What does the so-called steaming lantern on Lantern Festival night mean? How? Where is the custom?

Steaming noodle lanterns is the most important part of the Lantern Festival, just like making dumplings during the New Year. Every afternoon during the Lantern Festival, every household is busy steaming lanterns.

The dragon lantern must be steamed, because the dragon is in charge of good weather throughout the year. Knead a ball of dough repeatedly into a round bar that is thick at one end and thin at the other (the length and thickness can be determined according to the amount of dough.) to make the body of the dragon. The thick one is the dragon head and the thin one is the dragon tail. Lay the dragon body flat on the panel and use scissors to cut out neat and even facial spines to make the dragon's scales. Choose shiny and plump pepper seeds and press them on both sides of the dragon head to create the dragon's eyes. On the dragon's head, we should also choose bamboo strips with even branches to decorate the dragon's horns, use scissors to carefully cut the dragon's mouth, and then put a little red paper the size of a melon seed, which is the dragon's tongue. A coin should be placed on the tongue, which symbolizes wealth. After rolling, the long dragon is finally plated up, and a small and exquisite noodle bowl is made in the middle, which is ready to be filled with oil and used for twisting after steaming. In this way, a dragon lantern is made.

The most common one is the bowl-shaped surface lamp, which is of course much more delicate than the ordinary large household bowl, and the mouth of the bowl is also decorated with various laces. There are usually 12 lamps of this kind, representing the 12 months in a year. Small dough pinches should be pinched on the side of each lamp, one for the January lamp and two for the February lamp. And so on, until 12 pieces are pinched.

After the steamed lamps come out of the pot, you must first check which lamp bowl has the most water. Because the steaming time is long, the water vapor will turn into water and be stored in the lamp bowl. But the old people say that there is a special meaning to this: if there is more water in the dragon lantern, it means there will be more rain this year; otherwise, it means there will be a drought this year. It’s best not to have too much or too little, and the weather will be smooth! Among the 12 bowl lanterns, which month has more water in the lantern bowl, it means there will be more rain in that month. A lamp without water means that there will be a drought that month. It is said that the old people in the past arranged spring planting and autumn harvest based on this.

If there are children at home, a spoon lamp is usually used. The shape of the lamp is like a spoon, and there are one or two naughty and cute little mice pinched on the handle of the spoon, lying there, waiting to drink the oil when the lamp is lit!

After steaming the lamp, it’s time to light it when it gets dark. Wrap a bit of cotton around a matchstick, insert it into a lamp bowl to make a lamp twister, pour some soybean oil into the bowl, light it, and the face lamp will light up.

In our place, on the night of the Lantern Festival, lanterns are lit at the entrance of every household and in every room in the house. Because the old people say that the light can ward off evil spirits and bring happiness and good luck to people. I still remember clearly when I was a child, the old people were chanting while lighting lamps: Shine your eyes, it won’t hurt your eyes; Shine your head, it won’t cause sores; Shine your light on the wall, scorpions won’t sting Xianglian’s mother. So everyone is vying to let the light shine on themselves, hoping that they can make the light "invulnerable to all poisons". I remember at that time, even the nooks and crannies of chicken pens, pig pens, dog houses, etc. had to be illuminated with lamps, as if to let the animals get some light and feel the happiness and good fortune in the world.

The lights at home were lit, and the children went to the street to party with their own lanterns. Everyone was laughing and running, it was so lively! Which child has a nice-looking lamp in his hand, everyone will praise his mother's skill, and he will be full of pride. Some naughty children will take a bite of the lamp in other people's hands when others are not paying attention. Because salt and pepper powder are added to the steamed noodles, and the noodles need to be very strong, the steamed noodles are very delicious. The adults also said that girls are not allowed to eat from lighted lamps, as eating them will cause dark circles under the eyes. I didn't believe it at that time, so I never dared to eat it. Later I realized that the old people at that time favored boys and said that on purpose.

The children have had enough playing in the street, and the lamp oil at home is almost gone. Follow your mother to check whether the lanterns in the lamp are beautiful. If the lanterns are beautiful, it indicates a lot of happiness this year. When mom is happy, she might even let you eat a noodle lantern!

The finished noodles can be eaten directly, or they can be cut into thin slices and cooked with noodles. However, dragon lanterns must be kept until the second day of the second lunar month before they can be eaten. "February 2, the dragon raises its head", we can eat dragon meat! Every morning on this day, green vegetables are used to fry the soup, and then the dragon lanterns that have been softened by soaking in cold water two days in advance are divided into small pieces and boiled in a pot, and served with a handful of noodles. This is the authentic dragon whisker noodles! There are also certain things to pay attention to when eating this kind of noodles: men are the backbone of the family and should eat the dragon's head and waist. Eating it can strengthen your body and relieve back pain.

Regardless of whether this statement is true or false, "dragon meat" is indeed delicious and "dragon soup" is really delicious!

Since I was little, steaming noodles and eating noodles have brought me endless fun. After getting married, you are in charge of your own household, and you can eat the steamed noodles as you like. Ever since, the interest in steaming lamps has become stronger and the fun has become more...