What are the customs of the Lantern Festival?

"The customs of the Lantern Festival include eating Yuanxiao, making lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, playing dragon lanterns, offering sacrifices to doors and households, chasing rats, sending lanterns to children, welcoming Zigu, walking away all diseases, dragon dancing, and Lions, running land boats, walking on stilts, performing yangko and other related contents."

1. Evolution and Development

In the Tang Dynasty, when the country was unprecedentedly powerful, Lantern Festival Lantern Festival was very prosperous. Whether it is the capital city or the towns, colorful lanterns are hung everywhere, and people also make huge lantern wheels, lantern trees, lamp posts, etc. The city is full of lights and flowers, making it very lively and lively.

In the Song Dynasty, in addition to the carnival of "women going out in the streets and alleys from night to night, and men and women mixing up", the Lantern Festival in the Song Dynasty also had officials distributing red chips, kings and people enjoying the Lantern Festival together; it even had a scary tone, and people were imprisoned Institutions will use lighting and images to interpret the stories of inmates or display prison equipment. The Lantern Festival developed into the most lively secular carnival in the Song Dynasty. The Lantern Festival became more colorful. The Lantern Festival lasted for five days. The styles of the lanterns were complex and diverse. Visiting the lantern market was a very pleasing thing. The poet Xin Qiji wrote: "At night, the east wind blows thousands of flowers and trees, and even more, they blow down, and the stars are like rain." This refers to the countless lanterns and fireworks during the Song Dynasty Lantern Festival. At that time, guessing lantern riddles also became popular, that is, writing various lantern riddles on slips of paper and pasting them on lanterns. Those who guess correctly can also get small rewards. This entertaining and educational activity is loved by people and is widely spread.

In the Yuan Dynasty, most holidays were cancelled. The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty believed that life lies in exercise and work means rest. There are only 16 days of holidays in the year.

The Lantern Festival in the Ming Dynasty lasted longer, lasting ten days from the eighth to the seventeenth day of the first lunar month, to show the prosperity of singing and dancing.

In the Qing Dynasty, when the Manchus took over the Central Plains, the palace no longer held lantern festivals, but the folk lantern festivals were still spectacular. The Lantern Festival only lasted for three days in the Qing Dynasty, but the lights were brighter and more exquisite and fantastic, making it still very attractive.

In modern times, the date was shortened to five days, which continues to this day. In 2015, the representative committee suggested a holiday for the Lantern Festival.

2. Lantern placement

Folks will set up a "Heaven and Earth Hall" when worshiping God on New Year's Eve. People set up a small shed in the yard, and on the small table inside the shed stood the altar of "the true ruler of all spirits in the ten directions of the three realms of heaven and earth"; in front of the altar were placed incense burners, offerings, and a lantern, which represented Jiang Taigong. seats. It is said that when Jiang Taigong was canonizing gods, others were canonizing them, but he forgot to canonize himself. He had no seat and had to sit with God.

Lanterns are related to gods, so they are also endowed with many symbolic meanings.

In ancient times, in order to drive away the fear of darkness, lanterns were developed to exorcise evil spirits and bring blessings and pray for light.

In the Hokkien language, the pronunciations of "lamp" and "ding" are similar, so lanterns are also used to pray for children, gain fame, and avoid evil and peace.

There is a kind of "bright lantern". At the end of the year and the beginning of the year, lanterns are placed in temples to use the power of Buddha to achieve peace and success throughout the year.

There are also farmers who set up long bamboo poles in the fields and hang a lamp to "illuminate the silkworms" to observe the color of the fire to predict floods and droughts in a year and hope for a good harvest.

The reason for "setting up sky lanterns" is that in the past, people used to set off sky lanterns as a signal to report to each other that they were safe after they fled in all directions to avoid bandits. Since the day when people evacuated and returned home happened to be the Lantern Festival, from then on, people would celebrate this day every year with the ceremony of releasing sky lanterns, so the sky lanterns were also called "prayer lanterns" or "peace lanterns". Later, it gradually evolved into a folk activity of praying to God and making wishes. The sky lanterns are filled with all kinds of wishes in the heart, hoping that the sky lanterns can reach heaven and bring people infinite hope and light.

It is said that Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty encouraged reading, and people all sent their children to school. The first program for entering school is called "Turn on the Lanterns", which involves bringing lanterns made in advance to school and asking a knowledgeable old gentleman to light them, symbolizing a bright future. In the past, most private schools would start school after the 15th day of the first lunar month, so the lanterns at the beginning of school also became the embellishment of the Lantern Festival.

There are many types of lanterns during the Lantern Festival, either image lanterns made after the images of things, such as dragon lanterns, tiger lanterns, rabbit lanterns, etc., or movable lanterns made based on folk stories, such as the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. , Twenty-Four Filial Piety, etc., which express the national spirit of loyalty, filial piety, justice, and justice.

Various lanterns are made with skillful craftsmanship, showcasing the wisdom and skills of the craftsmen.

