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Lantern Festival Customs Overview, Wishing Everyone a Happy Lantern Festival!

The Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival or Lantern Festival, is a night when the bright moon hangs high, and lanterns light up thousands of homes. People step out of their houses, merge into the crowds, and celebrate this "Night of Festivities" in their own unique way. Lighting lanterns is undoubtedly one of the most essential customs of the Lantern Festival. According to legend, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Ming of Han ordered the palace and temples to "light lanterns and display Buddha" on the fifteenth night of the first lunar month to promote Buddhism. This custom gradually spread among the people, creating a nationwide spectacle of lantern displays. Today, during the Lantern Festival, from bustling cities to remote villages, streets, alleys, parks, and squares are decorated with all kinds of colorful lanterns. Traditional palace lanterns are elegant, with red silk tassels fluttering in the wind, exuding a rustic charm; modern creative lanterns incorporate technological elements, with sound, light, and electricity cleverly combined to produce dazzling patterns, making children cheer with excitement. In some places, grand lantern fairs are held, such as the Confucius Temple Lantern Fair in Nanjing, the Jinsha Sun Festival Lantern Fair in Chengdu, and others. Hundreds of thousands of lanterns shine together, turning the night into a sea of light, attracting countless tourists to come and admire.

Food Accompaniment, Savoring the Meaning of Yuanxiao

Besides appreciating lanterns, eating Yuanxiao (sweet glutinous rice balls) is an essential part of the Lantern Festival. Although Yuanxiao and Tangyuan look similar, their preparation methods are quite different. Yuanxiao is made by cutting filling into small pieces and rolling repeatedly in glutinous rice flour, resulting in a firmer texture; Tangyuan is made by wrapping filling in glutinous rice dough, with a softer, chewy texture. Both symbolize family reunion and happiness. The fillings are also diverse: traditional black sesame, peanut, and red bean paste are sweet and rich, satisfying most tastes; in recent years, new fillings like durian, matcha, and chocolate have emerged, catering to young people's desire for novelty. During the festival, families gather around, cook a pot of steaming Yuanxiao, watching them swirl and sink in the pot, with the air filled with a sweet aroma. Amid laughter and joy, the warmth of home is felt. In some southern regions, there is also a custom of drinking "Yuanxiao Tea." Yuanxiao Tea is not real tea but a mixed dish made by chopping vegetables like spinach, cilantro, bean sprouts, and cooking them with vermicelli and dried tofu. This dish symbolizes "smooth sailing in all matters," and people believe that eating Yuanxiao Tea will bring good luck for the new year. Additionally, some places also eat rice cakes, dumplings, and other foods during the Lantern Festival. Though different, these foods all carry people's hopes for a better life.

Folk Activities, Inheriting Cultural Roots

The folk activities of the Lantern Festival are colorful and diverse. Besides lantern viewing and eating Yuanxiao, there are riddles, dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, and more, each full of local特色. Riddle guessing, also known as "playing lantern riddles," is a traditional activity dating back to ancient times. People paste riddles written on paper onto lanterns for others to guess. The riddles cover a wide range of topics, including character puzzles, idioms, proverbs, and poetry, with small prizes for correct answers, adding fun to the festival. Riddle guessing not only stimulates wisdom but also promotes communication among people, making it suitable for all ages. Dragon and lion dances are among the most iconic performances of the Lantern Festival. With powerful drums and cymbals, a golden dragon dances and twists in the air under the control of performers, sometimes soaring upward, sometimes plunging downward, as if alive; the adorable lion, guided by its lion dancer, performs various amusing actions, making the audience laugh. The dragon and lion dances symbolize good luck and auspiciousness. People believe that lively performances can ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune. Stilt walking is also a popular folk activity. Performers walk skillfully on several-foot-high stilts, performing splits, jumps, and other difficult moves. They wear brightly colored traditional costumes and paint exaggerated makeup on their faces, resembling characters from ancient paintings, attracting passersby to stop and watch. Additionally, in some ethnic minority areas, there are unique ways to celebrate the Lantern Festival. For example, the Yi people's "Torch Festival," usually held in June, is sometimes celebrated during the Lantern Festival when some Yi people light torches to pray for good weather; the Miao people's "Lusheng Festival" takes place during the Lantern Festival, where people play lusheng instruments, sing, and dance to celebrate the holiday. These minority customs add more cultural richness to the Lantern Festival and showcase the diversity of Chinese culture.