What is the origin of Lantern Festival?

There are four explanations about the origin of the Lantern Festival:

1. Commemorating Pinglu

Legend has it that the Lantern Festival was set up to commemorate Pinglu when it was the Emperor of the Han Dynasty. After the death of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, Lv Hou's son Liu Ying became Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty. Huidi was born weak and indecisive, and the power gradually fell into the hands of Lv Hou. After Emperor Huidi died, Lv Hou monopolized the state affairs and turned Liu's world into Lu's world. The old courtiers and Liu's imperial clan were deeply indignant, but they were all afraid of Lv Hou's cruelty and dared to speak out.

After Lv Hou's death, Zhu Lv was afraid of being hurt and excluded. So, in the home of the general Lv Lu, they secretly assembled and conspired for the insurrection, so as to completely seize Liu Jiangshan. The matter reached the ears of Liu Xiang, the king of the imperial clan of Liu. In order to protect Liu Jiangshan, Liu Xiang decided to attack Zhu Lv and then got in touch with zhou bo and Chen Ping, the founding elders, and designed to lift Lv Lu. The "Zhu Lv Rebellion" was finally completely put down.

After the rebellion, all the ministers made Liu Heng, the second son of Liu Bang, the emperor of Han Dynasty. Deeply impressed by the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen designated the 15th day of the first month to quell the rebellion of Zhulu as a day of having fun with the people, and every family in the capital decorated with lanterns to celebrate. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first month has become a popular folk festival-"Lantern Festival".

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the ritual activities of "Taiyi God" were scheduled for the 15th day of the first month. Taiyi: the God who rules everything in the universe. When Sima Qian founded the "taichu calendar", he had identified the Lantern Festival as a major festival.

2. Torch Festival

Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China since ancient times. Lantern Festival viewing began when ancient people held torches in rural fields to drive away insects and beasts, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a good harvest. To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still make torches out of reeds or branches on the fifteenth day of the first month, and hold them high in groups and 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 dull. With the changes of society and times, the customs of Lantern Festival have changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.

3. "Sanyuanshuo"

The custom of burning lanterns in Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist "Sanyuanshuo"; Shangyuan means the first full moon night in the new year. The origin of Shangyuan Festival is recorded in Miscellanies at the Age of Years, which is a Taoist stereotype. Taoism once called the fifteenth day of the first month of the year Shangyuan Festival, the fifteenth day of July as Zhongyuan Festival, and the fifteenth day of October as Xiayuan Festival, which were collectively called "Sanyuan". The gods worshipped by Wudou Midao, an important faction of Taoism at the end of Han Dynasty, were Tianguan, Diguan and Shuiguan. They said that heavenly god blesses the people, the Diguan pardoned sins and Shuiguan relieved Eritrea, and they matched three officials with three yuan, saying that Shangyuan Tianguan was born on the 15th of the first month, Zhongyuan Diguan was born on the 15th of July and Xiayuan Shuiguan was born on the 15th of October. In this way, the fifteenth day of the first month is called Shangyuan Festival. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wu Zimu said in Dream Liang Lu: "On the fifteenth day of the first month, it is the day of heavenly god blesses the people in Shangyuan." Therefore, the lantern festival should be lit.

4. It originated from Buddhism.

This statement is mainly in the Three Hundred Topics of Social Customs edited by Mr. Hu Shensheng: "In Buddhist teachings, the fire is compared to the power of the Buddha, and the Infinite Life Sutra has the statement that' infinite flame shines on infinity'. In Buddhist teachings, the lamp has always been one of the offerings before the Buddha. Moreover, Buddhist classics have repeatedly publicized:' Repentance of a Thousand Lights' (Bodhisattva Tibetan Sutra) and' The Best Fortune for the World' (Infinite Life Sutra). Bright lights are needed in every Buddhist event. In Buddhist legends, the story of the Buddha's transformation is related to the fifteenth lantern in the first month. According to "A Brief History of Monks", the Buddha Sakyamuni showed the change of gods and surrendered to demons on December 3 in the west, that is, on the 15th day of the first month of the first month in Dongtu. In order to commemorate the change of gods of Buddha, a lantern-burning ceremony was held on this day. When Emperor Hanming came to the East to preach, Morten Zhufalan ordered Emperor Hanming to light lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first month when the Buddha changed, and personally went to the temple to display lanterns to show his respect to the Buddha. Since then, Lantern Festival lanterns have become a common practice. " However, some scholars believe that this view is untenable and that Buddhism only uses people's festive atmosphere to expand its influence on this day.