Candles originated from torches in primitive times. The primitive man painted fat or wax on bark or wood chips and tied them together to form a torch for lighting. The honeywax that appeared around the third century B.C. may be the prototype of the candle seen today.

According to the existing literature, the production time of honeywax in China is roughly the same as that in the West. Japan inherited this candle from China in the Nara era (710-784). Compared with modern candles, ancient candles have many disadvantages. Li Shangyin, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, wrote the poem "How should we cut the candles in the west window together?" Why do poets cut candles? At that time, the candle wick was twisted with cotton thread, standing upright in the center of the flame. Since it can't burn out and carbonize, it is necessary to cut off the end of the residual candle wick with scissors from time to time.

In 1820, French John Bachelet invented three candlewicks made of cotton thread. When the candle wick burns, it will naturally loosen and the end of the candle wick will tilt outward, so that it can burn completely without cutting the candle wick from time to time.

In 1825, the French scientist Scheffler and others produced paraffin stearic acid candles and obtained patents. The emergence of paraffin stearic acid candles has opened a new era in the history of human lighting.