What is the origin of Lantern Festival? The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival. After that, many working people need to devote themselves to their busy work and formally draw a perfect ending for the new year. On that day, everyone ate and drank, ate dumplings, or went outside to solve riddles on the lanterns, which was also a very lively festival. Let's share the origin of the Lantern Festival in detail.

the Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, Xiaoyuanyuan Festival, Yuanxi Festival or Lantern Festival, is the 15th day of the first lunar month and the last important festival of China Spring Festival. Lantern Festival is one of the traditional festivals in China, Chinese character cultural circle and overseas Chinese. The first month is the first month of the lunar calendar. The ancients called "night", so the fifteenth day of the first full moon in a year was called Lantern Festival.

In the ancient customs of China, Shangyuan Festival (Tianguan Festival), Zhongyuan Festival (Diguan Festival, Yulan Festival) and Xiayuan Festival (Shuiguan Festival) are collectively called Sanyuan Festival. The formation of Lantern Festival custom has a long process. According to general data and folklore, the fifteenth day of the first month was paid attention to in the Western Han Dynasty. On the night of the first month, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty offered sacrifices to "Taiyi" in Ganquan Palace, which was regarded by later generations as the first sacrifice to the gods on the fifteenth day of the first month. However, the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month is indeed a folk festival after the Han and Wei Dynasties.

Since ancient times, the custom of Lantern Festival has been based on the warm and festive custom of watching lanterns. Traditional customs include going out to enjoy the moon, lighting lanterns and setting off flames, liking solve riddles on the lanterns, eating Yuanxiao together and pulling rabbit lanterns. In addition, in many places, traditional folk performances, such as playing dragon lanterns, playing lions, walking on stilts, boating, yangko dancing and playing Taiping drums, have all joined the Lantern Festival.

In June 2008, the Lantern Festival was selected as the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage.

The origin of festivals

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, Lantern Festival and Lantern Festival. The first month is the first month of the lunar calendar. The ancients called the night "Xiao", so they called the fifteenth day of the first month the Lantern Festival. The fifteenth day of the first month is the night of the first full moon in a year and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty. On the night of Spring Festival, people celebrate this festival and the continuation of the Spring Festival. Sima Qian founded the taichu calendar, which listed the Lantern Festival as a major festival. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. "Sui Shu Music Record" Day: "Every first month, all nations come to the DPRK and live outside the Duanmen Gate, which lasts for eight miles until the 15th." Tens of thousands of people participated in singing and dancing, from faint to dark. With the changes of society and times, the custom of Lantern Festival has changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.

Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, and it takes a long time to form the custom of Lantern Festival. According to general data and folklore, the fifteenth day of the first month was paid attention to in the Western Han Dynasty. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sacrificed "Taiyi" in Ganquan Palace on the moonlit night, which was regarded by later generations as the forerunner of offering sacrifices to the gods on the fifteenth day of the first month. The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty is of great significance to the formation of Lantern Festival customs.

Yuanxiao, originally meant as "the night of Shangyuan Festival", mainly eats glutinous rice balls and enjoys the moon on the fifteenth night of the first month. Later, the name of this festival evolved into "Lantern Festival". On the night of Lantern Festival, the streets are decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and people enjoy lanterns, solve riddles on the lanterns and eat Lantern Festival, which pushes the celebration activities started on New Year's Eve to another climax and becomes a custom handed down from generation to generation. Yuanxiao was only called the fifteenth day of the first month, the first half of the first month or the full moon when the early festivals were formed, and it was called Yuanxiao or Yuanxiao after Sui. Influenced by Taoism in the early Tang Dynasty, it was also called Shangyuan, but it was only in the late Tang Dynasty that it was occasionally called Yuanxiao. But since the Song Dynasty, it has also been called Dengxi. In the Qing dynasty, it was also called the Lantern Festival. In foreign countries, Lantern Festival is also called Lantern Festival.

Other legends

In memory of "Pinglu"

According to legend, the Lantern Festival was set up to commemorate Pinglu during the reign of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty. After the death of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, Lv Hou's son Liu Ying became Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty. Hui Di was born weak and indecisive, and power gradually fell into the hands of Lv Hou. After Hui Di's death, he monopolized state affairs and turned Liu's world into Lu's. The old courtiers and Liu Zongshi were deeply indignant, but they were afraid of cruelty and dared not speak out.

