The meanings of hanging lanterns during the New Year are as follows:
1. Since the pronunciation of the word "lantern" is similar to that of adding a child, hanging lanterns is also used to pray for a child.
2. Because lanterns are red, hanging lanterns has the auspicious meaning of good fortune (red).
3. Because the true red color of lanterns is the color of cinnabar, and cinnabar is a treasure that is extremely effective in expelling evil spirits and fending off evil spirits according to Feng Shui, so hanging lanterns has the meaning of expelling evil spirits and fending off disasters.
There are also certain things to pay attention to when hanging lanterns during the Spring Festival. First of all, our ancients believed that good things come in pairs. So when hanging lanterns at the door to welcome the New Year, you need to hang one on the left and right, not odd numbers, and make sure they are symmetrical on both sides. In addition, the distance must be controlled, not too close, nor too far away. The doorway must show the joy of the lanterns without affecting the viewing of couplets and blessing characters.
Inheritance and development
Nowadays, red lanterns are popular all over the country and are more exquisitely made. During the Lunar New Year in the Year of the Rooster, nearly a hundred red lanterns were hung in the Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower Square to complement the Pearl Tower. On National Day, residents of a residential community in Guiyang City used 300,000 red lanterns to form a corridor, decorating the inside and outside of the community with joy, adding a strong festive atmosphere.
As a traditional folk handicraft, red lanterns are still popular in China. It plays an irreplaceable role in the long history of the Chinese nation. It symbolizes the splendid culture of the Chinese nation and is part of the intangible cultural heritage. In the eyes of Chinese people, red lanterns symbolize family reunion, prosperous career, happiness, brightness, vitality, perfection and wealth, so everyone likes them.