Playing with lanterns is an essential part of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many residents make a special trip to “Lantern Street” in Yuen Long to select, selecting unique  lanterns to celebrate this traditional festival. Some believe that these traditional cultures and customs should be preserved and passed down.

Lantern Street

When the Mid-autumn Festival is mentioned, customs such as mooncakes and lanterns come to mind. Each lantern is a symbol of joy and tradition. In the Tai Kiu Market in Yuen Long, there is a vibrant corner that captures the festival spirit. It’s adorned with plenty of unique and innovative handmade Chinese lanterns. The dazzling contrasts with the atmosphere of the surrounding shops.

“The lanterns here are all designed by my son and handmade by my family and workers. You cannot find them outside,” said Wong Kin Tai, the boss of “Guan Yin Hang”, the store that sells incense sticks daily. Wong’s son followed in his father’s footsteps, learning the art of crafting handmade items. Around 10 years ago, she decided to sell her son’s lanterns in their shop, never expecting them to become such a sensation. Now, every year as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, she begins selling these lanterns. The area has earned the nickname “Lantern Street”, drawing in locals and tourists alike.

The blend of innovation and traditional culture has made these lanterns appealing to a wide audience. “From the elderly to parents bringing their kids, everyone is our guest,” Wong said. Her shop often becomes a gathering place, drawing people of all ages.

She noted that the most popular lanterns are the Prince Frog and the Baby Panda, created in celebration of the panda born this year. At the same time, her store always crafted some traditional lanterns, such as the starfruit lantern made from colourful cellophane and classic paper lanterns, which are particularly popular among the elderly.

Keeping the Light of Tradition Alive

“I want them to know what lanterns used to be like,” said Ren Leung, a 38-years-old mother who makes the journey from Kowloon every year with her two daughters to buy lanterns. She recalled that her parents brought her to do the traditional things when she was small, and now she yearns to replicate that what her parents did, doing the tradition with her daughters. “I will take them to see the large lantern displays, and we will visit grandparents for dinner to celebrate togetherness,” she said.

Jojo Tsang, a 30-year-old mother, strolled through “Lantern Street” with her daughter, who was dressed in a traditional Chinese outfit. They bought a pink dragon lantern that her daughter chose. Living in Tin Shui Wai, Tsang has also made it a yearly tradition to bring her daughter here to choose lanterns. She appreciates the lantern designs here, and wants her daughter to know more about this tradition.

“I worry that these traditional crafts will fade away. I worry she will not know these anymore after she grows up,” Tsang said. She values cultural tradition and thinks that today’s Hong Kong society does not hold these customs in the same regard as before. “In the past, we used to play with candles during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but now that has been banned,” Tsang added.

The significance of the Mid-Autumn Festival

Tsang believes that the Mid-Autumn Festival is an essential traditional celebration, symbolizing family unity, “These cultural practices should be passed down through generations.”

Wong noted that in recent years, there has been an increase in Hong Kong people coming to buy lanterns. She believes this reflects  a growing appreciation for traditional customs among Hong Kong people. “If my lanterns can help spark more interest in these traditions, that would be a wonderful thing,” Wong said. “The Mid-Autumn Festival and lanterns are unchangeable partnerstimeless tradition.”