The Lantern Festival in China by: Alexa Luo

           The Lantern Festival is one of the traditional Chinese festivals. It takes place on the fifteenth day after the lunar Chinese New Year. This holiday marks the end of celebration of the Lunar New Year. On the day of the Lantern Festival, people go out to the temples carrying lanterns that are made of red waxed paper. At night, people light candles inside the lanterns, and those lanterns will fly into the night sky when the air inside the lanterns heats up enough, just like hot air balloons. Ancient Chinese believed that the flying red lanterns brought their best wishes to God in the heavens. Though thousands of years have passed, the tradition of flying red lanterns has not died out. Every year, the flying red lanterns against a starry sky make a terrific scene unique to the Lantern Festival.

Lanterns Light the Sky. Art by: Aubrey Groves

            The history of Lantern Festival can be traced back to circa 220 B.C. People carried firebrands around the farms and fields in order to drive the injurious insects away. The people hoped that this practice would reduce the insect pests and bring a better harvest. During the following centuries, the Lantern Festival has grown into one of the major festivals in China. The royals made huge lanterns in different shapes: dragons, lions, figures of Buddha and so on. Everyday folk made small lanterns in the shapes of flowers, trees and animals. With a gentle breeze, those big and small lanterns, along with colorful fireworks, would light up the entire city of Beijing at night.

            Because China is vast in territory, different regions have their unique traditions to celebrate holidays like the Lantern Festival, but there are three major activities that everyone will do on the day of the Lantern Festival: eat sweet pudding balls, admire fancy lanterns and guess lantern riddles in the parades. Families usually sit together at a big round table and eat a delicious meal in the evening while the moon gradually comes out. The atmosphere is filled with love. In China the round shape of tables, lanterns, and the moon all implies family reunion and concord.

The parades have many performances, such as: dragon dances, lion dances, and stilt dances. Ancient people regarded dragons and lions as symbols of power that were given by nature, and these dances aimed to worship the animals. These activities attract countless visitors. People gather on the streets, where various shapes and sizes of lanterns are hung, and children often sit on their fathers’ shoulders to watch these exciting performances. 

Lanterns hang from the ceiling at Red Orchid Restaurant in Charleston, SC Photo by: Alexa Luo

“Guessing lantern riddles” is also an essential and fun thing to do during the Lantern Festival. Lantern makers write riddles on pieces of paper and stick the paper on the lanterns. If the tourists guess, they can open the lantern and find a piece of paper with the answer inside. If they are right, they will get a gift from the makers. This “riddle guessing” activity first occurred in the Song Dynasty about 1000 years ago. This practice of guessing riddles was not only fascinating but was also full of wisdom and knowledge. Soon, “riddle guessing” became popular all over the country.

Later at night, a grand and gorgeous firework show will often end the parade. The fifteenth day is the first full moon night of the New Year; therefore, the Chinese regard the Lantern Festival as a symbol of perfection and unity. According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar in 2014, the Lantern Festival is on February 14^th, the same day as Valentine’s Day.

Every year, my mom, grandma and aunts cook a big meal on the Lantern Festival. All of my relatives will sit together around a round table and enjoy the delicious dinner. We also watch an annual Lantern Festival Show on television. It is the last day of Chinese New Year, therefore we will all give blessings and then start the next year. I encourage you to try some sweet pudding balls while you enjoy watching the lanterns. It will be a wonderful experience of another culture.