With the development of the times, the Lantern Festival has become more and more grand, the national characteristics have become stronger and stronger, and the Lantern Festival has become longer and longer. The lantern festival in the Tang Dynasty lasted one day and three days before and after the Yuan Dynasty; in the Song Dynasty, two days were added after the 16th day of the lunar month, making it five days; in the Ming Dynasty, it was extended to ten days from the eighth day to the eighteenth day of the lunar month. Because the lantern periods are different, the first day when the lanterns are put up is called "test lanterns", the fifteenth day is called "main lanterns", and the last day is called "remaining lanterns" or "lantern lanterns". It is also called "magic lantern", "human lantern" and "ghost lantern". The night of the 14th day is called the "magic lamp" and is placed in front of the shrine at home and in front of the ancestral hall to worship gods and ancestors; the night of the 15th day is called the "human lamp" and is placed in doors, windows, beds, tables, etc. to avoid scorpions. ; On the night of the 16th, it is a "ghost lantern", placed in the tombs and fields, so that the wandering souls can escape from the ghost realm. Pray for God's will from above, protect the common people from below, gods, humans, ghosts and animals, leaving nothing behind.

3. Folk customs

China has a vast territory and a long history, so the customs of the Lantern Festival are different across the country, including eating Lantern Festival, admiring lanterns, dancing dragons, Lion dance and other important folk customs during the Lantern Festival.

Han folk customs

Eating Yuanxiao

Compatriots from all over the country celebrate the Lantern Festival

Eat Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. "Yuanxiao" is a food. Our country also has a long history. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food eaten during the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This kind of food was first called "Fu Yuanzi" and later "Yuanxiao". Businessmen also euphemistically called it "Yuanbao". Yuanxiao, or "tangyuan", is stuffed with sugar, rose, sesame, bean paste, cinnamon, walnut kernels, nuts, jujube paste, etc., and is wrapped into a round shape with glutinous rice flour. It can be meat or vegetarian and has different flavors. It can be cooked in soup, fried or steamed, and has the meaning of happy reunion. Shaanxi glutinous rice balls are not wrapped, but are "rolled" in glutinous rice flour. They are either boiled or deep-fried and heated until they are round and round. [16]?

Lantern Festival

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the "Lantern Festival". Folks have the custom of hanging lanterns, lighting up lanterns and watching lanterns during this festival, so it is also called the Festival of Lanterns. [17]?

Making lanterns is a traditional festival custom during the Lantern Festival, which began in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the style of lighting became popular in all dynasties and was passed down to later generations. The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the climax of the annual lantern and fireworks display. Therefore, the Lantern Festival is also called the "Festival of Lanterns". In Shanxi's county-level cities and even townships and towns, these are the bustling areas where residents are concentrated. Before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the streets are filled with lanterns, and there are flowers and lights everywhere. Swaying, reaching its climax on the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. "Watching lanterns" on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month has become a spontaneous activity for Shanxi folk

The representative food of the Lantern Festival

On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, red lanterns are hung high in the streets and alleys. Palace lanterns, animal head lanterns, revolving lanterns, flower lanterns, bird lanterns, etc. attract the masses who watch the lanterns. In the Taiyuan area, Taigu County's lanterns are very famous. Taigu's lamps are famous for their wide variety, exquisite production and attractive appearance. [18]?

Guessing lantern riddles

Guessing lantern riddles is also called

Lantern riddles

Playing lantern riddles, which is a unique and rich national style in China. A form of traditional folk cultural and entertainment activities, it is a characteristic activity of the Lantern Festival that has been spread since ancient times. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month of the lunar calendar, traditional folk people would hang up colored lanterns and set off fireworks. Later, some good people wrote riddles on paper and pasted them on the colorful lanterns for people to guess. Because riddles can inspire wisdom and cater to the festive atmosphere, many people responded, and riddle guessing gradually became an indispensable program of the Lantern Festival. Lantern riddles add to the festive atmosphere and show the wisdom and wisdom of the ancient working people and their yearning for a better life. [19-20]?

Dragon lantern play

Dragon lantern play,

Dragon lantern dance

also known as dragon lantern dance or dragon dance. Its origins can be traced back to ancient times. Legend has it that as early as the Huangdi period, in a large-scale song and dance called "Qing Jiao", the image of a dragon head and a bird's body played by humans appeared. Later, a dance scene of six dragons intertwined with each other was choreographed. The dragon dance can be seen in written records in "Xijing Fu" written by Zhang Heng of the Han Dynasty. The author gave a vivid description of the dragon dance in the narration of hundreds of operas.

According to the "Book of Sui·Music Chronicles", during the Sui Dynasty Emperor Yang's reign, the "Huanglong Transformation", which was similar to the dragon dance performance in Baixi Opera, was also very exciting. Dragon dance was popular in many places in China. The Chinese nation respects the dragon and regards it as a symbol of auspiciousness.

Walking on stilts

Walking on stilts,

The traditional folk show - lion dance

It is a popular mass performance among the people. . Stilts are one of the ancient Chinese operas and have appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. The earliest introduction of stilts in China is in the chapter "Liezi·Shuofu": "There was a man named Lanzi in the Song Dynasty who used his skills in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. In the Song and Yuan Dynasties, people were summoned to see their skills.

