Lighting a Hanging Lantern for the Obon Festival 1860

This woodblock print by Shibata Zeshin captures a moment during the Obon Festival, a time when spirits of ancestors are welcomed back. The central motif, a hanging lantern, illuminates not just the scene, but also the path for these returning souls. Consider how light, universally a symbol of hope and guidance, takes on a particular resonance here, during Obon, when the veil between worlds thins. We find echoes of this in ancient Roman traditions of Parentalia, where families honored their dead with offerings and lights, attempting to bridge the divide. In both cultures, we witness a deep, primal urge to connect with those who have passed. The lantern itself has evolved through time, once simple and functional, now imbued with cultural and religious significance. This act of lighting is not merely practical; it is a ritual, a symbolic gesture of remembrance and reverence, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. Symbols such as lanterns resurface time and again, evolving yet still carrying the weight of cultural memory.