Lantern Festival: A Traditional Way To Celebrate New Year

#chinatravelitinerary Lantern Festival also known as Shangyuan Festival and Lantern Festival, is a traditional festival on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The formation of the Lantern Festival has gone through a long process. It can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. At that time, Emperor Wen of Han designated the fifteenth day of the first month as the Lantern Festival, and Sima Qian designated it as a major festival when he created the “Taichu Calendar”. The Lantern Festival marks the first full moon night of the New Year, symbolizing reunion and happiness. The origin of the Lantern Festival The history of the Lantern Festival can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago.In order to celebrate Zhou Bo's investigation of the chaos of Zhu Lu, Emperor Wen of Han designated the 15th of the first month as the Lantern Festival. During the reign of Emperor Wudi of Han, the sacrifice of the “Taiyi God” was also set on the 15th of the first month. When Sima Qian created the "Taichu Calendar", the Lantern Festival was designated as a major festival. Customs of the Lantern Festival There are many colorful customs during the Lantern Festival, including eating the Lantern Festival, viewing lanterns, and dancing lions. Eating the Lantern Festival is an important custom of the Lantern Festival, which symbolizes reunion and satisfaction. The custom of viewing lanterns developed into an unprecedented lantern market in the Tang Dynasty and became a carnival for the whole people. Lion dance is a fun activity during the Lantern Festival or assembly celebration. It originated in the Three Kingdoms Period and has a history of more than a thousand years. Cultural Significance of the Lantern Festival The Lantern Festival is not only a continuation of the celebration of the New Year, but also a “carnival” for the whole society.It symbolizes reunion and satisfaction, and expresses people's expectations for a better life. The cultural significance of the Lantern Festival lies in the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture, which has become an important part of the New Year customs of the Spring Festival.