Malaysia is a multicultural country, and this diversity enriches us with a wealth of traditions and practices. Teachers, therefore, should ensure that cultural examples used in the classroom are not only accurate but also relevant to students’ experiences in order to create an inclusive learning environment. One of the most iconic cultural symbols within the Chinese community is the lantern, or tanglung. Traditional Chinese lanterns are handcrafted artifacts, often made from materials such as paper, silk, and bamboo, created in various geometric forms and historically used for celebrations and symbolic purposes in Chinese culture. Lanterns are traditionally displayed during festive seasons, particularly those associated with Chinese culture. They are most closely linked with the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year, yet in recent times lanterns have also been widely embraced as cultural symbols and decorative features in many other events and celebrations.
Behind the beauty of the tanglung lies a rich collection of mathematical concepts. Integrating mathematics learning into the process of creating lanterns has the potential to make mathematics more enjoyable, meaningful, and engaging. The intersection of geometry and traditional Chinese lanterns allows lanterns to serve as practical tools and visual aids for exploring and teaching concepts such as the relationships of shapes and the transformation of two-dimensional forms into three-dimensional structures, all within a cultural context. On 8 September 2025, at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pulai Jaya, and in conjunction with the STEMatik program, my final-year students, (Angela Ee Si Jie, Izzah Shahmimi Ridzuan Kok, and Joshua Raphael Justtin) and I conducted two activities to demonstrate how Form Three students could apply mathematical concepts in tanglung design and construction. These activities are especially significant when considering the persistently low mathematics performance of Malaysian students in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination as well as in international assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
They also align closely with the objectives of the secondary school mathematics curriculum, which emphasizes applying mathematical concepts in real-life contexts and appreciating the beauty of mathematics through cross-curricular elements such as culture. Mathematics and culture are often seen as opposite domains, with mathematics regarded as abstract and universal while culture is viewed as subjective and contextual. Yet mathematics is not merely a set of numbers and symbols. Integrating mathematics with cultural practices, known as ethnomathematics, provides a powerful approach to both learning and heritage preservation. In a time when globalization threatens to overshadow local traditions, such activities make mathematics more engaging while also sustaining interest in cultural practices like tanglung-making.
In the first activity, students explored the elegant patterns and sequences commonly used in traditional Chinese lattice design, blending mathematical thinking with cultural appreciation. The aim was to help them recognize, define, and apply patterns in daily life. Working in small groups, they constructed lanterns using satay sticks as a framework and decorated them with repeating patterns of their own design. This reinforced mathematical principles such as sequences while also allowing space for creativity and cultural expression. The collaborative process encouraged teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, while the hands-on use of materials made abstract concepts more concrete and meaningful. By the end of the session, students recognized how patterns and sequences operate not only in mathematics but also in cultural artifacts.
The second activity focused on geometry, particularly the transformation of two-dimensional nets into three-dimensional shapes. Students analyzed nets such as pyramids, prisms, cylinders, and cones, and learned how to draw and construct them. Working in groups, they were given pre-prepared nets and challenged to determine which three-dimensional forms could be created. After experimenting with folding and construction, they applied their knowledge to design and build a dragon lantern. Facilitators supported them by demonstrating how nets fold into their respective shapes and by addressing questions along the way. This activity enhanced students’ understanding of the relationship between two- and three-dimensional forms while also fostering creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking.
In conclusion, activities such as these should be encouraged in schools because they not only make mathematics lessons more interactive and engaging but also provide opportunities to introduce and celebrate the cultural traditions of Malaysia’s diverse communities. By integrating culture into the mathematics classroom, we cultivate both academic achievement and cultural appreciation—two essential elements in preparing students for the future.
Associate Professor Dr. Abdul Halim Abdullah
Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia