The 15th day of the first lunar month, just after the Spring Festival, is the traditional Chinese festival of Lantern Festival.
The first lunar month is called "Yuan", and ancient people referred to night as "Xiao", so the 15th day of the first lunar month is called the Lantern Festival. It is the first full moon night of the year, and also the night when the cycle begins again and spring returns to the earth. People celebrate this occasion, which is also a continuation of the celebration of the Spring Festival. The Lantern Festival is also known as the "Shangyuan Festival".
According to traditional customs in China, on this night with bright full moon, people light thousands of colorful lanterns to express their joy. Going out to admire the moon, lighting lanterns and setting off fireworks, solving riddles on lanterns, eating yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls), gathering with family to celebrate the festival, all bring great happiness.
The Lantern Festival is also known as the "Lantern Festival". The custom of lighting lanterns originated in the Han Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, the lantern viewing activities became even more prosperous. In the imperial palace and on the streets, lanterns were hung everywhere, and tall lantern wheels, towers, and trees were built. The famous Tang Dynasty poet Lu Zhaolin once described the grand scene of lantern lighting during the Lantern Festival in his poem "Lantern Viewing on the 15th Night": "Touching the Han dynasty, it seems like stars fall; leaning against the building, it appears like a moon hanging."
During the Song Dynasty, the Lantern Festival was given even more importance, and the lantern viewing activities became more lively. The activity lasted for five days, and the lantern designs became more diverse. During the Ming Dynasty, the lantern viewing lasted for ten days, making it the longest lantern festival in Chinese history. Although during the Qing Dynasty, the lantern viewing only lasted three days, the scale of the event was large and the scene was magnificent. In addition to lighting lanterns, people also set off fireworks to add to the fun.
"Solving lantern riddles" or "guessing lantern riddles" is an added activity after the Lantern Festival, which appeared during the Song Dynasty. During the Southern Song Dynasty, the capital Lin'an had many riddle-making activities during the Lantern Festival, with many people participating in guessing riddles. Initially, people wrote riddles on paper strips and pasted them on colorful lanterns for others to guess. Because riddles could inspire wisdom and were very interesting, they were widely welcomed by people of all social strata during their development.
It is a custom in the folk to eat yuanxiao on the Lantern Festival. Yuanxiao is made of glutinous rice, either solid or filled. Fillings include red bean paste, sugar, hawthorn, various fruits, etc. They can be cooked, fried, steamed, or deep-fried. Originally, this food was called "floating round balls," later it was also called "tangyuan" or "tangzhuan." These names are similar in sound to the word "团圆" (roundness), symbolizing the reunion of the whole family, harmony, and happiness. People also use this to miss their loved ones who have left and to express their hopes for a better future.
In some areas, there is a custom of "walking to eliminate diseases" during the Lantern Festival, also known as "roasting all diseases" or "scattering all diseases." Participants are mostly women, who walk in groups along walls or cross bridges, or go to the countryside, aiming to drive away diseases and disasters.
With the passage of time, the activities of the Lantern Festival have become increasingly diverse. Many places have added traditional folk performances such as dragon and lion dances, walking on high stilts, boat rowing, and drumming during festivals. This traditional festival, which has been passed down for over two thousand years, is not only popular in both sides of the Taiwan Strait but is also celebrated annually in overseas Chinese communities.