After Lv Hou's death, Zhu Lu has been in a state of anxiety, afraid of being hurt and excluded. So, they secretly assembled in the home of the generals in the world and plotted to make trouble in order to completely seize Liu's country. This incident reached the ears of Liu Xiang, the king of the Liu clan. In order to protect Liu's country, Liu Xiang decided to attack Zhu Lu, and got in touch with Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, the founding fathers, in an attempt to raise Lv Lu. The "Zhu-Lu Rebellion" was finally completely put down.

After the rebellion, the ministers made Liu Heng, the second son of Liu Bang, emperor and called him Emperor Wen. Impressed by the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen designated the 15th day of the first month of the first month to quell the "Zhu-Lu Rebellion" as a day to have fun with the people, and every household in Beijing celebrated with lanterns and colorful decorations. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first month has become a popular folk festival-"Lantern Festival".

During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrificial activities of "Taiyi God" were scheduled for the 15th day of the first month. Taiyi: the God who rules the universe. When Sima Qian created the taichu calendar Law, he had already identified the Lantern Festival as a major festival.

Torch Festival

Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China since ancient times. The appreciation of the Lantern Festival began in ancient times when people held torches in rural fields to drive away insects and wild animals, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a bumper harvest. To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still use reeds or branches as torches on the 15th day of the first month, and hold high in groups to dance in fields or grain drying fields. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. Tens of thousands of people took part in singing and dancing, from faint to dark. With the changes of society and times, the custom of Lantern Festival has changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.

"Ternary theory

The custom of burning lanterns in the Lantern Festival originated from the "ternary theory" of Taoism. Shangyuan means the first full moon night of the New Year. The origin of Shangyuan Festival is recorded as years old in Miscellaneous Notes, which is a Taoist stereotype. Taoism once called the 15th day of the first month the Shangyuan Festival, the 15th day of July the Zhongyuan Festival and the 15th day of October the Xiayuan Festival, which were collectively called the "Sanyuan Festival". The gods worshipped by Wudou Midao, an important school of Taoism in the late Han Dynasty, were celestial officials, local officials and water officials. They said that God bless the people, the local officials forgive sins, and the water officials relieve Eritrea. They used three yuan to match the three officials, saying that Shangyuan Tianguan was born on the fifteenth day of the first month, Zhongyuan was born on the fifteenth day of July, and Xiayuan Shuiguan was born on the fifteenth day of October. In this way, the fifteenth day of the first month is called Shangyuan Festival. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wu said in a dream: "The fifteenth day of the first month is the day when God bless the people." Therefore, lanterns should be lit on the Lantern Festival.

The Ming emperor respects Buddha.

Originated from Buddhism. This statement is mainly in the Three Hundred Topics of Social Customs edited by Mr. Hu Shensheng: "In Buddhist teachings, fire is compared to the mighty god of Buddha, and there is a saying in the Infinite Life Sutra that' the infinite flame shines on the infinite'. In Buddhist teachings, the lamp has always been one of the offerings before the Buddha. Moreover, Buddhist classics have been repeatedly publicized: Repentance of Thousand Lamps, Buddhist Scriptures, The Best Light on Earth, and The Infinite Life Sutra. Every Buddhist activity needs bright lights. In Buddhist legends, the story of the Buddha's transformation is related to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month. According to "A Brief History of Monks", Buddha Sakyamuni appeared on February 30, 65438, that is, on the fifteenth day of the first month in Dongtu. In order to commemorate the Buddha's change of god, a lantern burning ceremony will be held on this day. When Emperor Hanming came to lecture in the East, Morten Zhuflange ordered Emperor Hanming to put up lanterns at 15 o'clock in the first month of the Buddha's transition, and personally went to the temple to decorate the lanterns to show his respect for the Buddha. Since then, playing lanterns on the Lantern Festival has become a common custom. " However, some scholars believe that this view is untenable. Buddhism only uses people's holiday atmosphere to expand its influence on this day.

Festivals and customs

The festivals and customs of Lantern Festival have been extended and expanded with the development of history. As far as the length of festivals is concerned, there is only one day in Han Dynasty, three days in Tang Dynasty and five days in Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, lights were lit from the eighth day until the seventeenth night of the first month. It is the longest Lantern Festival in the history of China, which is connected with the Spring Festival. This day is a city. Very lively and spectacular. Especially the exquisite and colorful lights make it the climax of entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. In the Qing Dynasty, there were more "hundred operas" such as dragon dancing, lion dancing, dry boating, walking on stilts and yangko dancing, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.

