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Chinese Lantern Festival
Chinese Lantern Festival
FESTIVAL
MEMBERS
1. Pattraporn Kheerinpharadorn
2. Puttraruksa Pisansisumsuk
Lantern festival fact
Popular Chinese name: Yunxioji /ywen-sshyaoww jyeah/ 'first night festival'
/ywen-sshyaoww-jyeah kwhy-luh/
History
- The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month, and
traditionally ends the Chinese New Year period. In 2017 it falls on February 11.
- The Lantern Festival is also the first full moon night in the Chinese calendar, marking
the return of spring and symbolizing the reunion of family. However, most people cannot
celebrate it with their families, because there is no public holiday for this festival.
Origin legend
- There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. However, one
likely origin is the celebration of "the declining darkness of winter" and community's ability
- One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient
times. The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world. He
had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought, storms,
emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring
courtly features. Fine wood was used to make the frames that were
covered in silk or glass when making palace lanterns. With dragon and
phoenix patterns on them, these lanterns were not only used as lamps
Gauze was used to cover the lantern. Wire used to make frames while the candles are
replaced by bulbs. Among these lanterns, red ones are the most recognized throughout the
world. In Chinese culture, the red lantern is the symbol of booming life and prosperous
business.
Continue
So they are always hung on important festivals such as Lantern Festival, Chinese New
Year and Chinese National Day in parks or along main streets. In some famous Chinatowns
abroad, you can see red lanterns all the year round. They have become a symbol of Chinese
culture worldwide.
Types of Ancient Lantern
3) Shadow-picture Lantern
technology is used on making lanterns, so people can see lanterns with music, with colorful
bulbs inside and so on. The shapes of the modern lanterns have changed a lot too. These
shapes can be cartoon characters, and the makers can even involve the computer games,
beautiful lanterns light the dark nights. On the lantern show, many people love the lantern
riddles most. Anyone who knows the answer to the riddles on the lanterns will get a small
gift as award. The activity attracts people because of the riddle itself rather than the gift.
The interesting riddles make the colorful lantern shows more interesting.
Finding love
- In the early days, young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding
love. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples.
- The brightest lanterns were symbolic of good luck and hope. As time has passed, the
festival no longer has such implications in most of China, but it is still commercialized as the
Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day in Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
general information
- Today, the displaying of lanterns is still a major event on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month
throughout China. Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province, for example, holds a lantern fair each
year in Culture Park.
- During the Lantern Festival, the park is a virtual ocean of lanterns. Many new designs attract large
numbers of visitors. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole. This is a lantern in the shape of a
golden dragon, spiraling up a 38-meter-high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth.
Reference
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/lantern/