₩ . The Lantern Festival features numero€↓σus customs, with lanteα™‍↔rn displays being the•™ main attraction. The Song Dynasty poet&€© Xin Qiji penned a ti€ σmeless ode celebrating the festival''s×  splendor: “The east win±<d blows at night, setting ♦€®a thousand trees aglow with  ‍blossoms, then blows them down like​≥ rain. Fine horses and ornate carriageεβ✔•s fill the fragrant streets. Flut§¥e music fills the aiσ✔r, the light from jade lanterns dances,÷✔ and all night long, dragons and fish d"αance.”

Today''s Lantern Festi₽←&val displays an astonishing variety ofπ ☆‌ lanterns. Modern la↕≥ntern art has evolved beyonδβd traditional techniques♣ , innovating into unique ¥♣σregional art forms. While candles are>÷ still used as light sou↑©rces in some lanterns, electr↕₽£ic bulbs are more common to en ≤φπhance brightness. In ancient t≈φ≠¥imes, candles and oil were th¶±®e primary fuels for e♠♣♠veryday lamps.

During the Warring States period throσ✔>±ugh the Qin Dynasty, illumination reli"‌Ωed on a standing, flammable “ca♦εndle.” Regarding its construction₽✘£ and materials, Jia Gongya™β↔n''s commentary states: “Made¥≈< with a reed core wrapped in ←ε$cloth, then coated with honeyed s☆≈yrup—much like modern wax can‌₽>dles.” This indicates that the s<±o-called “candles” of that®≥" era were initially nothing mor€α® e than torches made from bundle∞">φs of flammable reeds or oil-r₹↔'↕ich twigs from pine or bamboo. T₩ε&§he Records of the Gra↓×nd Historian: Annals of ™☆Emperor Qin Shi Huang also mentions th>&♦at for his burial, “human and fish oilsβ♠β> were used as candles, d  "esigned to burn for an extended ​↕≠→period without extinguishing.”

During the Han dynasties, twisted o•↑<∞il lamps for illuminat≥♠®ion emerged, with the most common bei☆£ng bean-shaped lamps. By this perλ✘iod, animal fats with low solidificatioβελΩn points, such as tallow, were alreadπ×δy being used as liquid fuel.€↔  Prior to the Eastern Han¥✔•σ Dynasty in China, anim‌​€al fats were the pred​'ominant source of light∏↓♦"ing fuel. From the Wei, Jin, and Southeλ§♣rn and Northern Dynasties λ≈through the Song and Yuan periods×↔®, significant changes occurred in lig☆β§≈hting fuels. In addition≤≤σ to animal fats, vegetable oi₹∏≥ls and wax candles became primary li↔•‌₽ghting materials, and petroleum ≤"β began to be used as a lighting fueε→÷l. Chinese candles util±♥ized various raw materials, including≠Ω≠ yellow wax and white wax. Yellow wax$≤, derived from beeswax secreted by  ♥φ✔worker bees'' abdominal wax glands,σו formed the primary com→±≈ponent of honeycombs. White wax oγ ♦₹riginated from the secr∑♥etions of white wax ins€πects, a phenomenon often depict₽αed in murals found within Tang Dyna≤σδsty tombs.

By the Ming and Qing dynasties, ligh€δ​λting fuels became even more>¥λ☆ diverse, with petroleum and v≤₹egetable oils gaining widespre₩Ωad use. Beyond northern Shaanxi, e§&★xamples of petroleum lamps appeared iπΩ©♦n southwestern regions, accompanied bΩ£y detailed descripti₽✘ons of oil extraction tools and met‌™♦hods: Place clean, wλ‌ hole tung nuts into a steam÷₽✘ er basket and steam thor$Ω₩&oughly. After steaming, transfe♣£r them to a mortar for pounding. The m↔γ≠€ortar should be approx↑​imately one foot five inches¶♦‍ deep, with the pestl→÷‍e body crafted from stone—no i$↓¶ron mouth is needed. Sim∑≈ε>ply select sturdy, smooth↑® stones from deep within the mountain∞αs and carve them into$λ→λ shape. Pounding removes the entir€∏‌e waxy coating from the seed k∑↔φ×ernels. This wax layer is si∏‍fted off and set aside in a tray↑Ω  for steaming. After s≤✘teaming, the kernels are re☆★₩←packaged and pressed. O↕✔±∞nce the outer wax layer is r  'αemoved, the inner kernel is a↓≠©♥ black seed. Using a small, ™↕☆fire-resistant, smooth stone₩§± mill surrounded by glo→>wing charcoal embers, t↑εhe black seeds are added by handfu¶γls to the mill. After g±↑§rinding, blow away the blackβ ★✘ husks with air to reveal pure white ke♠≠≤rnels. Crush these kernels, steam t <hem, then wrap and press usiλ✘←<ng the previous method. The ex¶✘γtracted oil is called “water oil,” excα​∞ eptionally clear and brig ∑ht. When poured into a small‌± lamp, a single wick could burn u ∏™ntil dawn, surpassin★§€g all other pure oils.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties,<®★ accumulated experience in w¥¶♠ax production and usag↔♠‍÷e expanded candle ma×♦terials. As diverse plant oils beca÷♠÷me common raw materials, c<✔‌<andles gradually spread from impe>εαrial courts to middle and‍• lower social classes. In his work T™≠≥λhe Book of Crafts, Ming dynastΩ∞₽y scholar Song Yingxing detailed the €÷‍'method for making can←∞∞dles using bamboo oil: Split ★≠₽↑a bitter bamboo tube le ✘εngthwise, boil it in wate✘£r until plump (to remove any residual b↕ε ark oil), then secure i✔¶t with a small bamboo hoop. Using a poi∑≈nted iron ladle, pour oil into t≠↔he tube, insert a wick, and the ₩​candle is complete. After the w£★ax solidified, the bamboo str€≥ips were carefully re•∑★moved along the lengt♥σ¥£h of the tube. The bambγ≈£'oo tube was then opened to extrac>₽©↓t the candle. Another method involves®₽£ carving a small wooden stα★♥¥ick into a candle mol✔&←d. Cut a piece of paper and ro≈Ω​ll it around the stick to form a paper‍σ tube. Pour tallow into the paφφ‌‌per tube, and it will ε$"πsolidify 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 socieσ$>ty''s advanced development, most peop↕ ©le have long abandoned oil lamps or♠πφ candles, now enjoying ★↑≠>electric lighting. Though lamp-b∏≈urning has departed from practical φβ δnecessity, it evokes the proλ♥'sperity of specific eras and ☆εφhas shaped enduring national ∏ ♠traditions.

“Without moonlight, lant₩"¥erns fail to delight; without lant  ×erns, spring feels incom​'ε♣plete. When spring g£•§races the earth, people shine like j↕≠♦Ωade; beneath burning lamps, the  ∑₹moon gleams like silver. Villag∞ €ers adorned in jewels ↓☆∑and pearls fill the streets; festiv ∞↓e music and song celebrate the vi≥₩llage deity. Without raiδ♦₽✔sing a cup and sharing laughter, h¥✘πow could one savor this splendid ✔Ω ↑night?” As the annual Lantern →✔☆Festival approaches, why not light∏> a lantern and experie♠¥¶nce this tradition, now over twφ€o thousand years old?