“Lantern Maker Crafts a Family Tradition.”花灯师傅的家族传承

Today’s article is titled “Lantern Maker Crafts a Family Tradition.”
今天的文章题为《花灯师傅的家族传承》。

Amid a jumble of colourful fabrics and bamboo strips, Hui Ka-hung works in his small workshop in Chai Wan.
在柴湾的一间小工坊里，47岁的许嘉雄在一堆五彩的布料和竹条之中忙碌着。

👉 Vocabulary: “Amid a jumble of …”
这个短语意思是「在一堆混乱的……之中」，常用来描写工作场景或创作空间，带有“杂乱但充满活力”的氛围。
✅ Example: Amid a jumble of tools and paint, the artist quietly worked on his masterpiece.
在杂乱的颜料与工具中，艺术家静静创作。

Hui founded his workshop, Hung C Lau, on his own and struggled to stay afloat in the early years.
他独自创立了“雄狮楼”，在早期为了stay afloat —— 勉强维持生计 —— 付出了很多努力。

👉 Vocabulary: “Stay afloat”
字面意思是“漂浮在水面上”，在经济或生活语境中表示“勉强维持生计”。
✅ Example: Many small shops struggled to stay afloat during the pandemic.
疫情期间，许多小店都在艰难支撑。

Later, his 80-year-old father joined him — not as a master, but as an apprentice.
后来，他80岁的父亲加入工坊，不是师傅，而是学徒。

Together, they kept the business running — his father often helped hold the fort during tough times.
他们共同支撑着工坊的运作，在困难时期，父亲常常hold the fort——坚守岗位，顶住压力。

👉 Vocabulary: “Hold the fort”
原为军事用语“坚守阵地”，现代英语中表示“顶替、撑场、守住工作”。
✅ Example: While I was away, my colleague held the fort for me.
我不在的时候，同事帮我撑住了工作。

Lantern-making is a labour-intensive process,
花灯制作是一项labour-intensive process —— 劳动密集型的工作。

👉 Vocabulary: “Labour-intensive process”
这个短语形容需要大量人力与时间的制作过程，常用于手工艺或制造业。
✅ Example: Handmade embroidery is a labour-intensive art form.
手工刺绣是一种劳动密集的艺术形式。

From splitting bamboo to mounting fabric and painting calligraphy,
从劈竹、糊纸到书写吉祥字样，
each step demands great patience and skill.
每一步都考验着耐心与技巧。

Many people think papercraft is a sunset industry,
许多人认为纸艺是一门sunset industry —— 夕阳产业。

👉 Vocabulary: “Sunset industry”
这个词指“正在衰退的行业”，常用于描述逐渐式微的传统产业。
✅ Example: Print newspapers are often seen as a sunset industry.
报业常被视为夕阳产业。

But Hui disagrees — as long as festivals and faith remain, the light of lanterns will never fade.
但许嘉雄不同意，他认为只要节日与信仰仍在，花灯的光就不会熄灭。

Do you think traditional crafts like lantern making can survive in a fast-changing, digital society?What can be done to make them appealing to younger generations?

I think they can survive — if we make them part of modern life.
For example, traditional lanterns can appear in art installations, cultural festivals, or even fashion design.When people see that these crafts still bring meaning and beauty, they’ll realize they’re not old — they’re timeless.