探访西兴手工灯笼传人

Descendents of Xixing’s Handmade Lanterns

杭州萧山西兴是一个千年古镇,西兴灯笼传承至今已有千年历史。西兴曾是两浙门户、浙东运河之头,商业发达,因官吏、客商过往频繁,投宿者晚间需照明用具,所以西兴灯笼业特别兴旺。编制灯笼成为西兴人的一门手艺和家庭副业。遥想当年,西兴的大街小巷到处是灯笼店,店前车水马龙,商贾往来。

Xixing Town of Xiaoshan District in Hangzhou is an old town with thousand years’ history,whose lanterns also have been inherited for thousands of years up to now.In those years,the streets and alleyways in Xixing were abounded with lantern shops,showing a prosperous picture.According to "Xiaoshan County Annals",Xixing lanterns could be dated back to Southern Song Dynasty when the lanterns used in palace were all from Xixing.Xixing lanterns were also sold to Jiangsu,Jiangxi and An’hui,etc.