In the Tang Dynasty, when the national strength was unprecedented, the Lantern Festival was very prosperous. Whether in the capital or in towns and villages, lanterns are hung everywhere, and people also make huge lanterns, trees and poles. The city is full of fire trees and silver flowers, which is very lively.

In the Song Dynasty, in addition to the carnival of "women walking in the streets and lanes, men and women can't tell the difference", there were also officials sharing profits, and the monarch and the people shared the Lantern Festival; Even if there is terror, prison institutions will use lights and images to interpret prisoners' stories or display prison equipment. The Lantern Festival has developed into the most lively secular carnival in the Song Dynasty, and it is more colorful. Lantern Festival lasts for five days, and the styles of lanterns are complex and diverse. Visiting the lantern market is a very pleasant thing. The poet Xin Qiji wrote: "Thousands of trees bloom in the east wind night, and the stars are like rain", which means that there are countless lanterns and fireworks like rain in the Lantern Festival in the Song Dynasty. At that time, there were riddles on lanterns, that is, all kinds of riddles were written on paper and pasted on lanterns, and the person who guessed correctly could get a small reward. This entertaining activity is deeply loved by people and widely circulated.

In the Yuan Dynasty, most festivals were cancelled. The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty thought that life was exercise and work was rest, and the annual holiday was only 16 days.

The Lantern Festival in the Ming Dynasty lasted longer, from the eighth day of the first month to the seventeenth, lasting for ten days to show joy.

In the Qing Dynasty, Manchu entered the Central Plains, and the court no longer held lantern festivals, but the folk lantern festivals were still spectacular. The Lantern Festival in the Qing Dynasty lasted only three days, but the lights were bright, more exquisite and fantastic, and it was still very attractive.

Denglong accommodation

People should set up a "heaven and earth hall" when offering sacrifices to God on New Year's Eve. People set up a small shed in the yard, and on a small table in the shed stood the throne of God, "Heaven and Earth are truly slaughtered for ten times"; There are incense burners and offerings in front of the shrine, and a lantern is hung to represent Jiang Taigong's seat. It is said that when Jiang Taigong was a god, everyone else was sealed, but he forgot to seal himself, so he had no seat and could only sit with God.

Lanterns are related to gods, so they are also endowed with many symbolic meanings.

In ancient times, in order to dispel the fear of darkness, lanterns were derived with the meaning of exorcising evil spirits and praying for light.

In Minnan dialect, the pronunciation of "Deng" is similar to that of "Ding", so lanterns are also used to pray for children to add Ding, seek fame and avoid evil spirits.

There is a kind of lamp. At the end of the year and the beginning of the year, lanterns will be placed in temples to make the year safe and smooth by the magic of Buddha.

There are also farmers who hang a lamp on a long bamboo pole in the field and observe the color of the fire to predict the drought and flood in a year in order to have a bumper year.

The reason for "flying sky lanterns" is that people used to fly sky lanterns as a signal of mutual peace after fleeing bandits. Since the day of refuge and going home is the Lantern Festival, people have celebrated it every year with the ceremony of putting up lanterns, so it is also called "blessing lamp" or "safety lamp". Later, it gradually evolved into a folk activity of praying to heaven. The sky lantern is filled with all kinds of wishes in my heart, hoping that the sky lantern can go to heaven and bring infinite hope and light to people.

Legend has it that Emperor Taizong of Li Shimin encouraged reading, and all the people sent their children to school. The first program of admission is called "Turn on the light", which is to bring lanterns made in advance to the school and ask a learned old gentleman to light them to symbolize a bright future. In the past, most private schools started school on the fifteenth day of the first month, so the opening lanterns became decorations for the "Shangyuan Festival".

There are many kinds of Lantern Festival lanterns, or image lanterns made by imitating the image of things, such as dragon lanterns, tiger lanterns and rabbit lanterns. Or lanterns adapted from folk stories, such as Cowherd and Weaver Girl, Twenty-four Filial Pieties, etc. It shows the national spirit of loyalty, filial piety and righteousness. Various lanterns are skillfully made, which shows the wisdom and skill of craftsmen.

