Editing Paper lantern (section)

===Southeast Asia===

====Philippines====
{{Main|Parol}}
In the [[Philippines]], a traditional paper lantern is the [[parol]], which is regarded an iconic symbol of [[Christmas in the Philippines|Filipino Christmas]]. Traditionally constructed using [[bamboo]] and [[Japanese paper]], modern parols have been made using other materials such as [[plastic]], [[metal]], and [[capiz shell]]s. Its most-common form is a [[Pentagram|five-pointed star]], although it can come in various shapes and sizes.<ref name="JJohn">{{Cite book |last=J. |first=John |publication-date=2005 |title=A Christmas Compendium |publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group |page=67 |isbn=0-8264-8749-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yBP8a2jJ9A4C&q=Philippine+christmas+lanterns&pg=PA67 |access-date=December 20, 2007 |year=2005}}</ref><ref name="Magocsi">{{Cite book |last=Magocsi |first=Paul R. |publication-date=1999 |title=Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples |publisher=University of Toronto Press |page=510 |isbn=0-8020-2938-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dbUuX0mnvQMC&q=Philippine+christmas+lanterns&pg=PA510 |access-date=December 20, 2007 |year=2006}}</ref><ref name="Gma1">{{cite news |title=Christmas decors, Filipino-style |url=http://www.gmanews.tv/story/72224/Christmas-decors-Filipino-style |publisher=GMA news.TV |date=December 10, 2007 |access-date=December 20, 2007 |language=tl}}</ref>

Dating back to the [[History of the Philippines (1565–1898)|Spanish colonial period of the Philippines]], parols are a traditional part of the [[Panunulúyan]] pageant in the nine-day Christmas [[Novena]] procession leading up to the [[Simbang Gabi]] (midnight mass). It was initially rectangular or oblong in shape but eventually came to be made in various shapes. It became standardized to a five-pointed star (symbolizing the [[Star of Bethlehem]]) during the [[History of the Philippines (1898–1946)|American colonial period]].<ref name="Tan">{{cite news |last1=Tan |first1=Nigel |title=PH X'mas symbols, practices trace roots to Spanish era |url=https://r3.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/46589-ph-christmas-symbols-spanish-roots |access-date=1 December 2020 |work=Rappler |date=17 December 2016}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Simple capiz parol.jpg|A simple star-shaped [[parol]] made of [[capiz shell]]s
File:Parols For Sale.png|Parols for sale
File:GLFjf1503 02.JPG|Programed electronic parols during the 2012 [[Giant Lantern Festival]] in [[San Fernando, Pampanga]]
</gallery>

====Thailand====
{{Main|Loi Krathong}}
During the [[Yi Peng]] festival of Thailand, some people also decorate their houses, gardens, and temples with ''khom fai'' ({{langx|th|โคมไฟ}}), intricately shaped paper lanterns which take on different forms. ''Khom thue'' ({{langx|th|โคมถือ}}) are lanterns which are carried around hanging from a stick, ''khom khwaen'' ({{langx|th|โคมแขวน}}) are the hanging lanterns, and ''khom pariwat'' ({{langx|th|โคมปริวรรต}}), which are placed at temples and which revolve due to the heat of the candle inside. The most elaborate ''Yi Peng'' celebrations can be seen in [[Chiang Mai]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/loy_krathong-lantern_festival_yee_peng.html|title=Lantern Festival of the Yee Peng Month|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228183415/http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/loy_krathong-lantern_festival_yee_peng.html|archive-date=2013-02-28}}</ref> the ancient capital of the former Lanna kingdom, where now both ''Loi Krathong'' and ''Yi Peng'' are celebrated at the same time resulting in lights floating on the waters, lights hanging from trees/buildings or standing on walls, and lights floating in the sky. The tradition of ''Yi Peng'' was also adopted by certain parts of [[Laos]] during the 16th century.

