What are the historical legends about the "Lantern Festival"

Introduction to the Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival, Xiaozhengyue, Lantern Festival or Lantern Festival, is one of China's traditional festivals and takes place on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month every year. The first lunar month is the first month of the lunar calendar, and the ancients called "night" "xiao". The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the first full-moon night of the year, so the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is called the "Lantern Festival". According to the Taoist "Three Yuan" theory, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is also called the "Shangyuan Festival". The Lantern Festival custom has been dominated by the warm and festive lantern viewing custom since ancient times.

Legends about the Lantern Festival

1. Commemorating "Ping Lu"

It is said that the Lantern Festival was established during the reign of Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty to commemorate "Ping Lu". After the death of Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, Liu Ying, the son of Empress Lu, ascended the throne as Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty. After Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty died of illness, Empress Lu took over the affairs of the country and turned the Liu family into the Lu family. The veterans of the court and the Liu family were deeply indignant, but they were all afraid of Empress Lu's cruelty and dared not speak out.

After Empress Lu died of illness, Zhu Lu was in panic and feared being hurt and excluded. Therefore, they secretly gathered at the home of General Lu Lu to plot a rebellion in order to completely seize the Liu family. This incident reached the ears of Liu Xiang, King of Qi, the Liu family. In order to protect the Liu family, Liu Xiang decided to launch an army to attack Zhu Lu. Then he contacted the founding veterans Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, and designed to eliminate Lu Lu. The "Zhu Lu Rebellion" was finally over. Completely pacified.

After the rebellion was over, the ministers supported Liu Bang's fourth son Liu Heng to ascend the throne and became Emperor Wen of Han. Emperor Wen was deeply aware that peace and prosperity were hard-won, so he designated the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the day when the "Zhu Lu Rebellion" was quelled, as a day of fun with the people. Every house in the capital decorated with lights and colors to celebrate. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month has become a popular folk festival - "Lantern Festival".

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrificial activities for "Taiyi God" were held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It is said that when Sima Qian created the "Taichu Calendar", he had already designated the Lantern Festival as a major festival.

2. Dongfang Shuo and Yuanxiao Girl

According to legend, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a favorite named Dongfang Shuo, who was kind and funny. One winter, it snowed heavily for several days, so Dongfang Shuo went to the Imperial Garden to pick plum blossoms for Emperor Wu. As soon as I entered the garden gate, I found a palace maid with tears streaming down her face and ready to throw herself into the well. Dongfang Shuo hurriedly stepped forward to rescue her and asked her why she wanted to commit suicide. It turns out that the palace maid's name is Yuanxiao, and she has parents and a younger sister at home. Since she entered the palace, she has never had the chance to see her family again. Every year when the Spring Festival comes, I miss my family even more than usual. I felt that if I could not fulfill my filial piety in front of my parents, it would be better to die. Dongfang Shuo felt deeply sympathetic after hearing her experience, and assured her that he would try to reunite her with her family.

One day, Dongfang Shuo left the palace and set up a divination stall on Chang'an Street. Many people are vying to ask him for divination. Unexpectedly, what everyone asked for was the sign of "burning the body with fire on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month". Suddenly, there was great panic in Chang'an. People have been asking for solutions to the disaster. Dongfang Shuo said: "On the evening of the 13th of the first lunar month, Lord Vulcan will send a red-clothed goddess down to earth to investigate. She is the envoy who ordered to burn Chang'an. I will give you the copied verses so that you can think of a solution today." After finishing, he threw down a red post and walked away. The common people picked up the red sticker and hurriedly sent it to the palace to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took it and took a look, and saw that it read: "Chang'an is in tribulation, Emperor Huo burns the palace, fifteen days of fire, flame red supper", he was shocked, and quickly invited the resourceful Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo thought for a while and said, "I heard that Lord Vulcan loves glutinous rice balls the most. Doesn't the Yuanxiao in the palace often make glutinous rice balls for you? You can ask Yuanxiao to make glutinous rice balls on the night of the 15th. Long live the incense and offer it to Kyoto. Every family makes glutinous rice balls and worships the God of Fire together, and then orders the subjects to hang up lanterns on the night of the 15th, light firecrackers and set off fireworks all over the city, so that the Jade Emperor can be hidden. Common people, on the night of the 15th, go to the city to watch the lanterns and mingle with the crowd to resolve misfortune.” After hearing this, Emperor Wu was very happy and ordered to follow Dongfang Shuo's method.

On the 15th day of the first lunar month, Chang'an City was decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, and it was very lively with tourists coming and going. The parents of the palace maid Yuanxiao also took their sister to the city to watch the lanterns. When they saw the big palace lantern with the word "Luanxiao" written on it, they shouted in surprise: "Lanxiao! Lantern Festival!" Yuanxiao heard the shout and was finally reunited with her relatives at home.

