the first month on the 15th annual Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year has just passed, is welcomed China’s traditional festival – the Lantern Festival.
The first month is a lunar calendar, in January, the ancients called the night a “night”, so called for the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival. The first month on the 15th of the year the first full moon night, also starts with one, the night of spring, people have to celebrate, but also to celebrate New Year’s continuation. Lantern Festival, also known as the “Lantern Festival.”
According to Chinese folk traditions, bright moon hanging in the night sky, people from the lantern 10 000 points, to celebrate the festival. Out the full moon, Enlightening, playing Chinese riddles and games, eat a total of Lantern Festival, family reunions, holiday celebrations throughout and happy.
Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival, the Lantern Festival from the Han dynasty since the custom of the Enlightening, to the Tang Dynasty, lantern activities are more prosperous, the Imperial Palace, the street lights hanging everywhere, but also the establishment of tall light wheels, floor lamps and light tree, Tang into a major poet Lu Zhaolin in “15 Nights Guandeng” described in the grand Lantern Festival Lotus Lantern “star down the suspect then Chinese, according to floor like hanging on.”
Song attach more importance to the Lantern Festival, lanterns activities are more lively, lantern activities should be 5 days, the style of lamp is also richer. Ming lantern consecutive 10 days, this is the longest of the Lantern Festival was. Qing lantern activities, while only three days, but the magnitude of lanterns, unprecedented, in addition to EEP in addition to fireworks add to the fun.
“Guessing lantern riddles” is also called “playing the lantern riddles” is an activity increased after the Lantern Festival, appears in the Song Dynasty. Southern Song Dynasty, the capital of Lin’an during the Lantern Festival when the system fans, puzzles many people. Busybody brings to the beginning of a riddle written on a piece of paper and paste for persons, in the bright lights of the lantern guess. Because the riddle could inspire intelligent, with interest, so the spreading process was welcomed by the community at all levels.
Folk Lantern Festival Lantern Festival eating practices. Lantern is made from the glutinous rice, or solid, with or without stuffing. Filling with red bean paste, sugar, hawthorn, all kinds of materials such as fruits, edible when cooked, fried, steamed, fried Jieke. At first, people kind of food called “floating Mariko”, later known as the “dumpling” or “dumpling”, the name “Happy” pronunciation is similar to, take the reunited symbolizes family unity and happiness, harmony and happiness, people also The memory of loved ones farewell, and placed on the future life of a desire.
Lantern Festival in some places there are “walking all diseases,” the customs, also known as “roasted sickness,” “San fits all”, the participants are women, they go hand in hand or go against the wall, or cross the bridge, go outside, purpose driven illness disaster.
Over time, the Festival more than a few local festivals increased playing dragon, playing the lion, walk on stilts, a land boat Yangko, beating drums and other traditional folk performances. This tradition has been two thousand years of traditional festivals, not only prevalent in the Taiwan Straits, overseas Chinese in the neighborhood is also celebrated every year is not bad.
The origin of the Lantern Festival and the legend:
Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China as early as the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago, there was, began in the Eastern Han Emperor Ming lanterns during the Lantern Festival, Buddhism flourished, I heard that Buddhist monks would watch the first month on the 15th Buddhist relics, the practice of lighting Jingfo , the command that day night lighting in the palace and temples Jingfo, gentry and common folk that hang lights. Later, the Buddhist ritual evolved folk festival grand festival. The festival experience from the Court to the people, by the Central Plains to the national development process.
The Han Emperor Wen, has been ordered fifteenth as the Lantern Festival. Han, the “Faith in God” in the festival scheduled for the first month 15. (Matthew 1: master universe, the god of all). Qian create a “calendar was in the beginning”, the already identified as a major holiday will be the Lantern Festival.
Another is the Lantern Festival originated in Taoist practices Enlightening the “Three said”; the first month on the 15th for the Lantern Festival, July 15 for the Ghost Festival, on Oct. 15 for the lane roadway section. Director, the middle and lower ternary were heaven, earth and man 3 official, official day of joy, so Lantern Festival to EEP.
Lantern Festival and the Festival of Folk Festival activities are extended with the development of history, expanded. The section length, the day before the Han Dynasty to Tang Dynasty for three days, the Song is up to five days, the Ming Dynasty from the eighth day of the lighting is, until the night before the first month off the lights 17, a full 10 days. Connecting with the Spring Festival, the day for the city, bustling, Enlightening night, spectacular. In particular, that delicate, colorful lights, but also make it the climax of the Spring Festival entertainment. To the Qing Dynasty, but also increased the lion and dragon dances, a solemn ceremony, stilt-walking, Yangko other “opera” and the content section is shortened to 4-5 days.
