70-Year-Old Yau Ma Tei Paper Crafts Shop Persists in Hand-Made Mid-Autumn Lanterns
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Dai Cheong Lung, a 70-year-old paper crafts shop in Yau Ma Tei, continues its tradition of hand-making lanterns for the Mid-Autumn Festival, refusing to switch to mass-produced plastic alternatives. Owner Keung Gor and his daughter Jing Jing, the third-generation successor, have launched workshops teaching traditional bamboo-weaving techniques to over 500 participants in just one month. A particularly touching story emerged when an emigrating customer chose to sacrifice a carry-on luggage spot to bring a 60cm rabbit lantern to Canada for the holiday .
Key Points
- The shop employs a spring mechanism called the "slingshot neck" that allows the rabbit head to sway dynamically, while using iron wire to reinforce the ears for durability .
- Each handmade rabbit lantern sells for over 100 Hong Kong dollars—a deliberate pricing strategy to keep traditional crafts affordable for families with children .
- Jing Jing explains that running a mainland factory dedicated to seasonal lantern production requires "shutting down the entire factory," calling in master craftsmen for overnight work .
- This year's new design, a cellophane cat lantern, has generated intense interest with long queues expected on sales day, described as "like queuing for an iPhone" .
- The workshops, priced at 400 Hong Kong dollars per person or parent-child pairing, have attracted participants ranging from 4-year-old children to elderly neighbourhood residents .
Why It Matters
As Hong Kong's demographics shift and younger generations gravitate toward electronic toys, traditional crafts like bamboo-weaving face the risk of fading into obscurity. The story of the emigrating customer choosing a hand-made lantern over luggage space illustrates how these intangible cultural practices serve as emotional anchors connecting the diaspora to their heritage. By making workshops accessible and keeping prices affordable, Dai Cheong Lung demonstrates a viable model for preserving traditional craftsmanship while adapting to contemporary market realities .
As Hong Kong's demographics shift and younger generations gravitate toward electronic toys, traditional crafts like bamboo-weaving face the risk of fading into obscurity. The story of the emigrating customer choosing a hand-made lantern over luggage space illustrates how these intangible cultural practices serve as emotional anchors connecting the diaspora to their heritage. By making workshops accessible and keeping prices affordable, Dai Cheong Lung demonstrates a viable model for preserving traditional craftsmanship while adapting to contemporary market realities .