Singapore · Structural Craft / Decorative Craft
灯笼制作 (Deng Long Zhi Zuo) / Tanglung Cina
The Foochow Chinese lantern tradition of Singapore — specifically the hand-made split bamboo and rice paper lanterns produced for the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year — is one of the most visually iconic and most endangered craft traditions in the city-state. Jimm Wong, identified by NHB's Craft X Design program as one of the last traditional Chinese lantern makers in Singapore, makes Foochow-style lanterns — a specific form originating from Fuzhou (Fujian province, China) that uses a frame of very finely split bamboo strips bent into three-dimensional geometric forms (spheres, cylinders, lantern shapes) and covered with painted rice paper. The lantern's structural integrity depends on the bamboo frame's precise geometry — the paper covering is purely decorative, not structural. Wong has also incorporated 3D printing into his process for certain frame elements — making him the database's clearest example of a traditional craftsperson selectively integrating digital fabrication.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Not inscribed
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