Colourful lanterns at the temple of Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, Lamphun, Thailand

Sky full of wishes. Celebrating Yi Peng

What would you wish for if a single lantern could carry it skyward? Tonight, in northern Thailand, the Yi Peng festival offers that chance. This centuries-old Lanna tradition celebrates the twelfth lunar month with glowing paper lanterns—khom loi—that are released to honour the Buddha. Each lantern is believed to carry away misfortune and light the way toward a brighter future. Children steady the lantern frames, elders whisper blessings and the crowd pauses as hundreds of lights drift higher than the trees. Farther south, the same full moon watches over Loy Krathong, a sister festival, where candlelit rafts glide across the water.

One striking place to witness Yi Peng is the temple of Phra That Hariphunchai, Lamphun, as seen in today's image. Its origins date back to 897, when the Hariphunchai king built a stupa to enshrine a strand of the Buddha's hair. That same stupa still stands at the centre, with the rest of the complex built around it over centuries. Surrounding halls feature woodwork showcasing generations of craftsmanship. During the festival, the temple becomes a bridge between past and present, joining ancient prayers with quiet hopes in the sky.