Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the traditional Chinese festivals celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar. The traditional customs of the Lantern Festival mainly include:

Eating Lanterns: The iconic food of the Lantern Festival is the Yuanxiao or Tangyuan, which are usually made of glutinous rice flour and filled with various sweet or salty fillings, symbolizing reunion and happiness.

Watching Lantern Fairs: On the night of the Lantern Festival, people hold grand lantern fairs to light up various kinds of lanterns, especially in some big cities and places where traditional culture is well preserved, and lantern shows have become an important cultural activity. Lanterns come in a variety of forms and are usually made in the shape of animals, flowers, historical figures, and so on.

Guessing lantern riddles: At lantern shows, people often participate in guessing lantern riddles. Lantern riddles are usually presented in the form of word puzzles, idiomatic riddles, etc., and participants are allowed to answer them through reasoning and intelligence.

Dragon and Lion Dances: In some places, dragon and lion dances are performed during the Lantern Festival. These traditional folk art performances are designed to ward off evil spirits and pray for good luck in the new year.

Fireworks: In some areas, people set off fireworks on the night of the Lantern Festival to add to the festive atmosphere and to “drive away evil spirits”.

The Lantern Festival is not only a symbol of reunion, but also an important time to showcase Chinese folk culture, especially in some southern and northern cities, where the festive atmosphere is very strong.