GongDeng 宫灯 palace lanterns, also known as court lanterns, are a distinctive type of traditional Chinese lantern and a hallmark of Chinese craftsmanship.
The city of Luoyang in Henan province was especially known for the production of palace and court lanterns. It’s also considered the origin of this craft.
As the name suggests, palace lanterns were initially used in the imperial palace. They are typically made with a delicate wooden frame, adorned with silk gauze or glass, and painted with various decorative patterns. These lanterns are celebrated for their elegance and regal courtly style. Used primarily within the court.
The lanterns in this post are from the Qing Dynasty and are made out of Zitan (red sandalwood)
Cnetizens: If you want to take photos at a place with a really special historical atmosphere, you can choose the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan Province. The Longmen Shiku have been rated a national 5A scenic spot. When you’re actually there, you can feel a sense of awe completely different from what you see in photos and videos. (cr 雨虹) Photos by Cnetizens:
Chongdugou Falls, Luoyang, China: Chongdugou Scenic Area is located in the southwest of Tantou Town, Luanchuan County, Henan Province, is a comprehensive tourist attraction that integrates natural scenery, folk culture and is deeply loved by tourists. The scenic area has dense bamboo forests and many springs. The clear springs converge into rivers and waterfalls, which is in sharp contrast to the mountains and rivers in the north... Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of the Luo River and the Yellow River in the west of Henan province, China. Wikipedia
The wedding scene clips can be found on youtube: 1, 2
Stepping Over Felt Mats 倒毡之礼 (Dào zhān zhī lǐ)
"Chuan Xi Jie Dai (传席接袋)" means newlyweds walking on mat. "Xi" means descendants and "dai" implies continuation of family line, implying there will be continuous descendants.
Looking into the Bronze Mirror and Paying Homage 望镜展拜 (Wàng jìng zhǎn bài)
It's an important part of Tang Dynasty weddings. Bronze mirrors were thought to have the function of exorcising evil spirits. The reflections of husband and wife in the same mirror symbolize their unity. This custom is also shown in Dunhuang murals, reflecting the good wishes of the family members for the newlyweds in a Tang wedding.
(There's some controversy about the hairdress used in the above scene btw. More on the crown inspo)
During the wedding the bride covers her face with a fan (queshan), out of humility and also to ward off evil spirits. The queshan used by He Weifang at her first wedding was hand-painted with scenes of her mother taking care of peonies, to express her longing for her mother.
Hand-washing Ceremony 奉匜沃盥 (Fèng yí wò guàn)
The Book of Rites 《礼记 - Lǐ jì》 records: "During this ceremony, a younger aid holds the washing bowl (to catch the dirty water), and an older aid pours the water. The couple wash their hands. Then they are given a towel", which means that the newlyweds should keep their hands clean and their minds calm, and respect each other.
Eat from the Same Pot, Drink from the Same Cup 同牢合卺 (Tóng láo héjǐn)
Sharing the meat of the same animal 同牢而食 (Tóng láo ér shí)
Book of Rites: Marriage 《礼记·昏义 - lǐ jì·hūn yì》 says, "When the wife arrives, the husband greets her and invites her in. They eat the meat of the same sacrificial animal (tong lao). They are in harmony and in love. This is to unite the couple and show respect and closeness to each other."
Hejin means splitting a gourd into two halves to serve wine, and Yin is the man and woman each hold a half to drink from it at the same time.
This symbolizes the couple will be one from now on, sharing respect and closeness and starting their life together. Read more about wedding wine here.
Headdress Removal and Hair-tying 解缨结发 (Jiě yīng jié fà)
The groom personally removes the hair adornments from bride and vice versa (Jiě yīng), then both of them take a lock of hair from each other, tie them together with a ted thread and put into a brocade purse (Jié fà), symbolizing the two are firmly united and will never be separated.
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There were intricate Tang Dynasty wedding scenes in the dramas Luoyang and Court Lady too.
Another Tang Dynasty Wedding reenactment (not a drama):
Here you can read a detailed research paper about Six Rites of Allied Harmony: Changes in Ancient Chinese Wedding Ceremonies under the Influence of Confucianism.
A detailed overview on the Tang, Song, Ming weddings is here: Oriental Romance - the Evolution of Traditional Chinese Wedding Dresses - Newhanfu
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Flourished Peony (国色芳华 / Guo Se Fang Hua | 锦绣芳华 / Jin Xiu Fang Hua) Cultural Meta Masterpost!
The Battle of Dangyin (9 September 304 CE) during the War of the Eight Princes, as depicted in the Samgang Haengsil-to (삼강행실도) from the Joseon era of Korea. The battle is most known for when the attendant and focus of this piece, Ji Shao sacrificed his life to protect Emperor Hui from Sima Ying's soldiers.
Waseda University Library
The War of the Eight Princes, also known as the Rebellion of the Eight Kings (simplified Chinese: 八王之乱; traditional Chinese: 八王之亂; pinyin: bā wáng zhī luàn; Wade–Giles: pa wang chih luan), was a turbulent series of coups and civil wars among princes (wáng 王) of China’s Western Jin dynasty, lasting from 291 to 306 CE. The main issue driving these struggles was control of the empire during the reign of Emperor Hui of Jin, who was developmentally disabled. The conflict’s name comes from the eight princes whose biographies are recorded in Chapter 59 of the Book of Jin.
Despite its name, the “War of the Eight Princes” was not a single continuous war but rather a succession of violent internal struggles punctuated by brief intervals of peace. At no point were all eight princes aligned against one another simultaneously—unlike the more unified factions in conflicts such as the Rebellion of the Seven States. The early stages of the turmoil, before the coalition formed against Sima Lun in 301, consisted mostly of political intrigue and palace coups rather than open warfare. In this sense, the literal Chinese title, “Disorder of the Eight Kings,” may describe the nature of the conflict more accurately.
Initially limited to the imperial capital of Luoyang and its nearby regions, the strife gradually spread as more princes joined the contest. These civil wars weakened the empire’s authority, allowing uprisings to break out, particularly among tribal groups resettled in the Central Plains. By the end of the conflict, northern China lay devastated, and the Jin dynasty’s core territories were left in ruins. The resulting instability paved the way for the Sixteen Kingdoms period, marking over a century of fragmentation and warfare between the short-lived northern regimes and the Eastern Jin dynasty in the south.
