Kits

One of the loveliest Chinese festivals in Singapore is the Mid-Autumn Festival, falling on the 15^th day of the eighth lunar month.

Marking the end of the autumn harvest, the Mid-Autumn Festival is traditionally a time to give thanks to the gods. The moon is at its brightest at this time of year which is why lunar legends have always been attached to the celebration.

One of the most notable legend is the story of Chang Er, the wife of a merciless king. To save her people from his tyrannical rule, she downed the elixir of immortality that he had intended to drink. As the story goes, she ascended to the moon upon her brave act, and has been worshipped by the Chinese as the Moon Goddess ever since.

When dusk falls, celebrations go into full swing. Lanterns decorate the streets and gardens. Children come out with their lanterns vying each other who has the best lantern. Moon-viewing parties are popular as well. Family and friends sit in gardens lit by the soft glow of paper lanterns, sip tea and nibble on mooncakes.

Chinese lanterns are traditionally made of paper and it symbolizes the wish for a bright future.

Our lantern is not made of paper but of thousands of little seed beads, twinkling in the moonlight. A self-supporting central column supports “wings” that extrude from it. Between the wings are twinkling crystals adding to the glittering moonlight. Although inspired by the Chinese beautiful lanterns, The Lantern is designed as a drapery tassel (tie back) or a Christmas tree ornament.

For more information about this lovely celebration, please visit www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/mid-autumn-festival

Additional tassels available here

IMPORTANT

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Born Arjumand Banu Begum, Mumtaz Mahal was the Empress consort of the Mughal Empire’s emperor, Shah Jahan. Poets extolled her beauty, gracefulness and compassion. The emperor even conferred upon her the title of Mumtaz Mahal meaning Exalted One of the Palace. Mumtaz Mahal had a very deep and loving marriage with Shah Jahan and travelled with him throughout the Empire.

She died giving birth to the couple’s 14^th child. In the immediate aftermath of his bereavement, the emperor was inconsolable, and he went into secluded mourning for a year. When he appeared again, his hair had turned white, his back was bent, and his face worn. He began planning the design and construction of a suitable mausoleum and funerary garden in Agra for his wife. A task that would take more than 22 years to complete and Taj Mahal, a monument to love was the result.

Mumtaz Mahal takes its inspiration from the Empress consort herself. An elaborate bezelled crystal pendant is hung from symmetrical spiralling ropes. More ropes hang below the pendant giving the impression of endless spiralling loops.