How Do You Make Revolving Chinese Lanterns?
Spinning lanterns, or zouma deng, work because of air convection. The heat of the light inside causes shifts in air currents, which rise and push against flaps at the top or sides of the lantern. This push causes the shell of the lantern to spin. Other cultures have used this principle to create similar mechanisms, such as German rotating Christmas ornaments. Since the shell is decorated with either silhouette images or slits, it looks like a moving shadow play from the outside. The Chinese primarily use these lanterns around New Years. Fold a piece of colorful paper, 8 ½ inch by 11 inch, and run your finger along the seam to create a crease. Draw a line lengthwise across the top edge of the rectangular paper, about an inch down from the edge. Use a ruler. Mark a dot at every 1/2 inch along the line. Draw a series of straight lines from these dots down to the crease. Cut along each of the series of lines. Stop when you reach the dots at the top. Unfold the paper. Bend the paper into a
