Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, which was established as early as 2000 years ago in the Western Han Dynasty.
3. Lantern Festival viewing began in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Because Emperor Han Ming advocated Buddhism, it coincided with Cai Cheng's conversion from India to Buddhism. Cai Cheng said that on the 15th day of the first month in India, monks gathered together to pay tribute to the Buddhist relics, which was an auspicious day to participate in Buddhism.
4. In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Hanming ordered that on the night of the 15th day of the first month, lanterns should be lit in palaces and monasteries to show Buddha. Therefore, the custom of burning lanterns on the 15th night of the first month has gradually spread in China with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and the addition of Taoist culture.
After the Han Dynasty, this Buddhist ceremonial festival gradually expanded into a grand folk festival. This festival has experienced the development process from the court to the people, and from the Central Plains to the whole country.
In addition, there is another saying about the origin of the Lantern Festival, saying that it originated from the Torch Festival. People in the Han Dynasty used to hold torches in rural fields to drive away insects and wild animals, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a bumper harvest. This custom has been popular since Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties. Thousands of people took part in the song and dance performance. The activity started at dusk on the first day and didn't end until dark the next day. Until modern times, people in some areas of southwest China still used reeds or branches as torches on the 15th day of the first month, and held them aloft in groups to dance in the fields or on the threshing floor. With the changes of society and times, the customs of Lantern Festival have changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China. There are some legends about the origin of the Lantern Festival. According to legend, Emperor Wen put down the "Zhu Lu Rebellion" on 1 month 15, so this day was designated as the Lantern Festival.