盒子灯｜非物质文化遗产

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盒子灯，又称宫廷盒子灯，是起源于河北省沧州市海兴县的花灯技艺，清代时期盛行的观花灯民间活动。硕大的纸质古式食盒之内，暗藏着一层层花灯：或状如玲珑雅致的宝塔，或似寓意吉祥的花盆，或约1米来长、30厘米高的折纸军舰……

因一层一层花灯伴随着点燃的烟花药信逐一落下绽开，故称盒子花，它有形、有声、有色，流光溢彩，寓意平安吉祥。其独特的表演形式，便引得众多赏灯人，迅速传播到天津、山东等周边地区。

Box lamp, also known as palace box lamp, is a folk activity of viewing flower lanterns that originated in Haixing County, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province during the Qing Dynasty. Inside the large paper antique food box, there are hidden layers of lanterns: some resembling exquisite pagodas, some resembling auspicious flower pots, and some resembling origami warships about 1 meter long and 30 centimetres high.

Due to the layer-by-layer of lanterns falling and blooming with the lit fireworks and medicinal messages, it is called a box flower. It is tangible, audible, coloured, and shimmering, symbolising peace and auspiciousness. Its unique performance form attracted numerous lantern enthusiasts and quickly spread to surrounding areas such as Tianjin and Shandong.

#01

传统盒子灯制作技艺源于清代。

1853年，孙葆元回老家河北省沧州市海兴县赵毛陶探亲时，从宫里带回了一位特别擅长制作盒子花的工匠张洪。从那以后，盒子花在赵毛陶流传开来，并成为了当地逢年过节的主要庆祝活动。由于盒子花在夜间燃放时，恰似闪烁晶亮的霓虹灯，人们便不约而同地称它为“宫廷盒子灯”。

2012年，传统盒子灯制作技艺被列入省级非物质文化遗产名录。

The traditional craftsmanship of making box lamps originated from the Qing Dynasty.

In 1853, when Sun Baoyuan returned to his hometown, Haixing County, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, to visit his relatives, he brought back from the palace a craftsman named Zhang Hong, who was particularly good at making box flowers. Since then, box flowers have spread in Zhao Maotao and become the main celebration for local festivals and holidays. Due to the fact that box flowers, when lit at night, resemble sparkling neon lights, people unanimously refer to them as "palace box lights".

In 2012, the traditional box lamp-making technique was included in the provincial intangible cultural heritage list.

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#02

盒子灯的造型多样，既有天鹅等动物造型，也有根据神话传说设计的劈山救母等故事造型，还有寄托了对生活美好祝福的送子观音等。除了传统造型之外，设计团队还开发了飞机等全新的彩灯造型。

The shapes of box lights are diverse, including animal shapes such as swans, story shapes such as mountain splitting and mother rescue designed based on myths and legends, and Guanyin, who conveys blessings for a better life. In addition to traditional designs, the design team has also developed new lantern designs, such as aeroplanes.

通过粘、贴、拼、雕等手段,利用其它附料粘贴而成:

山水、人物、花鸟、卡通、抽象等画面。运用构图、线条、明暗、色彩等造型手法,对其进行特殊处理所形成的图画。是中华古老的一门传统民间工艺，色彩自然，层次，立体感强，混然天成，颜色绚丽而生动。

In traditional box lamp lighting activities, people gather together to pray for peace, health, and happiness. This kind of activity is not only a folk activity but also an inheritance of traditional culture and spirit. Nowadays, box lights have become a unique cultural symbol, representing the profoundness and richness of traditional Chinese culture.

#03

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1.准备材料：制作盒子灯的主要材料包括连丝纸、毛头纸、火药、竹架或铁架、棉线等。

2. 骨架制作：匠人需要将竹片按照特定的几何形状拼接，构造出盒子灯的框架。这个过程需要较高的耐心和技巧，因为稍有不慎，竹片就可能断裂或错位。为了增强骨架的稳定性和韧性，匠人还会对竹片进行烤制处理，使其更加柔软易弯日。

3. 糊纸和绘画：匠人会裁剪出适当大小的毛头纸，用浆糊将其粘贴在竹框上，一层层叠加，形成灯笼的外壳。在糊纸的过程中，匠人还需注意纸张的平整度和紧密度，以确保盒子灯的外观整洁美观。绘画时，匠人会根据盒子灯的主题和寓意，在纸张上绘制出各种图案和文字，这些图案通常以神话传说、民间故事、戏剧人物为主，也有装饰上鸡、鱼、虫、兽、花卉等物，既富有文化寓意，又增添了盒子灯的观赏性。

4. 内部制作：在盒子灯内部，匠人会装入火药捻和灯芯，这是盒子灯能够发光发亮的关键所在。火药捻的配制需要较高的技巧和经验，因为火药的安全性和亮度都需要严格控制。

5. 组装：将制作好的各层花灯折叠起来放进盒子里，完成组装。

1. Preparation materials: The main materials for making box lights include continuous silk paper, woollen paper, gunpowder, bamboo or iron frame, cotton thread, etc.

2. Skeleton making: The craftsman needs to assemble bamboo pieces according to specific geometric shapes to construct the frame of the box lamp. This process requires a high level of patience and skill, as even a slight mistake can cause the bamboo pieces to break or become misaligned. In order to enhance the stability and toughness of the skeleton, craftsmen also bake the bamboo slices to make them softer and more flexible.

