Kongming lantern also called Prayer lantern or Wen lantern.It was invented by Kongming (that is Zhuge Liang) in Three Kingdoms Period.It has a long history of more than 1700 years so far.Somebody says as it looks like Kongming’s hat,so it calls Kongming lantern.The story about Kongming lantern:When Zhuge Liang was sieged in Pingyang by Sima Yi,he couldn’t send soldiers to ask help.He calculated the wind direction right,making the paper lantern which had information for help inside.He flew the lantern,at last he was saved.From then on,people call that kind of lantern as Kongming lantern.

Then whereever Shu army stayed,they would have some Kongming lanterns.When flying lanterns in the night sky,they could be seen during a wide place.The enemy didn’t know what were lanterns,they felt curious,appreciating the lanterns.Till the Shu army beat them,they knew really what had happened at that time.

After Zhuge Liang being the prime minister of Shu,his wife still stayed in hometown.She missed him quite much,and she flew Kongming lanterns to express her love.

Lighting and flying Kongming lanterns is a traditional folk activity to offer sacrifices to gods or ancestors in Hainan Province.There are many reasons for it.Some people say it uses for conveying information,some say it uses for fortune-telling,but in most people’s opinions,it uses for blessing.In lots of villages and towns,Wanning City of Hainan Province,there are a special Wen lantern Festival.In July and August every year, the lunar calendar,local people will fly Wen lantern voluntarily.They write their good wishes and blessing on the lanterns,wishing well.

Here,I will say something about Thailand Water lantern Festival.It is the most meaningful festival in Thailand.The lanterns they fly are also called Kongming lanterns,but those lanterns are shown in rivers.On the night of December 15th,Thailand Calendar each year,the rain season is gone.People give Water lanterns between each other,going to the origin of lanterns----Gui River to bless.

From this point,we can know that people in the two countries all have similar cultural connotation and cultivation.