The Essence Of Watermelon Lanterns

The watermelon lantern is a traditional folk art unique to Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province. It is created by carving patterns into a watermelon and placing a light source inside to form a lantern. Records of this craft date back to the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and it was mentioned in a poem by the scholar Zhang Fengnian during the early Qianlong reign. In 2009, the Pinghu watermelon lantern was included in the third batch of Zhejiang Province's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The craft encompasses a comprehensive artistic system involving carving, scooping, picking, incising, and painting, seamlessly integrating sculpture, painting, and calligraphy. When viewed at night, light shining through the rind reveals poetic and pictorial imagery; consequently, Pinghu is renowned as the "City of Watermelon Lanterns."