The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-25
GETTING READY FOR THE
CHINESE NEW YEAR DAYS
Big Time Will Begin at Midnight on
Sixth of February..--Making of
Lanterns and Candies.

! from bamboo split in half and shaved
! down TO a transparent thinness These
| are bowed on to turned blocks at top
| and bottom, and arranged in sockets to
/ open or shut like an umbrella, only
! with both ends caught so that only the
middle parts are bowed out, until the
affair is almost round. over this ex-
panded framework is stretched a fine
/ cloth of silk threads with meShes sew
! eral times larger than those in mes
/ quito netting.
The cloth is secured to the bamboo
strips with a thin paste. a workman
using a wide brush covers the thin
gauzy stuff with shellac. This opera
ton is gone over several times until
the surface presents smooth, glazed
| appearance, with all the meshes filled
The globe looks very much like a
sphere of smoke-colored crystal. This
is allowed to dry and then another Chi
nese, with paint-pot and brush in
scribes on the surface huge Chinese
characters, oftentimes putting on the
name of the person or firm ordering
the lantern. This Is again allowed to
dry when it is treated to a shellac coat
ing, giving it rich appearance. An
other artist then takes the lantern in
hand and paints up the surface birds.
flowers. scenes in China, conventional
border designs. until from a Chinese
standpoint. it is thing of beauty for
ever. When perfectly dry, the lantern
is allowed to fold up, no damage being
done to the painting, and is tied With
bamboo thongs.
During the manufacture of the lanterns
another interesting operation is going on |
In another room. This is the manufac- |
ture of the candles to place inside the |
lanterns. A standard is placed in the |
middle of the floor and on top of this,
parallel with the floor are two hoops
one within the other, which revolye |
Chinaman sits before this device and
hangs upon the outer rim thin strips of
bamboo in the form of an L, the longer
part hanging downward. At the lower
end are wickS of cotton. Directly under
the outer rim is an iron basin filled with
tallow, and under this a fire burns, keep
ing the tallow in liquid form
Three wicks are dipped into the tallow
and hung up again. Three more are SIM
dred or more wicks on the outer rim have
been dipped. Again and again they are
dipped, the Chinaman patiently perform
ing this duty from morning until night
When the wicks have attained the size
of middle finger they are transferred |
ed to the outer one. Finally the candles
have assumed the right size, and they
are laid aside. Another Chinaman takes
them in hand, and paints them a brilliant
red, wicks and all. They are hung up
to dry, and soon are ready for shipment.
Some candles are made nearly a foot |
long, and about two inches thick. These
are painted red and then treated to gilt
which makes them quite ex-
pensive. Some candles which have rails
ed inscriptions and scenes and are beau
fully decorated, cost as much as SO a
pair A Chinaman asks for no color but
red for his New Years celebration, il be-
ing a sign of good luck. His visiting
cards are always red strips of paper.
For the larger candles care has to be
taken for their shipment, if they are to
90 outside of Honolulu. Hollow bamboos
are cut into lengths of about a foot.
split and notched at the ends. The end
piece of bamboo with a slit in the center
md this is caught in the notches of the
covers. Bamboo thongs bind the two
halves together. making the candle Sc
cure so it cannot break in transit.
The lanterns thus manufactured are of
LII sizes, from a lantern not foot high,
% some tuat are six feet tall. The glaz-
ID surfaces show the brilliant colorings
when the candles are lighted within. and
Turing gala season in Chinatown, make
IN interesting sight of Oriental Splendor.
The manufact urers are fastening to fill
heir orders, and although there is almost
wo weeks yet to pass before New Years
yet some of them feel that
hey viii not succeed in fulfilling prom
SeS.
The largest lantern to be displayed will
De that belonging to Wing On Tai on
King street, which is about six feet high,
md cost in China about SIS or $40. An
electric light will be used to illuminate