Changxin Palace Lantern was unearthed in 1968 in the tomb built for Liu Sheng, the Zhongshan King, and his wife of the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-8AD). What’s fine and ingenious about the lantern is that it not only ideally combined aesthetics and scientific technologies but also realized the harmonious unification of decorativeness and practicality.
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Changxin Palace Lantern is 48 cm in height and 16 kg in weight. Textual researches show that this lantern was used by the mother of Emperor Jingdi (156-140BC) of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). The lantern has an ingenious design and as a whole, it shapes a maid of honor in her knees holding a lantern. The body of the maid of honor is empty, and her head and her right arm are removable. The lamp holder, base and cover can all be re-assembled. Its round lamp base can rotate and the lighting direction and lightness are adjustable. After the lantern is lit, its smoke directly flows into the empty body of the maid of honor through her arm so as to keep the indoor air clean. The lamp holder can store water, dissolving soot from the smoke. The whole lantern looks as one integrated whole and boasts much artistic beauty. The lantern is now kept in the Hebei Provincial Museum.
Changxin Palace Lantern is of fine foundry. It is very splendorous and is a masterpiece representing the bronze arts of the Han Dynasty. It successfully presented the outstanding designing intension of the artisan and integrated lighting, air purification and polished designs.
（Source: chinaculture.org）
