Lantern Festival

Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, just after the Spring Festival, China welcomes the traditional Lantern Festival.

The first lunar month is the first month of the lunar calendar. Ancient people called night "xiao," so the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is called the Lantern Festival. The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the first full moon night of the year, marking the beginning of a new year and the return of spring. People celebrate this as a continuation of the New Year celebrations. The Lantern Festival is also known as the Shangyuan Festival.

According to Chinese folk tradition, on this night when the bright moon hangs high in the sky, people light thousands of colorful lanterns to celebrate. They go out to admire the moon, light lanterns and fireworks, guess lantern riddles, and eat Yuanxiao dumplings together. Families gather together to celebrate the festival, sharing a joyful atmosphere.

The Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival, originated in the Han Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, lantern viewing became even more popular. Lanterns were hung throughout the imperial palace and the streets, and tall lantern wheels, towers, and trees were constructed. The great Tang Dynasty poet Lu Zhaolin described the grand spectacle of the Lantern Festival in his poem "Watching Lanterns on the 15th Night" as follows: "The sky looks like falling stars, and the sky looks like a moon hanging on the tower."

The Song Dynasty placed even greater emphasis on the Lantern Festival, and the lantern viewing became even more lively. The festival lasted for five days, and the variety of lanterns increased. During the Ming Dynasty, the festival lasted for ten consecutive days, making it the longest Lantern Festival in China. Although the Qing Dynasty's lantern festival lasted only three days, it was celebrated on a grand scale and with unprecedented pomp. In addition to lighting lanterns, fireworks were also set off to add to the excitement.

"Guessing lantern riddles," also known as "playing lantern riddles," is a later addition to the Lantern Festival, originating in the Song Dynasty. During the Southern Song Dynasty, riddles were created in the capital of Lin'an during the Lantern Festival, and crowds gathered to solve them. Originally, people would write riddles on slips of paper and affix them to colorful lanterns for people to guess. Because riddles can be both intellectually stimulating and entertaining, they spread and became popular across all social classes.


It's a folk custom to eat Yuanxiao during the Lantern Festival. Yuanxiao are made of glutinous rice and can be solid or filled. Fillings include red bean paste, sugar, hawthorn, and various fruits. They can be boiled, pan-fried, steamed, or deep-fried. Originally, this food was called "floating dumplings," later renamed "tangtuan" or "tangyuan." These names, similar in pronunciation to "tuanyuan," symbolize family reunion, harmony, and happiness. They also serve as a way to remember departed loved ones and express good wishes for the future.


In some areas, the Lantern Festival also features the custom of "walking away all diseases," also known as "roasting all diseases" or "dispersing all diseases." Participants are mostly women, who walk in groups along walls, across bridges, or through the suburbs to ward off illness and disaster.

Over time, the Lantern Festival saw an increasing number of activities. Many localities incorporated traditional folk performances such as dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, land boat rowing, yangko dances, and Taiping drums into the celebrations. This traditional festival, with a history spanning over 2,000 years, is not only popular across the Taiwan Strait but also celebrated year after year in overseas Chinese communities.


The Origin and Legends of the Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that dates back over 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty. The Lantern Festival began during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Emperor Ming, a proponent of Buddhism, heard that monks viewed Buddha relics and lit lanterns in honor of the Buddha on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. He decreed that lanterns be lit in the imperial palace and temples that night, and that both the nobility and the common people should hang lanterns. This Buddhist ritual gradually evolved into a grand folk festival. The festival evolved from the imperial court to the common people, and from the Central Plains to the entire nation.


During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, a decree designated the fifteenth day of the first lunar month as the Lantern Festival. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, worship of the "Taiyi God" was established on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. (Taiyi: The god who rules over all things in the universe). Sima Qian, when he created the Taichu calendar, had already designated the Lantern Festival as a major festival.

Another theory holds that the custom of lighting lanterns during the Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist "Three Yuan" theory: the 15th day of the first lunar month is the Shangyuan Festival, the 15th day of the seventh lunar month is the Zhongyuan Festival, and the 15th day of the tenth lunar month is the Xiayuan Festival. The three Yuans are governed by the three officials of Heaven, Earth, and Man, respectively. Since the Heavenly Official is joyful, lanterns are lit during the Shangyuan Festival.

The duration and customs of the Lantern Festival have lengthened and expanded over history. The duration of the festival ranged from just one day in the Han Dynasty to three days in the Tang Dynasty, five days in the Song Dynasty, and even ten days in the Ming Dynasty, starting with the lighting of lanterns on the eighth day of the first lunar month and continuing until the night of the 17th day of the first lunar month. Coinciding with the Spring Festival, the festival is bustling during the day, and the nighttime lantern lighting is spectacular. The intricate and colorful lights, in particular, make it the climax of Spring Festival entertainment. During the Qing Dynasty, dragon and lion dances, land boat races, stilt walking, and yangko dances were added to the festival, but the festival period was shortened to four or five days.