Lion Dance

Lion Dance It is an excellent folk art in China. During the Lantern Festival or gathering celebrations, people use lion dance to cheer up. This custom originated in the Three Kingdoms period and became popular in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It has a history of more than a thousand years [1]. ?

"Lion Dance" began in the Wei and Jin Dynasties and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. It is also called "Lion Dance" and "Taiping Le". It is usually completed by three people. Two people dress up as lions, one person acts as the lion's head, and the other person One person serves as the lion's body and hind legs, and the other person serves as the lion guide. There are also civil and martial arts dances. The civil dance shows the tameness of the lion, with movements such as shaking its hair, rolling, etc. The martial arts dance shows the ferocity of the lion, including leaping, kicking, and jumping. Rolling colored balls and other actions.

Land boat rowing

Land boat rowing, according to folklore, is to commemorate Dayu who was successful in controlling floods. Land boat rowing is also called running land boat, which is to imitate the movement of boats on land. Most of the performers are girls. The land boat is not a real boat. It is made of two thin boards, sawn into a boat shape, tied with bamboo and wood, and then covered with colorful cloth and tied around the girl's waist, as if she were sitting in the boat. Holding an oar in his hand, he makes a rowing posture, singing some local tunes and dancing while running. This is land boat rowing. Sometimes there is a man pretending to be a passenger on the boat, and he performs as a partner. Most of them dress up as clowns and entertain the audience with various funny actions.

Eating Yuanxiao

"Yuanxiao" also has its origins in China. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food eaten during the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This food was first called "Fu Yuanzi" and later "Yuanxiao", and businessmen also called it "Yuanbao". ". In ancient times, the price of "Yuanxiao" was relatively expensive. There is a poem that says: "The distinguished guest hooks up the curtain to look at the imperial street, and the treasures in the market come to him at once." The flower stand in front of the curtain has no way to go, and if you don't get the money, you won't get it back. ”

The north “rolls” Lantern Festival, and the south “makes” glutinous rice balls. These are two foods with different methods and tastes. [21]?

Sacrifice to the door and sacrifice to the household

In ancient times, there were "seven sacrifices", two of which were done by inserting poplar branches above the door, inserting a pair of chopsticks into the bowl of bean porridge, or directly putting wine and meat. In front of the door.

Rat chasing

Rat chasing is a traditional folk activity during the Lantern Festival, which started in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Rats often eat large tracts of silkworms at night. People say that if you feed the rat rice porridge on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, it will stop eating silkworms.

The "Jingchu Years of Ages" says that on the tenth day of the first lunar month, the mouse will stop eating silkworms. At five o'clock in the morning, a god came down to a family named Chen and said to them: If you can sacrifice to me, you will have a good harvest of silkworms.

Giving children lanterns<. /p>

During the Lantern Festival, "get rid of all diseases" to seek good health

It is also called "send lanterns", also known as "send lanterns", etc. That is, before the Lantern Festival, the mother's family sends lanterns to the newly married daughter's family. , or generally given by relatives and friends to newlyweds and infertile families, in order to bring good luck to the family, because "Leng" and "Ding" are homophonic in many places. In Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, lanterns are given between the eighth and fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Give a pair of large palace lanterns and a pair of glass lanterns with colorful paintings, hoping that your daughter will be blessed with good luck after marriage and have a baby soon; if your daughter is pregnant, in addition to the large palace lanterns, you will also give one or two pairs of small lanterns to wish your daughter a safe pregnancy. . [22]?

Welcoming Zi Gu

Zi Gu is also called Qi Gu. In the north, she is often called toilet aunt or pit third aunt. It is an ancient folk custom to welcome the toilet god Zi on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It is said that Zi Gu was originally a concubine, but she was jealous of the eldest wife. She was killed in the toilet on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and became the toilet god.

Every night on the day when Zigu is welcomed, people tie up a life-size portrait of Zigu with straw, cloth, etc., and worship her in the pig pen in the toilet room at night. This custom is popular in the north and south, and can be seen in records as early as the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

Walking all diseases

"Walking all diseases" is also called "Wandering all diseases", "Walk all diseases", "Walk all diseases", "Bao Baiyi", "Walking all diseases", "Walking all diseases", "Walking all diseases", "Walking all diseases", etc. It is an activity to eliminate disasters and pray for health. . On the night of the Lantern Festival, women meet to go out together and cross bridges whenever they see them, believing that this can cure diseases and prolong life.

It has been a custom in the north since the Ming and Qing Dynasties to pray for all diseases, some on the 15th, but mostly on the 16th. On this day, women dressed in festive costumes walked out of their homes in groups, walked on bridges to overcome dangers, climbed to the city, and felt for a child until midnight before returning.

4. Some other ethnic minorities also have some special customary activities.

5. Many countries in Southeast Asia also hold relevant activities that combine local characteristics.