Lanterns

Lanterns,
Round,
Dangling like pearls.

Lanterns, I suppose, plays an integral part in Chinese culture. Chinese hang lanterns in their homes; emperors hang them in their palaces. Just the other day, my friends and I visited a friend whose husband had just passed away. White lanterns were visible at the porch. In good times and bad, there are always lanterns to indicate the situations. Lanterns in palaces are yellow and those at home are red especially for joyous occasions like Chinese New Year. I like especially the mooncake festival when children carry lanterns of various shapes and hues. Quite a sight indeed at Taiping Lake Gardens in the past when youngsters gathered to light up candles and lanterns. I remember especially the lights of the candles and lanterns glittering on the water surface...

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