After such a lively night, Chang'an City was indeed safe and sound. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was overjoyed and ordered that glutinous rice balls be made as offerings to the God of Fire every fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Lanterns and fireworks would still be hung throughout the city on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Because the dumplings made during the Lantern Festival are the best, people call the dumplings Yuanxiao, and this day is called the Lantern Festival.

3. Lantern Festival and Lights

Legend has it that a long time ago, there were many ferocious birds and beasts that harmed people and animals everywhere. In order to defend themselves, people organized to fight against them. There was a magical bird that landed on earth because it got lost, but was accidentally shot to death by an unsuspecting hunter. After hearing the news, the Emperor of Heaven was furious and immediately issued a decree, ordering the Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Generals to set fire to the human world on the 15th day of the first lunar month, intending to burn all the property of humans and animals. The daughter of the Emperor of Heaven was kind-hearted and could not bear to see innocent people suffer, so she risked her life and secretly drove auspicious clouds to the world to inform people. The news spread, and everyone was frightened and didn't know what to do. After a long time, an old man finally came up with a solution: on the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth days of the first lunar month, every household would decorate with lanterns and set off firecrackers and fireworks. In this way, the Emperor of Heaven would mistakenly think that people were burned to death. After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement and prepared separately. On the night of the 15th, the Emperor looked down from the sky and heard a loud noise. It was like this for three consecutive nights. The Emperor of Heaven thought it was the flames of a fire and was very happy. People were lucky enough to save their lives and property.

4. Torch Festival

The Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China since ancient times. It is said that Lantern Festival lantern viewing began in ancient times when people held torches in the countryside to drive away insects and beasts, hoping to reduce pest damage and pray for good harvests. Good harvest. To this day, people in some areas of southwestern China still make torches out of reeds or tree branches on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and hold the torches high in groups to dance in fields or drying fields. Since the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties, it has become even more prosperous. Tens of thousands of singers and dancers participated in the performance, from dusk to dusk, and then stopped at dusk. With the changes of society and times, the customs and habits of the Lantern Festival have already undergone major changes, but it is still a traditional Chinese folk festival.

5. "Three Yuan Theory"

The custom of lighting lanterns during the Lantern Festival is also believed to have originated from the Taoist "Three Yuan Theory"; Shangyuan means the first month of the new year. The meaning of round night. The origin of the Shangyuan Festival is recorded in "Sui Shi Za Ji" that it is due to the stereotypes of Methodism. The gods worshiped by Wu Dou Mi Dao, an important sect of Taoism in the late Han Dynasty, are Tianguan, Diguan, and Shuiguan. It is said that Tianguan blesses blessings, Diguan forgives sins, and Shuiguan relieves misfortunes. It also uses three yuan to match the three officials, and it is said that Tianguan is the first month of the Yuan Dynasty. On the 15th day of the year, the Earth Official of Zhongyuan is born on the 15th day of July, and the Shuiguan of Lower Yuan Dynasty is born on the 15th day of October. Taoists in the Wei and Jin Dynasties matched the "three officials" with the seasons, and designated the fifteenth day of the first lunar month as the "Shang Yuan", the fifteenth day of July as the "Zhong Yuan", and the fifteenth day of October as the "Xia Yuan", collectively known as the "Three Yuan". ". In this way, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is called the Shangyuan Festival. Wu Zimu of the Southern Song Dynasty said in "Mengliang Lu": "The Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month is the day when the heavenly official of the Shangyuan Dynasty bestows blessings." Therefore, lanterns must be lit on the Shangyuan Festival.

6. Paralyzing the Emperor of Heaven

It is said that a long time ago, there were many ferocious birds and beasts, hurting people and livestock everywhere, so people organized to fight them. There was a divine bird who was trapped and lost his way. Landing on earth, he was accidentally shot to death by an unsuspecting hunter. The Emperor of Heaven was very angry when he found out. He immediately issued a decree and ordered the heavenly soldiers to set fire to the human world on the 15th day of the first lunar month and burn all the human and animal property in the human world. The daughter of the Emperor of Heaven was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see the innocent people suffer, so she risked her life and secretly came to the world on auspicious clouds to tell people the news. When everyone heard the news, it was like a thunderbolt ringing above their heads. I was so frightened that I didn’t know what to do. After a long time, an old man came up with an idea. He said: "On the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth of the first lunar month, every family will decorate their homes with lanterns and colorful lights. Sound firecrackers and set off fireworks, so that the Emperor will think that people are burned to death."

Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing this, and then went separately to prepare. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Emperor of Heaven looked down and found that the world was filled with red light and loud noises. It was like this for three consecutive nights. He thought it was the flames of a fire, so he was very happy. In this way people saved their lives and property. In order to commemorate this success, from then on every fifteenth day of the first lunar month, every household hung lanterns and set off fireworks to commemorate this day.