What does the Lantern Festival mean? The Origin of the Lantern Festival
Speaking of the Lantern Festival, I believe everyone is familiar with it, but not everyone knows the meaning and origin of the Lantern Festival. So, let’s take a look at what the Lantern Festival means? Introduction to the origin of the Lantern Festival. The first month of the lunar calendar in 2021, the Year of the Ox, has arrived as scheduled. This month is full of the breath of the New Year and festive atmosphere. Visit the Shui Mo Xiansheng website and experience the content brought by the 2021 New Year special topic!What does the Lantern Festival mean?The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, the Little New Year, the Yuanxiao Festival or the Lantern Festival, is one of China's traditional festivals, which is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month every year. The first month of the lunar calendar is the first month of the year. The ancients called "night" "xiao". The fifteenth day of the first month is the first full-moon night of the year, so the fifteenth day of the first month is called the "Lantern Festival". According to the Taoist "Three Yuans", the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is also called the "Shangyuan Festival". Since ancient times, the custom of the Lantern Festival has been dominated by the lively and festive custom of viewing lanterns.The Lantern Festival is regarded as the final climax of the Spring Festival, because after this day, people will truly enter the production and life of the new year. Therefore, people celebrate the Lantern Festival as a whole nation to pray to God for good weather and a good harvest in the coming year. This also expresses people's beautiful expectations for the New Year. Because of this, there is a custom in Chinese people to celebrate the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This traditional festival, which has been passed down for more than 2,000 years, is not only popular across the country, but is also celebrated every year in overseas Chinese communities. During the Lantern Festival, people go out of their homes and take to the streets. In addition to playing with lanterns and guessing lantern riddles, there are dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, land boat racing, and Zhoushan gongs and drums. Among them, many customs and activities are national intangible cultural heritage. Go out to enjoy the moon, light lanterns and fireworks, guess lantern riddles, eat Yuanxiao together, and celebrate the festival together, so that the general public can participate and enjoy the aesthetic memories left to us by these intangible cultural heritage. The Origin of the Lantern FestivalThe Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. The formation of the Lantern Festival customs has a long process and is rooted in the ancient folk custom of lighting lanterns and praying for blessings. Lighting lanterns for blessing usually starts on the 14th night of the first lunar month, and the 15th night is the "main lantern". People have to light lanterns, also known as "sending lanterns", to offer sacrifices and pray for blessings. The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty also played an important role in the formation of the Lantern Festival customs. During the Yongping period of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, in order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty ordered that lanterns be lit in the palace and temples on the 15th night of the first lunar month to "show Buddha". Therefore, the custom of lighting lanterns on the 15th night of the first lunar month gradually expanded in China with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and the later addition of Taoist culture. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, hanging lanterns on the Lantern Festival gradually became a trend. Emperor Wu of Liang believed in Buddhism, and his palace was decorated with lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month. During the Tang Dynasty, cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries became closer, Buddhism flourished, and officials and civilians generally "lit lanterns to worship Buddha" on the 15th day of the first lunar month, and Buddhist lanterns spread throughout the people. Since the Tang Dynasty, hanging lanterns on the Lantern Festival has become a legal matter.The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, Yuan Ye, and Lantern Festival. The first month of the lunar calendar is the first month of the year. The ancients called the night "xiao", so the fifteenth day of the first month is called the "Lantern Festival". [9] As society and times change, the customs and habits of the Lantern Festival have undergone significant changes, but it remains a traditional Chinese folk festival. When the Lantern Festival was in its early stages of being a festival, it was only called the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the middle of the first lunar month, or the full moon. After the Sui Dynasty, it was called Yuan Xiao or Yuan Ye. Influenced by Taoism in the early Tang Dynasty, it was also called Shangyuan, and it was occasionally called Yuanxiao in the late Tang Dynasty. But since the Song Dynasty, it has also been called Dengxi. In the Qing Dynasty, it was called the Lantern Festival. Abroad, the Lantern Festival is also known as The Lantern Festival. On the evening of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Chinese people have a series of traditional folk activities such as appreciating lanterns, eating rice dumplings, eating Yuanxiao, guessing lantern riddles, and setting off fireworks. |
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