From green radish lanterns to animal-shaped bean dough lanterns, there is so much to be discovered in the world of edible Lantern Festival paraphernalia
In some parts of China, Lantern Festival is celebrated with a rather special lantern variety—edible ones. Weifang in Shandong province is home to a unique green radish. Even apples and pears, another two Shandong produce, cannot compare with this jade green root vegetable, since its vitamin C content is five times higher. It’s sweet at first, with a spicy kick at the end. Locals enjoy it raw, shred it into a crisp snack—and use it to make edible lanterns.
The radish is cut and carved into a bowl shape. A cotton wick is added with some peanut oil to light it, exuding a fresh radish smell. Lanterns in traditional red color can be made from water radish, a variety with a red exterior, sometimes with auspicious characters like fu (福, blessing) carved on it.
Upon nightfall, farmers light the radish lanterns, asking for favorable weather in the new year, whereas children carry the radish lanterns to friends and neighbors who treat them to a bowl of tangyuan, glutinous rice balls with nuts and sesame inside.
Wang Lin is a contributing writer at The World of Chinese who aspires to tell fresh stories about life, arts and culture in China—no prejudice, no clichés. Her writing has appeared on Nikkei Asia, the South China Morning Post, RADII, and elsewhere. She was born in Ningbo, a bustling port known for its dumplings and seafood.
