Yuen Long lantern street preserves 42 years of handmade tradition

A traditional incense and candle shop in Yuen Long has transformed into a famous ‘Lantern Street’ during the Mid-Autumn Festival, showcasing a 42-year legacy of handmade craftsmanship. Managed by Wong Kin-tai, also known as ‘Sai Mei Jie’, the family business began in 1984 and has evolved from selling incense to producing thousands of intricate lanterns annually.

To improve durability, the family transitioned from using fragile bamboo and crepe paper to more robust materials like iron wire, cellophane, and fabric. This innovation has allowed the lanterns to remain intact for years, a quality highly valued by customers. The production process is entirely manual, involving designers, craftsmen to shape the wire frames, and female workers to meticulously apply the decorative materials.

Due to high demand, the shop now begins sales earlier in the lunar calendar, with customers sometimes queuing for over four hours. Popular designs include dolphins, pumpkin carriages, dragons, frog princes, and rabbits. The family aims to preserve this traditional craft to ensure the cultural heritage is passed down to future generations.