Researched by: Kylie Chin, Rebecca Fuzaylov, and Selina Zheng

Origin Behind The Chinese Lanterns Hung Along Chinatown

2021 was the first year these Chinese lanterns were hung along the city and it was to bring better energy into the city after the pandemic struck. There were 250 lanterns of various colors, pink, orange, or gold, displaying Chinese characters that would hopefully bring Chinatown back to how it was before COVID-19 hit. The pandemic affected the city hard and left many businesses to shut down or for a 50-70% revenue drop, hence why these lanterns were brought to bring the Chinatown community together. These lanterns are a symbol for happiness and friendship. The brains behind the lanterns were founded by Patrick Mock who was raised in Chinatown and an owner of a bakery located in Chinatown. At the time of 2021, there were groups “Light Up Chinatown” that had raised $32,000 and the actor, Will Smith, donated $10,000 while working for the nonprofit “Asian Americans for Equality” after hearing about the initiatives behind the lanterns. These lanterns were originally set to stay up until the new year in 2021, so it’s amazing to see it up to this year of 2024.