The origin of Lantern Festival: From the long river of history
The Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, small first month, Yuan Xi or Lantern Festival, is one of China's traditional festivals. Its origin can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. According to legend, during the period of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty, in order to celebrate the suppression of the "chaos of Zhulu", the 15th day of the first month was set as the day to enjoy with the people. Another important legend of the Lantern Festival is related to Buddhism. During the reign of Emperor Mingdi in the Eastern Han Dynasty, in order to promote the Dharma, he ordered "lanterns to be burned on the 15th day of the first lunar month", thus starting the tradition of Lantern Festival.
With the passage of time, Lantern Festival has gradually become a national celebration. In the Tang Dynasty, the Lantern Festival was on a grand scale, and the lantern fair in Chang 'an City was very lively. People went to the streets to enjoy the festival, enjoy the lanterns, guess lantern riddles and enjoy the festival. The Song Dynasty brought the Lantern Festival celebration to a climax, not only the lantern fair was larger, but also a variety of exquisite lanterns and colorful performances. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the custom of Lantern Festival became more diversified. In addition to watching lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, dragon and lion dances, and setting off fireworks, it became one of the most lively festivals in the year.
Traditional Practices of the Lantern Festival: Adding a Sense of Ceremony to Life
Enjoy the lanterns: the romance of lighting up the night sky
On the night of the Lantern Festival, the most charming thing is the lanterns all over the street. Lanterns have been an important symbol of Lantern Festival since ancient times. In ancient times, the production of lanterns is exquisite, there are palace lanterns, gauze lanterns, walking lanterns and other types, the lamp painted with a variety of exquisite patterns, such as dragon and phoenix auspicious, fish leap Longmen, Chang 'e flying to the moon, meaning auspicious and beautiful. Today, although the way of making lanterns is more modern, the romance and beauty are still the same. Whether it is the streets of the city or the market square in the countryside, the lanterns twinkle in the night sky, decorating the whole world like a dream. People walk in the sea of lanterns, enjoy a variety of unique lanterns, feel the festive atmosphere of the festival, as if in a fairy tale world.
Guessing lantern riddles: The collision of wisdom and fun
Guessing lantern riddles is another important custom of Lantern Festival. In ancient times, people wrote riddles on strips of paper and stuck them on lanterns for people to guess. Guessing lantern riddles is not only an entertainment activity, but also a contest of wisdom. The content of lantern riddles is rich and diverse, covering all aspects of history, culture, life and so on, testing people's knowledge reserve and thinking ability. In the process of guessing lantern riddles, people either think alone or discuss with each other, when the answer is guessed, the joy and sense of achievement is overflowing. Guessing lantern riddles not only enriches people's festival life, but also inherits and carries forward traditional culture. Today, guessing lantern riddles is still one of the important activities of the Lantern Festival, and many places will hold lantern riddles to attract many lovers to participate, so that this ancient tradition has a new vitality in modern society.
Eating Yuanxiao: The taste of reunion
"The Lantern Festival full moon, every family eat dumplings." Yuanxiao is the iconic food of Lantern Festival, symbolizing reunion and happiness. The making method of Yuanxiao is relatively simple. Glutinous rice flour and dough are wrapped in various fillings, such as sesame, bean paste, peanuts, etc., and then boiled in water. Cooked Yuanxiao, soft and glutinous, sweet filling, eat a bite, full of happiness. In the north, people are used to calling Yuanxiao "Yuanxiao", while in the south it is called "Tangyuan". Although the names are different, the meaning of reunion they carry is the same. On the Lantern Festival day, families sit together, eating steaming rice dumplings, enjoying the reunion time, which is the most heart-warming scene of the Lantern Festival.