With the development of the times, the Lantern Festival has become more and more grand, with more and more national characteristics and longer time. The Lantern Festival in the Tang Dynasty is one day and three days before and after Shangyuan. In the Song Dynasty, two days were added after the 16th National Congress, making it five days. The Ming dynasty extended from the eighth day to the eighteenth day to ten days. Because of the different lighting periods, the first day of lighting is called "trial lighting", the fifteenth day is called "positive lighting", and the last day is called "residual lighting" and "stop lighting". Also known as "magic lamp", "human lamp" and "ghost lamp". Fourteen nights is a "magic lamp", which is placed in front of shrines and ancestral halls at home to worship the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty. It's called "people's lamp" at the fifteenth night, and it's placed on doors and windows, bedspreads, several cases, etc. Avoid scorpions and insects; Sixteen nights are "ghost lights", which are placed in the tombs of Qiu and Yuan Nights to remove ghosts. Pray for God's will, protect Shu Ren, ghosts and beasts, and do everything.

folk custom

China has a vast territory and a long history, so the customs of celebrating the Lantern Festival are different all over the country, among which eating Yuanxiao, watching lanterns and dancing dragons and lions are several important folk customs. Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, so it is celebrated all over the country. The customs in most areas are similar, but each area still has its own characteristics.

eat yuanxiao

Eating Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first month, as a kind of food, has a long history in China. In the Song Dynasty, a novel Lantern Festival food was popular among the people. This kind of food was originally called "Floating Zi Yuan", later called "Yuanxiao", and merchants also called it "Yuanbao". Yuanxiao, or "Tangyuan", contains sugar, roses, sesame seeds, red bean paste, cinnamon bark, walnut kernel, nuts, jujube paste and so on. And wrapped in glutinous rice flour into a circle, you can be vegetarian and have different flavors. It can be boiled, fried and steamed, which means happy reunion. Jiaozi, Shaanxi is not wrapped, but "rolled" in glutinous rice flour, or boiled or fried, warm and round. As a kind of food, Yuanxiao has a long history in China. In the Song Dynasty, a novel Lantern Festival food was popular among the people. This kind of food was originally called "Floating Zi Yuan", later called "Yuanxiao", and merchants also called it "Yuanbao". In ancient times, "Yuanxiao" was more expensive, and a poem said: "Guests look at the Imperial Street with a hook curtain, and the treasures in the city come for a while. There is no way to go before the curtain, and the money can't be returned. "

Yuanxiao is rolled in the north and Tangyuan is wrapped in the south, which are two foods with different practices and tastes.

the Lantern Festival

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival, because there are folk customs of hanging lanterns, lighting lanterns and watching lanterns.

Lantern Festival is a traditional festival custom, which began in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished in Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, lantern style prevailed in all previous dynasties and spread to future generations. The fifteenth day of the first month is the climax of the annual lantern fireworks. Therefore, the Lantern Festival is also called "Lantern Festival". In Shanxi's county-level city walls and even towns and villages, these residents are concentrated in busy and lively areas. Before the fifteenth day of the first month, the streets were covered with lanterns, flowers were everywhere and lights were swaying, which reached its climax on the fifteenth night of the first month. On the fifteenth day of the first month, "watching lanterns" has become a spontaneous activity among Shanxi people. On the fifteenth night of the first month, the streets are decorated with lanterns, palace lanterns, animal lanterns, lanterns, lanterns and bird lanterns, which attract people to watch lanterns. In Taiyuan area, the lights in Taigu County are very famous. Taikoo lamp is famous for its variety, exquisite production and beautiful appearance.

Solve riddles; solve lantern riddles; guess riddles on hanging lanterns

Solve riddles on the lanterns, also known as playing riddles, is a unique form of traditional folk entertainment with rich national style in China. It is a characteristic activity of the Lantern Festival that has been circulated since ancient times. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, traditional folks hang lanterns and set off fireworks. Later, some busybodies wrote riddles on paper and posted them on colorful lanterns for people to guess. Because solve riddles on the lanterns can enlighten wisdom and cater to the festive atmosphere, many people responded. Later, solve riddles on the lanterns gradually became an indispensable program for the Lantern Festival. Lantern riddles add to the festive atmosphere, showing the intelligence and wisdom of ancient working people and their yearning for a better life.

Play with dragon lanterns

Playing dragon lanterns, also known as dragon lanterns or dragon dancing. Its origin can be traced back to ancient times. Legend has it that as early as the Yellow Emperor period, in a large-scale song and dance in the suburbs of Qing Dynasty, there was an image of a leading bird played by a man, and then a dance scene with six dragons interspersed with each other was arranged. The dragon dance recorded in writing is Zhang Heng's Xijing Fu in Han Dynasty. The author vividly described the dragon dance in the descriptions of hundreds of plays. According to Sui Shu Le, Huanglongbian, which is similar to the dragon dance performance in Yang Di's hundred operas, is also very wonderful, and dragon dance is popular in many places in China. The Chinese nation advocates dragons and regards them as auspicious symbols.