Thousands of sky lanterns called ''khom loi'' ({{langx|th|โคมลอย}}) are also released annually during the [[Yi Peng]] festival. However, this is a relatively new addition to the festival, only dating back to the first decade of the 21st century as part of tourism development.<ref name="BP-20181118">{{cite news |title=No urban place for Loy Krathong |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1577774/no-urban-place-for-loy-krathong |access-date=18 November 2018 |work=Bangkok Post |date=18 November 2018 |department=Opinion}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Yi peng sky lantern festival San Sai Thailand.jpg|[[Sky lantern]]s in the sky on the night of [[Yi Peng]] in Thailand. 
</gallery>

====Vietnam====
Two traditional festivals in [[Vietnam]] have prominent roles for lanterns: 
#[[Lễ Vu Lan#Vietnam|Vu Lan]] on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. [[Buddhist temple]]s traditionally would host the release of floating [[water lantern]]s down river courses on small paper crafts with sticks of [[incense]] and written prayers.
<gallery>
File:Wt-4368 PS.jpg|An old woman releases water lanterns in Hội An
File:OMD40445 (27821684578).jpg|Buddhists and monks prepare to water lanterns on the occasion of Vu Lan
</gallery>
#[[Tết Trung Thu]], (Mid-Autumn festival) also known as the Children's Festival (Tết Nhi Đồng) on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Children would parade in the streets with lit lanterns (''rước đèn'') with accompanying music and songs after sunset. The lanterns in this case are whimsical with a multitude of shapes and themes like fish, star... The lanterns are typically in transparent colored papers.

<gallery>
File:Den_ong_sao.JPG|Star-shaped lanterns of tết Trung Thu.
File:Star-shaped lanterns.jpg|Star-shaped lanterns
File:The street of colourful lanterns - Léon Busy (1874-1951).jpg|The street of colourful lanterns - Léon Busy (1874-1951)
</gallery>
In addition to the above two festivals, paper lanterns are also hung by Vietnamese people on the occasion of the [[Tết Nguyên Đán]] to look forward to a good new year.
<gallery>
File:Lantern, Viet - Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - Hanoi, Vietnam - DSC02557.JPG|Paper lantern, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - Hanoi
File:Dragon lantern in Bát Tràng (2018).jpg|Paper lanterns are hung during the Tết Nguyên Đán in [[Bát Tràng]] village
File:Hanoi Old Quarter (25397128097).jpg|Paper lanterns in Hanoi's [[Old Quarter, Hanoi|Old Quarter]]
File:DGJ 1692 - Dai Trung Gate (3504183018).jpg|Đại Trung Gate, [[Văn Miếu]]
</gallery>
Paper lanterns are also used to attract visitors, for example, [[Hoian]] city, a famous tourist destination of Vietnam, often hangs paper lanterns throughout the year to attract tourists.
<gallery>
File:Lanterns in Hoi An, Vietnam (25708206924).jpg
File:Lanterns in Hoi An 6.jpg
File:Hoi An (25653775177).jpg
File:Wt-4418EX4.5.jpg|Paper Lanterns in the streets of Hội An
File:Thương xá Tax - 14780682928.jpg|Paper Lanterns in Thương xá Tax
</gallery>

====Malaysia & Singapore====
Paper lanterns are used especially in Chinatown areas in countries having notable [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese ethnicity heritage]].
<gallery>
File:Paper lanterns and mural in Kuala Lumpur.jpg|Lanterns in [[Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur]]
File:Paper lanterns in Kuala Lumpur.jpg|Lanterns in Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur
File:Paper lanterns in Singapore.jpg|Lanterns at [[Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum|Buddha Tooth Relic Temple]] in [[Chinatown, Singapore]]
File:Chinese lanterns in the side of Buddha Tooth Relic temple.jpg|Lanterns at Buddha Tooth Relic temple
File:Chinese lanterns yellow model.jpg|Lanterns in Singapore during [[Chinese New Year]]
</gallery>