@radii.media: If you squint, doesn’t this look like neon-lit, dystopian street furniture straight out of Blade Runner? Well, we can tell you that it's definitely not AI-generated or concept art. In fact, it’s a beaded lantern, or 珠灯 (zhū dēng), a traditional Chinese craft popularized in the Qing dynasty and recognized as intangible cultural heritage in 2009. These lanterns are made by threading glass, jade, and other precious stone beads onto bamboo and twine, often built up in multiple layers. The patterns change with the occasion, but most feature auspicious imagery like birds and flowers, and sometimes even words. Larger lanterns are often made up of smaller ones that encircle a central body, and when lit, they cast intricate, dancing shadows. One of the largest in China is located in Wuxian Temple (五显庙), Zhejiang Province. Made over 300 years ago, it stands more than 4 meters tall, with layer upon layer of beads. But because it’s so fragile, it isn’t always on display, so seeing it lit up in person is a rare occasion, especially as the art of making these lanterns is gradually being lost to time. #radii #radiimedia #chineseheritage #lantern #intangibleculturalheritage

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