Hanging lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is an essential part of the festive atmosphere during the Chinese New Year.As the Lantern Festival approaches,the Lan Mama Handcraft Workshop in Luozhuang District,Linyi City,has become lively with activity.

Inside the workshop,Zhang Yan is busy teaching children how to make koi fish lanterns.Zhang Yan is not only the owner of the Lan Mama Handcraft Workshop but also a passionate advocate for traditional culture and an intangible cultural heritage(ICH)inheritor.When talking about this activity,her enthusiasm and determination are particularly evident."This is the first year of intangible cultural heritage,a Chinese year with special significance,"she said.As an ICH inheritor,she hopes to use her efforts to help more people understand and inherit intangible cultural heritage."Only by letting more people learn about and love intangible cultural heritage can we truly achieve its transmission and development."

The koi fish lantern,as a traditional decoration for the Lantern Festival,symbolizes good luck,happiness,and prosperity.This aligns perfectly with the inheritance and development of intangible cultural heritage.Zhang Yan hopes that through this hands-on activity of making koi fish lanterns,everyone can experience the charm of traditional culture and the uniqueness of intangible cultural heritage,inspiring the younger generation to develop an interest in and love for traditional culture,and nurturing their awareness of preserving intangible cultural heritage.

Zhang Yan patiently guides the children on how to choose materials,design the shape of the koi fish,and skillfully paste every detail of the koi fish to bring it to life.Under her careful guidance,the children gradually mastered the techniques of making koi fish lanterns,and their creations began to show unique styles and charm.

For Xu Jiaze,making the koi fish lantern was not just a festive decoration but an artwork full of meaning and blessings:"This is my first time making a koi fish lantern,and it’s really interesting.The koi fish symbolizes good luck and happiness,and the word'fish'in the koi lantern sounds like'surplus,'so through this koi fish lantern,I wish everyone good luck in the new year and may they have abundance every year."

The activity not only attracted children but also many parents who came to accompany them.During the process of making the koi fish lanterns,parents and children worked together,helping each other,which not only strengthened the parent-child bond but also allowed children to feel the charm of traditional culture through hands-on practice.

Ren Yuhua shared her thoughts about making the koi lantern with her child,saying,"In the past,we would buy ready-made lanterns from supermarkets or markets for the Lantern Festival,but this is the first time we’ve made the koi lantern together with my child.It feels very meaningful.From choosing materials and designing the shape to applying the decorations,every step was filled with fun and challenge.The child found a sense of achievement and satisfaction in the process.Through hands-on participation,we also felt the charm and vitality of traditional culture.This understanding gained from practice is much deeper and more lasting than what we could get from books."

(Linyi Luozhuang)