During the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties, it had its heyday, when tens of thousands of people joined the celebration, singing and dancing from night to morning. ![]() To this day, people in some parts of southwest China still make torches on the 15th day of the first lunar month with reed wood or branches, and dance in groups with torches held high in the fields or in the sunning cornfields. It is said that the Lantern Festival began in ancient times when people held torches in the countryside to drive away insects and animals, hoping to reduce insect pests and pray for a good harvest. The Lantern Festival is celebrated as the Torch Festival in some parts of Southwest China. Dengshikou in Beijing was the place for selling and buying lanterns on that day. Downtown Area was set aside for displaying the lanterns. The Lantern Festival cerebration reached its peak at Ming Dynasty, lasting for ten days. Those who guessed the answers to the riddles could get a small reward Riddles were written on a note pasted on the lanterns. At that time, the custom of guessing lantern riddles was created. The Lantern Festival in the Song Dynasty developed into a lively secular carnival. In the Song Dynasty, from the 14th to the 18th of the first lunar month, there were a wide spectrum of Yuanxiao Festival events and activities, including the “wandering about the lantern fair”. Since the Tang Dynasty, decorating with lanterns has become a legal thing during Yuanxiao Festival. Everyone out on the streets and theater, drinking, eating, and enjoying music and acrobatics some carried lanterns in the long pole.ĭuring the Tang Dynasty, as the cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries were promoted, Buddhism further flourished and reached its heyday, officials and ordinary people “light on the lanterns for Buddha" in the fifteenth day of the first month. In Kaifeng, during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1126), lanterns were carried by dancers concealed inside dragons, as in Lunar New Year's parades today. This practice was expanded to other parts of China along the years. Emperor Hanming (28-75) ordered to light lanterns in palace and temples to show his respect to Buddha at 15th of the first lunar month. According to the records, the Chinese Lantern Festival was originated at Han Dynasty (202BC – 220AD), with the Buddhism flourishing in China by then. The formation of the Lantern Festival custom has a long process, rooted in the folk lanterns to pray for the ancient customs. To know about the Chinese lantern festival, you have to know its history – when and why it was established and how it was celebrated in the very beginning and through the historical dynasties. ![]() Origin and History of Chinese Lantern Festival From that day on, people celebrated the anniversary of their deliverance by carried lanterns through the streets at the first full moon night of the year. The emperor looked down the town from the sky and it seemed that it had blazed. A kind fairy heard of this vengeance and warned the people to light lanterns all over the town on that appointed day. The Lantern Festival 2024 falls on 24 February, 2024Īccording to Chinese ancient legend, Heavenly Jade Emperor angered and wanted to destroy a town on earth as his favorite bird was killed by a hunter by accident. ![]() When is the Chinese Lantern Festival 2024/2025 So, Chinese people celebrate it as Lantern Festival. Thus, the Chinese Lantern Festival is also called "Yuan Xiao Festival" or "Shang Yuan Festival"Īccording to Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. It is the first night to see a full moon after the Chinese Lunar New Year ( Spring Festival). The first month of the Chinese lunar calendar is called yuan (元) month, and in ancient times people called night xiao (宵). Lantern Festival food: tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) Activities: enjoy the lanterns, dragon-lantern show, lion dance, eat tang yuan, guess lantern riddles and set off fireworks Other names: Shang Yuan Festival (上元节, shàng yuán jié), Xiao Zheng Yue (小正月, xiǎo zhēng yuè), Yuan Xi (元夕, yuán xī) Lantern Festival In Chinese: 元宵节 (yuán xiāo jié), Yuan Xiao Festival In June 2008, the Chinese Lantern Festival was selected into the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage of China. In US (cities like Dallas, Boston, Arizona, California, Chicago), Japan, Korea, Thailand, Germany and many other counties, there are grand celebrations of Lantern Festival in 2021 and in the years to come. ![]() The Lantern Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals of China and has been widely celebrated by overseas Chinese throughout the world.
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