Lantern master's passion burns bright even after 50 years

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, most of the lanterns you see in Singapore are imported.

But some Singaporeans are still hanging on to the old skills, making, designing and painting traditional Chinese lanterns.

Mr Yeo Hung Teo, 75, has been designing and painting Chinese lanterns for about 50 years.

He owns Yeo Swee Huat Paper Agency, operating out of a small unit in Toa Payoh Industrial Park.

Lanterns, he says in Mandarin, are symbols of identity and status. "Temples, businesses and individuals want them to be hung outside their homes or premises."

Some lanterns are specially commissioned for occasions like the birthdays of deities, funerals and the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Made of paper, bamboo and glue, the lanterns are lit with a candle or light bulb.

Mr Yeo imports the skeletons of the lanterns from China. He pastes the "skin" over the skeleton and painstakingly hand-paints the lantern with Chinese calligraphy and motifs.

The colour of the characters depends on the lantern's purpose. Most organisations want red characters as the colour represents good luck and fortune.

Martial arts organisations might want black characters as the colour symbolises strength, he says.

Blue characters are only for funeral lanterns.

Each character is painted over at least six times to ensure there are no uneven areas, even when the lantern is lit.

Some lanterns also have a decorative drawing - usually of flowers, trees, animals or fruits.

To create these designs, Mr Yeo first draws them on the lantern with a ball point pen. He then uses one brush to colour them and another to create textures and effects.

He says: "These effects make the objects look more 'alive' and beautiful."

He can complete simple designs in two days. More complex ones can take up to a month.

The finished lanterns can fetch up to hundreds of dollars, depending on the complexity of their designs.

Mr Yeo learnt how to paint lanterns from his father, who set up the business in the 1960s.

After two years under his father's tutelage, Mr Yeo could paint words and simple designs. He learnt more designs during business trips to China and studying the lanterns in temples there.

He also sought out other lantern masters - most of whom are now dead - to hone his craft.

"After practising for so long, I think my designs have got better."

Sadly, the sun appears to be setting on this art form. His six children, in their 20s to 50s, are not interested in taking over his business.

"They know it's not lucrative. My selling price often cannot cover the time and effort used to create the lanterns.

"But to me, money is secondary. This is my passion, and I hope to do it until I die."

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