3. Paper pasting and painting: Craftsmen will cut out hair paper of appropriate size and paste it onto bamboo frames with paste, layer by layer to form the outer shell of the lantern. During the process of pasting paper, craftsmen also need to pay attention to the flatness and tightness of the paper to ensure that the appearance of the box lamp is neat and beautiful. When painting, craftsmen will draw various patterns and texts on paper based on the theme and meaning of the box lamp. These patterns are usually dominated by myths, legends, folk stories, and theatrical characters, as well as decorated with chickens, fish, insects, beasts, flowers, and other objects, which not only have cultural significance but also add ornamental value to the box lamp.

4. Internal production: Inside the box lamp, craftsmen will install gunpowder twists and wicks, which are the key to the box lamp's ability to emit light and shine. The preparation of gunpowder requires high skills and experience, as the safety and brightness of gunpowder need to be strictly controlled.

5. Assembly: Fold the pre-made layers of lanterns and place them in a box to complete the assembly.

#04

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明代《帝京景物略》中记有：烟火施放（烟火则以架以盒，架高且丈，盒层至五，其所藏械：寿带葡萄架、珍珠帘、长明塔等）。于斯时也，丝竹肉声，不辨拍煞，光影五色，照人无研媸，烟罥尘笼，月不得明，露不得下。”盒子灯由一系列小纸盒堆叠而成，具有层层相扣，逐级向上的独特设计。灯内点着纸质或竹筒的火炮，燃放时从最低的一层开始，渐次向上燃放，表现出了独特的美感和艺术效果。盒子灯是一项技术很强的手工艺，它是集造型、彩扎、剪纸、绘画、焰火等为一体，每个造型的制作都严谨精确，代表了旧时中国民间制作花灯的最高水平。

In the Ming Dynasty's "Brief Introduction to the Scenery of the Imperial Capital", it is recorded that fireworks were set off (fireworks were set off in frames and boxes, with frames high and zhang, and box layers up to five, containing weapons such as longevity grape racks, pearl curtains, and Changming Pagoda). At the time of Yu Si, the sound of silk, bamboo, and meat is indistinguishable, and there is no distinction between shooting and evil. The light and shadow are five colours, and there is no trace of the sun shining on people. Smoke and dust are trapped, and the moon cannot shine or be exposed The box light is made up of a series of small paper boxes stacked together, with a unique design of interlocking layers and ascending step by step. A paper or bamboo tube cannon is lit inside the lamp, and when ignited, it starts from the lowest layer and gradually fires upwards, showing a unique beauty and artistic effect. Box Lamp is a highly skilled handicraft which integrates modelling, colour binding, Paper Cuttings, painting, fireworks, etc. The production of each shape is rigorous and accurate, representing the highest level of traditional Chinese folk lantern production.

天津市静海区唐官屯镇刘上道村的盒子花会产生于清朝年间，村里一位名叫刘万德的村民在异地他乡偶然看到燃放的盒子花，便为之着迷。他后来回到刘上道村，便把这项技艺流传了下来。由于制作很费时间，人工费高，所需的材料价格昂贵，展演很少。在天津市静海区唐官屯镇政府以及刘上道村驻村工作队的关心支持下，盒子花灯传承人郝同丰及相关工作人员精心制作，再一次让非遗绽放光彩。

The box flower festival in Liushangdao Village, Tangguantun Town, Jinghai District, Tianjin, originated during the Qing Dynasty. A villager named Liu Wande in the village was fascinated by the lit box flower when he accidentally saw it in a foreign land. He later returned to Liu Shangdao Village and passed down this skill. Due to the time-consuming production, high labour costs, and expensive materials required, there are few exhibitions. With the care and support of the Tangguantun Town Government and Liushangdao Village Resident Work Team in Jinghai District, Tianjin, the inheritor of the box lantern, Hao Tongfeng, and related staff carefully crafted it, once again bringing glory to intangible cultural heritage.

盒子灯，作为承载着深厚文化底蕴与民间智慧的瑰宝，历经岁月的洗礼，依旧熠熠生辉。它不仅是传统手工艺与焰火艺术完美结合的典范，更是中华民族传统文化生命力的生动展现。在传承与发展的过程中，每一代匠人都倾注了无尽的心血与热情，用他们的智慧和双手，让这一古老的艺术形式焕发出新的生机与活力。未来，让我们继续携手努力，将这份珍贵的文化遗产传承下去，让盒子灯的璀璨光芒永远照亮人们的心灵，成为连接过去与未来的桥梁，共同书写中华民族文化繁荣发展的新篇章。

Box lamp, as a treasure carrying profound cultural heritage and folk wisdom, after years of baptism, still shining. It is not only a model of the perfect combination of traditional handicraft and fireworks art but also a vivid display of the vitality of traditional Chinese culture. In the process of inheritance and development, each generation of craftsmen has devoted endless efforts and enthusiasm, using their wisdom and hands to make this ancient art form full of new vitality and vitality. In the future, let us continue to work together to pass on this precious cultural heritage so that the bright light of the box lamp will always illuminate people's hearts, become a bridge connecting the past and the future, and jointly write a new chapter in the prosperity and development of Chinese culture.