What are the customs in your hometown during the Lantern Festival?

Lantern Festival is the biggest traditional folk festival after the Spring Festival. Lantern Festival has a long history, as early as 2000 years ago. Let me introduce the Lantern Festival custom in my hometown to you. Come and have a look ~

First, walk on stilts.

Walking on stilts is a popular folk performance. Stilts appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. Performers can walk, jump and dance swords with long wood tied to their legs. The tallest stilts are more than ten feet high. They sang while performing, lively and laughing, as if walking on the ground.

Second, lion dance.

Lion dance is also one of the best folk arts in China. On festivals or parties, people will entertain themselves by dancing lions. This custom originated in the Three Kingdoms period and was popular in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It has a history of 1000 years.

Third, row a dry boat.

Rowing a dry boat, also known as running a dry boat, is to put a float made of bamboo and wood on your body, imitate the action of rowing on land, sing some local tunes and dance while singing. This is rowing a dry boat. This custom is said to commemorate Dayu's flood control.

Fourth, the flower viewing lamp

During the Yongping period of Emperor Hanming, in order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Hanming ordered "burning lamps for Buddha" in palaces and temples on the 15th night of the first month. Since then, the custom of putting lights on the Lantern Festival has spread to the people. On the fifteenth day of the first month, no matter the gentry or the people, they will be decorated with lanterns, and the whole city will be brightly lit all night.

Five, send children's lights

Sending lanterns to children is also called sending lanterns for short. Just before the Lantern Festival, parents send lanterns to their newly married daughters, or relatives and friends send lanterns to newly married childless families, hoping to have children as soon as possible. Because "lamp" and "Ding" are homophonic, sending a lamp symbolizes the good omen of "adding Ding".

The origin of Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival originated from the activities of turning on lights and praying for blessings in ancient China. It is also said that Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty set it up to commemorate Pinglu. According to legend, Lv Hou launched a series of rebellions. After Emperor Wendi's rebellion, the 15th day of the first month was designated as Fun Day with the people. According to Taoism, the fifteenth day of the first month is Shangyuan Festival, and Shangyuan is under the jurisdiction of the celestial officials, so lights should be lit on this day. There is also a saying that it originated from the "Torch Festival" in the evolution of people driving away insects and beasts in the Han Dynasty.