On the origins of the Lantern Festival, there are several interesting folk legend:
The Legend of Light
Legend in a long time ago, Xiong Qin many wild beasts, four injured people and livestock, people have organized play them
There was a Bird in the storm for the world lost the landing, but the accident was unaware of the hunters to shoot up. The religion was very angry to know immediately deliver an imperial order, ordered to Creation in the first month on the 15th to the earth and set fires to burn them altogether world’s livestock property.
Kind-hearted daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, bear to see innocent people suffering, they risk their lives, quietly steered the clouds to earth, to tell people the news. Everyone heard the news, his head rang like a torpedo. Scared I do not know what to do after a long, only old people come up with a sure way, he said: “In the first month 14, 15, on the 16th three days, every household is decorated in the home, point sound of fireworks,
Fireworks. In this way, the Emperor of Heaven will be that people were burned to death. “
We listened to all nod
Is it ready to go separately. To the Lantern Festival that night, the Emperor of Heaven looked down and found a piece of red earth, the sound of thunder, true three consecutive nights, the fire that is burning the flame to the middle greatly. So people keep their lives and property. To commemorate this success, from every fifteenth day, every family of hanging lanterns, fireworks to mark the occasion.
When Emperor Wen of Han to commemorate the “Ping Lu,” designed
Another legend is the Lantern Festival is to commemorate when Emperor Wen of Han, “Ping Lu,” designed. After the death of Han emperor Liu Bang, Empress Lu’s son ascended the throne as Emperor Hui of Han Ying Liu. Emperor Hui by nature weak, indecisive, power down and then gradually Empress hands. Emperor Hui of Han monopoly of the political affairs of the dead after the Empress Liu Lu world into the world, the Korean veteran, Liu imperial clan indignant, but are afraid of Empress cruel and silent resentment.
After the Empress died, Zhu Lv constant fear fear of being hurt and marginalized. Thus, in the general collection of Lu Lu family secret, conspiracy and disrupt things, in order to completely capture Liu country.
Royalty King of Qi Liu Liu spread this capsule ears, Liu Liu capsule to protect rivers and mountains, and then decided to raise an army onslaught Zhulv founding veteran Zhou Bo, Chen Ping, contact, designed to lift the Lu Lu, “Zhu Lv Rebellion” has finally been completely pacified.
Pacified after his court crowned the second son of Liu Heng Liu Bang ascended the throne, said Han Wen. Wen am hard-won peace and prosperity, he gave the calm, “Zhu Lv Rebellion” of the fifteenth, as with the public day, in every family decorated the capital, to celebrate. Since then, the Lantern Festival has become a worldwide celebration of the folk festival – “Lantern Festival.”
Dongfang Shuo girl with the Lantern Festival
The legend and the eating habit of the Lantern Festival: According to legend, there minions called Han Dongfang Shuo, his kind and funny. One day in winter, snow the next few days
, Dongfang Shuo to go on to the Imperial Garden to Wudi off plum. Upon joining the garden gate, it finds a ready Toujing ladies burst into tears. Dongfang Shuo hurriedly came forward to rescue, and asked her to specify the causes of suicide. Originally, this ladies called the Lantern Festival, there are two parents and a younger sister at home. Since her palace the future, they would never see their families. Year to December Spring season, more than the usual thoughts of his family. That can not be in front of filial piety in parents, as a suicide. Dongfang Shuo listened to her face, deeply sympathetic, they assured her, must try to reunite her family.
One day, placed on Chang’an Avenue eviction Dongfang Shuo, a fortune-telling stalls. Many people are scrambling to seek his fortune diagram. Unexpectedly, each share of what we seek, are “Sixteenth burnt to themselves,” the sign language. Suddenly, Chang Li played a great panic. People have inquired of the solution means disaster. Dongfang Shuo said: “Celebrate the 13th evening, the fire would send a Chi Yi Shen Jun goddess descended to earth to visit, she is the angel of the throne to burn Chang, I copied an excellent work for you, can think of a way to present the emperor.” He then dropped a red posts, walk away. People pick up the red posts, and quickly sent
Report it to the palace to the emperor.
