Shenyang, 15 Feb (CNBC) -- The Lantern Festival is one of the important traditional festivals of the Chinese nation. Because the ancients called "night" "supper", they called the fifteenth day of the first full moon night of the year the Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, the Small New Moon, the New Year's Eve or the Lantern Festival.
According to records, the Lantern Festival began in the Qin Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. In the Western Han Dynasty, the Han Wudi Emperor Liu Che's activities to sacrifice "Taiyi" at Ganquan Palace were regarded by posterity as the precursor of the sacrifice of the gods on the fifteenth day of the first month. At first, people called this day the fifteenth day of the first month, the first half of the first month or the moon, and after the Sui Dynasty, it was renamed New Year's Eve or New Year's Eve. At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, due to the widespread influence of Taoism, the fifteenth day of the first month was also called the Shangyuan Festival, and it was not until the end of the Tang Dynasty that the name "Lantern Festival" spread.
This day is the first full moon night of the year, and it is also the time when the unity is restored and the earth is rejuvenated. Just as the so-called Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month, the streets and alleys are full of lights, people appreciate the lanterns, guess the riddles, eat the Lantern... The festival customs in various places are rich and colorful, and people's yearning for a better life is pinned on.
Flower viewing lights
The custom of viewing flower lanterns during the Lantern Festival originated from the time of the Han Ming Emperor. During the Yongping period, Emperor Ming of Han vigorously advocated Buddhism and ordered that on the fifteenth night of the first month, "lamps were lit to offer buddhas" in the court and monasteries. Later, the custom of lanterns was spread to the people, and every Lantern Festival, all kinds of flower lanterns appeared on the street, dazzling and dazzling, attracting people to stop and appreciate.
Brilliant flower lanterns in the night (Photo by Wang Yue, YangGuang Network)
Guess the riddle
Guessing the lantern riddle is a special activity of the Lantern Festival that has been circulating since ancient times. People hang lanterns, set off fireworks, paste riddles on colorful lanterns or lanterns, and hang riddles with lights, so it is called "riddles". People usually use a poem or a word as a riddle, adding a lot of elegance to the festive atmosphere.
Lively guessing lantern riddle scene (CCTV released kaiyuan fusion media photo)
Play with dragon lights
The dragon lantern is also called "dragon dance", which has a history of more than 2,000 years. In ancient times, people prayed for the blessing of the dragon in the way of dragon dance, in order to seek the next year's wind and rain, grain abundance, and gradually promoted, every time a traditional festival or major celebration, people will dance the dragon and lion, showing a strong festive atmosphere.
The dragon soars and dances, and the momentum is magnificent (courtesy of Li Chengjia, yangguang network)
Stilts
Stilt walking is a very old folk craft performance that has appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. Dressed in colorful clothes and stepping on stilts, the performers can not only walk freely, but also twist and dance with the rhythm of gongs and drums, and even make various difficult movements such as splitting forks, jumping stools, dancing knives and guns.
Kaiyuan citizens step on stilts and twist the straw song to celebrate the Lantern Festival (Photo provided by Kaiyuan Rong Media)
Eat the Lantern
"Lantern" is the name of the northerners, and the southerners call it "Tangyuan" or "Tang Tuan". According to folk traditions, every year on the fifteenth day of the first month, every household must eat tangyuan. Because these names are similar to the pronunciation of "reunion", they take the meaning of reunion, borrow the night of the fifteenth full moon, and hope that the whole family will be reunited and happy.
Tangyuan in the shape of ice pier has become the hottest product this year (photo provided by Mai Feng)