Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

A thank-you-card (Wei)

A sky lantern, also known as Kongming lantern or Chinese lantern, is a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.

In Asia and elsewhere, sky lanterns have been traditionally made for centuries, to be launched for play or as part of festivities. In recent years there has been growing concern about their potential to cause crop or building fires and harm animals that may eat their remains. Several countries have banned them for that reason.

The name "sky lantern" is a translation of the Chinese name tiān dēng (天燈, 天灯). Sky lanterns have also been referred to as sky candles or fire balloons, however the latter term is also used to refer to balloon munitions used during World War II.

In China and Taiwan, sky lanterns are traditionally made from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame. The source of hot air may be a small candle or fuel cell composed of a waxy flammable material.

The general design is a thin paper shell, which may be from about 30 cm to a couple of metres across, with an opening at the bottom. The opening is usually about 10 to 30 cm wide (even for the largest shells), and is surrounded by a stiff collar that serves to suspend the flame source and to keep it away from the walls.

Pingxi District in New Taipei City of Taiwan holds an annual Lantern Festival in which sky lanterns are released into the night sky with their wishes written on the lantern.