Han took a look and saw that read: “Chang in the robbery, burnt to God Que, 15 days of fire, flame red midnight snack,” his heart was shocked, and quickly hired a resourceful Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo hypocrisy of thought for a moment, said: “I heard the fire Shen Jun favorite dumpling, the palace of the Lantern Festival is not often you make rice balls for you? 15 at night, to make rice balls Lantern. Long live the incense altar, heralds Kyoto Everybody do glutinous rice balls, fire Shen Jun worship together. then Chuanyu subjects linked together in the 15 night lights, the city is point of firecrackers, fireworks, like the city is fire, it can be hidden from the Emperor of.
In addition, notice the people outside the city, 15 town Guandeng night, mixed in the crowd bad luck. “Emperor Wu to hear, very pleased, on the imperial order of the ways to do according to Dongfang Shuo.
The first month on the 15th to the Chang’an city decorated, tourists are coming and going, very lively. Odalisque Lantern’s parents took my sister into the city Guandeng. When they saw that read, “Lantern Festival” on a large lanterns, the surprise of shouting: “Lantern! Lantern!”
Lantern heard the cry, finally reunited with their loved ones at home.
Such a busy night, Chang’an really safe. Han overjoyed to be ordered after the fifteenth day of each dumpling done for fire Shen Jun, the first month 15 still hanging light fireworks throughout the city. Because of the Lantern Festival to do the best rice balls, people put rice balls called the Lantern Festival, this day is called Lantern Festival.
The custom of the Lantern Festival:
Lantern Festival is a traditional holiday, so all over the country, most of the customs are similar, but there are also parts of its own characteristics.
Eat Lantern
Lantern Festival Lantern Festival to eat, “Lantern” as food, have a long history in China. Song, Folk Lantern Festival is eating a popular novelty food. This food, first called “
Floating Motoko “after” the Lantern “, businessmen also euphemistically called” ingot “
. Lantern that “dumpling” to sugar, rose, sesame, bean paste, Patrick Wong, walnut, nuts, Zaoni such as stuffing, with glutinous rice flour bag into a round, can be dirty elements, different flavor. Can soup boiling, frying, steaming food, meaning there is a happy reunion. Shaanxi’s dumplings are not packages, but in glutinous rice flour, “roll” into the, the Secretary or fried or broiled, heat Heat fire, unity and happiness.
View Lamp
Yongping years of the Han Dynasty (AD 58 – 75), as Emperor Ming to promote Buddhism, marks obtained by Cai-yin Buddha returned from India, said India, Morocco to drink every fifteenth Tuo States, visited the Buddhist monks gathered in relics, is the reference auspicious Auspicious Buddha. Of the Han Dynasty to promote Buddhism, ordered the fifteenth night in the palace and the temple, “Enlightening the table Buddha.” Since then, the custom of the Lantern Festival lights up from only held in court and spread to the private sector. That every fifteenth, or the common people should be linked to both Nobles lights illuminated the night urban and rural areas.
Lantern Festival lights up the custom, unprecedented in the Tang Dynasty to become the light in the city was the capital of Chang’an million people already have the world’s largest urban and social wealth. In the emperor’s personal initiative, the lantern festival becoming more and more luxury. In the Tang Dynasty, has developed into a universal carnival. Emperor (AD 685 – 762) during the Golden Age Kaiyuan, Chang’an city lights very large, EEP 50000, lantern great variety, the emperor ordered the lights to do a huge floor, Quanta 20, 150 feet high, golden bright, very spectacular.
Song, carnivals both in scale and lighting are exquisite fantasy than the Tang Dynasty, and the activities of a more civil, more ethnic characteristics. Lantern Festival since ancient continuous development of the Lantern Festival time more and more long. Tang Lantern Festival is “the day before and after the Lantern,” Song added again in 16 after two days of the Ming Dynasty was extended to a full 10 days from the eighth day to the 18.
To the Qing Dynasty, Manchu Central Plains, the court will not do Lantern Festival, the private sector is still spectacular lantern. Date shortened to five days, has continued to this day.
Bright lights and people in Taiwan have the meaning of childbirth, have kindled the lights illuminate the meaning of future, and the Taiwanese representative of light and small homophonic boy, so old women Lantern Festival will deliberately walk in the light, I hope, “Diamond Light Foot Health eggs Pa “(that is drill down to walk under the lamp, carefully boys).