Festivals

Revolving shadow lantern

The revolving lantern (đèn kéo quân) was the Mid-Autumn lantern that made a whole crowd of kids stand there gaping. A bamboo frame wrapped in paper held a light spindle with many cut-out figures: soldiers, horses and other animals. Light the candle at the base, the rising hot air turned the spindle slowly, and the shadows of the figures ran in circles across the paper outside, like watching a film.

The figures chased one another without end, like an army marching forever, which is where the name “marching army lantern” comes from. On full-moon night the lantern sat in the middle of the offering tray or was carried round with your friends, and every kid crouched down to watch the horses run past again and again without ever getting bored.

Do you remember? Do you remember which figures ran around on your revolving lantern?

💬 Everyone's memories

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