Editing Chinese culture (section)

=== Chinese lantern ===
{{Main|Paper lantern|Sky lantern}}
[[File:Red lanterns, Spring Festival, Ditan Park Beijing.JPG|thumb|left|upright=1.15|Red lanterns are hung from the trees during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Ditan Park (Temple of Earth) in Beijing.]]
The Chinese paper lantern (紙燈籠, 纸灯笼) is a [[lantern]] made of thin, brightly colored paper.<ref name=freedictionary_lantern>{{cite web|title=Chinese lantern|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Chinese+lantern|publisher=The Free Dictionary|access-date=18 May 2014|archive-date=18 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518063819/http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Chinese+lantern|url-status=live}}</ref> Paper lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, as well as various methods of construction. In their simplest form, they are simply a [[paper bag]] with a [[candle]] placed inside, although more complicated [[lantern]]s consist of a collapsible [[bamboo]] or metal frame of hoops covered with tough [[paper]]. Sometimes, other lanterns can be made out of colored silk (usually red) or vinyl. Silk lanterns are also collapsible with a metal expander and are decorated with Chinese characters and/or designs. The vinyl lanterns are more durable; they can resist rain, sunlight, and wind. Paper lanterns do not last very long, they soon break, and silk lanterns last longer. The gold paper on them will soon fade away to a pale white, and the red silk will become a mix between pink and red. Often associated with [[festival]]s, paper lanterns are common in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and similarly in [[Chinatown]]s with large communities of [[Overseas Chinese]], where they are often hung outside of businesses to attract attention. In Japan [[Traditional lighting equipment of Japan|the traditional styles]] include ''[[bonbori]]'' and ''chōchin'' and there is a special style of lettering called ''[[edomoji|chōchin moji]]'' used to write on them. Airborne paper lanterns are called [[sky lanterns]], and are often released into the night sky for aesthetic effect at [[lantern festival]]s.

The Chinese sky lantern (天燈, 天灯), also known as ''Kongming lantern'', is a small [[hot air balloon]] made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended. In Asia and elsewhere around the world, sky lanterns have been traditionally made for centuries, to be launched for play or as part of long-established festivities. The name "sky lantern" is a translation of the [[Standard Chinese|Chinese]] name but they have also been referred to as ''sky candles'' or ''fire balloons''. The general design is a thin paper shell, which may be from about 30 [[centimetre|cm]] to a couple of [[metre]]s across, with an opening at the bottom. The opening is usually about 10 to 30&nbsp;cm wide (even for the largest shells), and is surrounded by a stiff collar that serves to suspend the [[flame]] source and to keep it away from the walls. When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density and causing the lantern to rise into the air. The sky lantern is only airborne for as long as the flame stays alight, after which the lantern sinks back to the ground.