Khom thue ( Thai: โคมถือ) are lanterns which are carried around hanging from a stick, khom khwaen ( Thai: โคมแขวน) are the hanging lanterns, and khom pariwat ( Thai: โคมปริวรรต), which are placed at temples and which revolve due to the heat of the candle inside.

In addition to everyday usage as a light source in the past, paper lanterns are commonly associated with festivals in East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian cultures.Įast Asia China & Taiwan ĭuring the Yi Peng festival of Thailand, some people also decorate their houses, gardens, and temples with khom fai ( Thai: โคมไฟ), intricately shaped paper lanterns which take on different forms. Water lantern - paper lanterns that float on the surface of water.Also known as 'flying lanterns', 'sky candles' or 'fire balloons.' Sky lantern - a small hot air balloon made of paper, with an opening at the bottom where a small fire is suspended.They are meant to be carried, hung, or mounted on stands. Hanging lantern - the basic type of paper lantern used for illumination.There are three general types of paper lanterns, they are: From China, it was spread to neighboring cultures in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.

Paper lanterns were common by the Tang Dynasty (AD 690–705), and it was during this period that the first annual lantern festival was established.

Poems about paper lanterns start to appear in Chinese history at around the 6th century. Papermaking technology originated from China from at least AD 105 during the Eastern Han Dynasty, but it is unknown exactly when paper became used for lanterns. The material covering was used to prevent the flame in the lantern from being extinguished by wind, while still retaining its use as a light source. Paper lanterns are likely derived from earlier lanterns that used other types of translucent material like silk, horn, or animal skin.