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Lanterns (µÆÁý d¨¥ng long) are hung on Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve ( ³ýϦ Ch¨² X¨©) and stay until the end of the Chinese Lantern Festival ( ÔªÏü½Ú Yu¨¢n Xi¨¡o Ji¨¦), fifteen ( Ê®Îå sh¨ª w¨³) days after the Chinese New Year ( ´º½Ú Ch¨±n Ji¨¦).

Chinese lanterns are often red (ºìÉ«µÄ h¨®ng s¨¨ de) and round, with Chinese characters or drawings printed on them.

You will need:

• an A4 sheet of thin card (¿¨Æ¬ k¨£ pi¨¤n)
• a pair of safety scissors (¼ôµ¶ Âá¾±¨£²Ô d¨¡o)
• glue (½ºË® ji¨¡o shu¨«) or tape ( ½º´ø ji¨¡o d¨¤i)
• coloured pens (Ë®²Ê±Ê shu¨« c¨£i b¨«) or pencils ( Ǧ±Ê qi¨¡n b¨«)

Instructions:

1. Print out (´òÓ¡ d¨£ y¨¬n) the template onto an A4 sheet of thin card.

2. Colour in the flowers (»¨ ³ó³Ü¨¡) and add the Chinese characters provided, or any pattern that you like.

3. Fold (ÕÛ ³ú³ó¨¦) the card in half long ways, and carefully cut ( ¼ô Âá¾±¨£²Ô) along the dotted lines.

4. Fold the card around on itself, so that the cuts run from top (ÉÏÃæ sh¨¤ng mi¨¤n) to bottom ( ÏÂÃæ xi¨¤ mi¨¤n), and use glue or tape to hold it together.

5. Bend the smaller rectangle (³¤·½ÐÎ ch¨¢ng f¨¡ng x¨ªng) template into an arch and stick it to the top of the lantern as a handle.

If you don't have a printer, why not try tracing the template?

Click below to download the instructions and template