A maid-in-waiting named Yuanxiao was unable to reunite with her parents on the fifteenth day of the first month because she was in the deep palace. To this end, she wanted to jump into the well and commit suicide. In order to help Yuanxiao girl do her best for her parents.

Filial piety, the wise Dong Fangshuo came up with a plan. He told Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that the Jade Emperor, the highest god in heaven, ordered Chang 'an capital to be burned on the 16th day of the first month.

In order to save Chang 'an, Emperor Wu asked Dong Fangshuo what to do. Dong Fangshuo replied that Vulcan loves red lanterns best. He suggested hanging red lanterns on the streets, and the emperor and emperor

The concubines of the empress and sixth palaces and court ministers will go out to watch lanterns. In this way, Vulcan's attention will be distracted and disaster can be avoided. The emperor adopted the construction of Dong Fangshuo.

It is suggested that when everyone goes out to enjoy the lanterns, Yuanxiao can have a chance to sneak out of the palace and reunite with his family.

The origin of Lantern Festival lanterns II:

Another theory is that the custom of burning lanterns in Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist "three-yuan theory"; The 15th day of the first month is Shangyuan Festival, the 15th day of July is Zhongyuan Festival, and the 15th day of October is Xiayuan Festival.

The officials in charge of the upper, middle and lower three elements are heaven, earth and man respectively, and the heaven official is happy, so the lantern festival should be lit. The festivals and customs activities of the Lantern Festival are extended and expanded with the development of history.

As far as the length of the festival is concerned, it was only one day in the Han Dynasty, three days in the Tang Dynasty and five days in the Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the lights were lit from the eighth day until the night of the seventeenth day of the first month.

Lights, ten days. Connecting with the Spring Festival, the day is the city, which is very lively, and the lights are lit at night, which is spectacular.

Especially the exquisite and colorful lights, which make it become the Spring Festival period.

The climax of entertainment. By the Qing Dynasty, there were more "hundred plays" such as dragon dancing, lion dancing, roller boating, walking on stilts and dancing yangko, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.

Extended data:

Festival and custom

The festivals and customs activities of the Lantern Festival are extended and expanded with the development of history. As far as the length of the festival is concerned, it was only one day in the Han Dynasty, three days in the Tang Dynasty, and five days in the Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the lights were lit from the eighth day of the eighth day until the night of the seventeenth day of the first month. It is the longest lantern festival in China history, which is connected with the Spring Festival, and the day is the city. It is very lively and spectacular.

Especially the exquisite and colorful lights make it the climax of entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. By the Qing Dynasty, there were more "hundred plays" such as dragon dancing, lion dancing, roller boating, walking on stilts and dancing yangko, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.