The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, is a traditional Festival in China. The most lively part of the Shangyuan Festival is the lantern market at night, with flower lanterns, flower viewing lanterns, and flower lanterns. The ancients called night supper, so lantern is the meaning of shangyuan night.
Is that the Lantern Festival is the only one in China?
The answer is no. There are also five countries in the world that are deeply influenced by the Chinese cultural circle and also celebrate the Lantern Festival.
1. Japanese Lantern Festival: Drink red bean porridge during the festival
The Lantern Festival was originally also the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, but after the abolition of the lunar calendar in Japan, the Lantern Festival became January 15 of the Gregorian calendar.
On the day of the Japanese Lantern Festival, the Japanese people prepare red bean porridge like Chinese preparing the Lantern Festival, and the red bean porridge is filled with baked charcoal-baked rice cakes, which are said to be able to solve disasters by eating them. Of course, this tradition was also introduced from China. In the evening, the Japanese hold a bonfire party, which is mainly to pray for a good grain harvest.
The Lantern Festival is also the day when Japanese youth hold their coming-of-age ceremonies. On this day, Japanese men and women wear traditional kimonos for a ceremony and go to the temple to pray for blessings.
Of course, Japan will also make flower lanterns this night, such as Yokohama Chinatown every year will hold the Lantern Festival lantern viewing activities, the lantern viewing activities will start in the evening, the whole street is decorated with colorful.
2, Korean Lantern Festival: similar to China's Lapa Festival
As a member of the Chinese cultural circle, South Korea has also retained the customs of the Lantern Festival. However, the Korean Lantern Festival does not eat Lantern and Tangyuan, but eats grain porridge and kimchi in anticipation of this year's grain abundance. This is somewhat similar to the Chinese Lapa Festival.
In addition to eating porridge, Koreans will also step on the god of the land, which means to bless themselves with peace in the new year.
3. Singapore Lantern Festival: Preserve Chinese traditional customs
Singapore's Lantern Festival is not much different from China's, because Singapore is predominantly Chinese and follows traditional Chinese customs in the way of celebration. Every Lantern Festival, Chinatown, where chinese people live, is the place with the strongest festive atmosphere, and various flower lanterns are hung for people to enjoy.
4, Thailand's Lantern Festival: a different Lantern Festival
There are also more Chinese in Thailand, and at the same time, they are influenced by Chinese culture, so the Lantern Festival also eats lanterns.
The Lantern originated in China, but due to the migration of many people Chinese went to Thailand to live, the Lantern took root in Thailand and became a traditional food for the Thai people.
The Thai Lantern is called in Thai, and the finished product is a bowl of colorful balls. These colors are mainly derived from natural ingredients, such as green taro leaves, blue from Ancan flowers, light yellow from sweet potatoes, orange from carrots, yellow from pumpkins, purple from taro and so on. All kinds of lanterns can be gathered into a bowl, and it is very appetizing to watch.
Thailand as a Buddhist country, on this day, Thais usually go into the temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.
5, Malaysia Lantern Festival: men and women "throw oranges" to find a good relationship
The Lantern Festival is one of the major traditional festivals of the Chinese people in Malaysia, and its custom of "throwing oranges and picking bananas" is lively and romantic. On Lantern Night, many places across Malaysia hold citrus throwing and orange fishing activities.
At this time, single men and women have rushed to the river or lake in the park, men throw bananas, women throw citrus, and write contact numbers on fruits, hoping to take this opportunity to please or meet strange people of the opposite sex, hoping to find a good relationship.