During the 2024 Spring Festival in the Year of the Dragon, atop the landmark Peony Pavilion along Luoyang's central axis in China, a giant peony flower lantern blossomed, breaking the Guinness World Records title for the largest standing lantern.
Luoyang was the ancient capital of the 13 dynasties in Chinese civilization, while peony is the symbol flower of Luoyang.
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This colossal peony lantern measured 45.03 metres in length, 19.7 m in width, 24.84 m in height, and weighed 45 tonnes (99,208 lb) with an additional 40-tonne (88,184-lb) counterweight. That's heavier than a fire engine.
The lantern is equivalent to the height of an 8-storey building or the length of 100 adults standing shoulder to shoulder, and features over 53,000 internal light sources.
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Crafted by 200 artisans, using the traditional lantern-making techniques of the national intangible cultural heritage Zigong Lantern Festival, the lantern is entirely handmade, involving steps such as three-dimensional wire framing, light source arrangement, colour separation paste, and artistic painting.
The designer based the lantern on the Luoyang red peony, consisting of 36 main petals arranged in six layers, gradually decreasing in size from outer to inner layers. Each petal underwent a silk gradient dyeing process, creating an effect that combines meticulous craftsmanship with artistic aesthetics.
Due to the massive size of the lantern, construction posed extreme difficulties: a single outer petal weighs 800 kg (1,763 lb), with a length of over 10 m (32 ft 9 in).
The light source arrangement, paste application, and flipping required the coordination of dozens of craftsmen, and the dyeing process necessitated the use of cranes.
To achieve the desired 45-degree tilt for the peony lantern, a steel structure base with a mountain-shaped design was created at the bottom to support it. Installing the 30-tonne (66,138-lb) peony flower onto the base proved to be another challenge for the builders.
The project commenced on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month and was completed by New Year's Eve, enduring severe cold, a raging wind of force seven, two blizzards, and non-stop work for 17 days and nights. But after lots of hard work, it proudly stood along Luoyang's central axis, against the backdrop of the majestic Peony Pavilion, rivaling the grandeur of architectural marvels.
This record-breaking lantern was part of the Thousand Lantern Festival at the Luoyang Peony Pavilion scenic area.
The organizers of the Thousand Lantern Festival hope to establish the Luoyang Peony Pavilion Thousand Lantern Festival as an annual event during the Chinese New Year period.
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