Raise the Red Lantern - Lianhua Mt Park's Tea house and bamboo forest

Lian Hua tea house

In my little oasis in Shenzhen, there is a small bamboo forest surrounding a traditional tea house. During the day, if one's heart is open, the winds will whisper of the magic that unveils itself when the sun has slid behind the snow mountains of the Himalayas in the West. 

As the neon lights of the city buildings ignite, the red lanterns hidden like fireflies in midsummer grass blink on. The warm South China sea breeze sways them back and forth spreading a warm red glow in the tangle of the forest.

It is the most magical place to me. Here, I dream of Red Dragons, Jade Rabbits and other creatures of yore who would appear along the lantern lit lanes of the Middle Kingdom's ancient realm. 

Some say that Chinese
lanterns were invented
on the night before the
Chinese New Year for the
Buddhist monks to use
instead of fire torches to
light their way in search for the divine figure of the Buddha and his followers. Other believe that the lanterns have special properties to ward of evil spirits and show good luck to your door.

Lanterns were more than a means to light the way; they also illuminated those of the Noble class and Emperor. The size and the materials of the lamp acted as beacon of status, advertising to all that passed by the wealth of the family. Lamps of wealthy were mostly made of silk and velvet and hung from the higher floors.  

Over time, lanterns would decorate most houses - poor or wealthy- in China. People would use the lanterns to announces important events that the families were going through.

• Red lantern:  Red is a symbol of happiness, life and luck. When it was placed outside the house, it meant a marriage or birth was taking place within the family.
• Blue lantern: Blue symbolizes sickness or poor health in China. If hanging, it would mean that a family member's health was degenerating.
• White lantern: White in China represents death. When two white lanterns are placed on top of doorway with a white sash across the door, the family was in mourning.

To me, the lanterns symbolize the mystical world of the Middle Kingdom that lies beyond the Western mind.