Ma Wenliang, a dragon lantern maker from Jinan, and his dragon lanterns. [Photo/Jinan Daily]

Ma Wenliang, a 52-year-old folk dragon maker from Qijia village in Tangwang subdistrict, Licheng district, Jinan, is a renowned expert in crafting dragon lanterns.

With the approaching Year of the Dragon, Ma's courtyard is filled with various dragon-inspired items, including numerous dragon lantern frameworks. He has also enlisted the help of two friends to assist in meeting the high demand for dragon lanterns.

According to Ma, crafting a dragon lantern typically takes four to five days, involving steps such as design, framework crafting, pasting fabric, drawing, and coloring. The most difficult part is crafting the dragon's head, especially the mouth, as the shape of the dragon head determines the overall temperament of the dragon lantern.

Inspired by the story Lord Ye Loves Dragons since childhood, Ma often imitates drawings of dragons with great skill. He said that dragon lanterns are symbols of a pure and innocent childhood, a deep homesickness, and above all, a yearning for a better life.

As the Year of the Dragon approaches, Ma has seen orders for dragon lanterns double compared to previous years and plans to make over 100 of the lanterns this year. He hopes that more people will continue the tradition of crafting dragon lanterns and pass on the craft for generations to come.

Ma Wenliang crafts the framework for a dragon lantern. [Photo/Jinan Daily]