There are several interesting folk legends about the origins of the Lantern Festival:



The Legend of Lanterns
... Terrified and at a loss of what to do, an elderly man finally came up with a plan. He said, "On the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of the first lunar month, every household should decorate their homes with lanterns, set off firecrackers, and let off fireworks. This way, the Emperor of Heaven will think everyone has been burned to death."

Everyone agreed and went their separate ways to prepare. On the night of the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Emperor of Heaven looked down and saw a red glow and deafening roars across the world. This had continued for three consecutive nights. Thinking it was the flames of a great fire, he was delighted. Thus, people saved their lives and property. To commemorate this success, every 15th day of the first lunar month has since been marked by the hanging of lanterns and the setting off of fireworks.


Another legend holds that the Lantern Festival was established during the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty to commemorate the "suppression of the Lü clan." After the death of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, Empress Lü's son, Liu Ying, ascended the throne as Emperor Hui of Han. Emperor Hui was cowardly and indecisive by nature, and power gradually fell into the hands of Empress Lü. After Emperor Hui's death, Empress Lü seized control of government, transforming the Liu dynasty into the Lü clan. Veteran officials and members of the Liu clan were deeply indignant, but fearing Empress Lü's tyranny, they dared not speak out.

After Empress Lü's death, the Lü clan, fearing harm and marginalization, met in panic at the home of General Lü Lu to plot rebellion and completely seize control of the Liu dynasty.

This incident reached the ears of Liu Nang, the Prince of Qi, a member of the Liu clan. To protect the Liu dynasty, Liu Nang decided to raise an army to suppress the Lü clan. He then contacted founding ministers Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, and orchestrated the removal of Lü Lu. The Lü Rebellion was finally quelled.

After the rebellion was quelled, the ministers enthroned Liu Bang's second son, Liu Heng, as Emperor Wen of Han. Recognizing the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen designated the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the day the Lü Rebellion was quelled, as a day for the people to celebrate. Every household in the capital decorated its streets with lanterns and colorful decorations to mark the occasion. From then on, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month became a universal folk festival known as the "Lantern Festival."

Dongfang Shuo and the Lantern Festival Girl

This legend is related to the custom of eating Lantern Festival dumplings: According to legend, Emperor Wu of Han had a favored minister named Dongfang Shuo, who was kind and humorous. One winter day, after several days of heavy snow, Dongfang Shuo went to the Imperial Garden to pick plum blossoms for the emperor. Upon entering the garden, he discovered a palace maid, weeping and about to jump into a well. Dongfang Shuo rushed to her rescue and inquired about her suicide attempt. The maid's name was Yuanxiao, and she had parents and a younger sister at home. Since entering the palace, she hadn't seen her family again. Every year, as the twelfth lunar month drew to a close and spring arrived, she missed her family even more than usual. She felt that, unable to fulfill her filial duties to her parents, she might as well die. Dongfang Shuo, moved by her plight, promised her that he would find a way to reunite her with her family.

One day, Dongfang Shuo left the palace and set up a fortune-telling stall on Chang'an Street. Many people rushed to ask him for divination. Unexpectedly, every prediction he gave was "burned to death on the 16th day of the first lunar month." Great panic gripped Chang'an, and people flocked to seek a solution to the disaster. Dongfang Shuo said, "On the evening of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, the God of Fire will send a red-robed goddess down to investigate. She is the messenger who ordered the burning of Chang'an. I will give you the verses I have copied, so that the current emperor can consider a solution." With that, he threw down a red note and walked away. The common people took the note and hurriedly took it to the palace to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu of Han took it and read it. It read: "Chang'an is in danger. Fire will burn the imperial palace. The fire will last for fifteen days, and the flames will burn red at night." Frightened, he quickly summoned the resourceful Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo pretended to think for a moment and said, "I've heard that the God of Fire loves tangyuan (glutinous rice balls). Doesn't Yuanxiao in the palace often make them for you? Have Yuanxiao prepare them on the fifteenth night. Your Majesty, burn incense and offer sacrifices. Order every household in Kyoto to make tangyuan in honor of the God of Fire. Then, instruct your subjects to hang lanterns and set off firecrackers and fireworks throughout the city, making it appear as if a fire is raging. This way, we can deceive the Jade Emperor. Also, notify the people outside the city walls to enter the city walls on the fifteenth night to view the lanterns and blend in with the crowds to ward off disasters and resolve difficulties." Emperor Wu was delighted and ordered Dongfang Shuo's suggestion to be implemented.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Chang'an was festooned with lanterns and bustling with tourists. The palace maid Yuanxiao's parents also came with their sister to view the lanterns. Seeing the large lanterns inscribed with "Yuanxiao," they cried out in delight, "Yuanxiao! Yuanxiao!" Yuanxiao, upon hearing the shouts, was finally reunited with her family.

After such a lively night, Chang'an City was indeed safe and sound. Emperor Wu of Han was delighted and ordered that every fifteenth day of the first lunar month, glutinous rice balls (tangyuan) be made as a sacrifice to the God of Fire. Lanterns and fireworks would continue throughout the city on the same day. Because the tangyuan made during the Lantern Festival were the best, people called them Yuanxiao (Chinese Valentine's Day), and the day became known as the Lantern Festival.
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