The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, so all over the country, most of the customs of the region is pretty much the same, but each place still has its own characteristics.
Folk customs of the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar
1, eating Lantern Festival: Lantern Festival is made of glutinous rice, or solid, or with filling. The north is "roll" Lantern, the south is "package" dumplings. This custom is the most ancient, but also the Lantern Festival essential customs. Lantern Festival is in fact the dumplings, the northern custom called Lantern Festival, dumplings is the southern custom called. For the Lantern Festival to eat dumplings, with the beautiful symbolism of reunion, and our country is also the most focused on the level of family reunion, so in the Lantern Festival day to eat dumplings is our life, the family's best wishes.
2, Lantern Festival: Lantern Festival is a must-do thing, in addition to lighting, you can also set off fireworks. There are also places to send lanterns. Send lanterns that is to send children lamps, this custom is generally the mother's family to the newly married daughter lanterns, or friends and relatives to give the newly married infertile family lanterns, give the symbol is to add a good omen, in order to ask the daughter or relatives can be in the marriage of good luck, to add a child and a half a daughter.
3, guess the lantern riddle: "guess the lantern riddle" also called "playing lantern riddle", is the Lantern Festival after the increase of an activity, appeared in the Song Dynasty. Because riddles can enlighten wisdom and interest, so the process of circulation by the popularity of all social classes. Guessing lantern riddles is a folk entertainment activity unique to the Lantern Festival, and many places in folklore are also called playing lantern riddles, meaning that the lanterns and lanterns are hung high, and then riddles are written on the lanterns for people to guess and answer, and certain rewards and prizes are given to those who answer correctly. This activity can drive the Lantern Festival lanterns to enjoy the lively atmosphere, but also for the people to add a lot of fun.
4, playing dragon lanterns: playing dragon lanterns, also known as dragon dance or dragon dance. It originated in ancient times. Since ancient times in China in the festivities of the lion dance dragon custom, and the Lantern Festival is our traditional festival, is our annual festival, naturally, there is no shortage of the custom of playing dragon lanterns, playing dragon lanterns can be the songs and dances of the festive atmosphere spread to all places, so that we live in a world full of joy and happiness.
5, stilt-walking: stilt-walking is a popular mass skill show. According to legend, stilts are the evolution of the ancient people in order to pick the wild fruits on the trees for food, to tie two long sticks to their legs. Stilts performances are often accompanied by fans and handkerchiefs. It can be a dance while walking or singing while walking. Lantern Festival on stilts, can increase the festive entertainment components.
6, lion dance: lion dance is China's outstanding folk art, every Lantern Festival or assembly celebrations, folk lion dance to come to cheer. This custom originated in the Three Kingdoms period, began to popularize the North and South Dynasties, has been more than a thousand years of history. The lion is the pride of all beasts, with a majestic and handsome image, giving people a sense of majesty and courage. Ancient people regarded it as a symbol of bravery and strength, and believed that it could drive away evil spirits and suppress demons, and bless people and animals with peace. So people gradually formed in the Lantern Festival and other major events in the custom of lion dance, in order to pray for life auspicious and peaceful.
7, rowing dry boat: rowing dry boat, also known as running dry boat, is on land to imitate the boat rowing work, the performance of running dry boat is mostly girls. Rowing dry boat, folklore is to commemorate the great Yu's success in water control. Rowing a dry boat, also known as running a dry boat, is to imitate the work of a boat on land, and most of the performers of the dry boat are girls. Dry boat is not a real boat, more than two thin boards, sawed into a boat shape, bamboo and wood tied into, and then masked with colored cloth, set of ties in the girl's waist, as sitting in the boat, holding an oar, do rowing posture, one side running, one side singing some local ditties, singing and dancing, which is the rowing dry boat. Lantern Festival rowing dry boat is also an element of the festival atmosphere.
8, walking disease: the Lantern Festival night women walking in groups, or walking wall, or across the bridge, the main purpose is to drive away the disease in addition to disaster. "Walking all diseases" is a major event, women naturally have to dress up, or powdered red, or dressed in festive attire, foot wearing embroidered shoes, but to wear white mostly.
The origin of the Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival was established by Emperor Liu Heng of the Han Dynasty after he came to power to celebrate the elimination of Zhulü and the restoration of the Liu family name to the throne, and the fifteenth day of the first month of the year was designated as the Lantern Festival. Emperor Wen was the second son of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty, and when he became emperor, he realized that it was not easy to create a peaceful and prosperous world, so he designated the 15th day of the first month of the year in which the chaos of the Zhulu family was quelled as a celebratory festival. The Lantern Festival, which is the first night of the year when the moon is full, was designated to be in accordance with people's wishes, and it was also a good luck and good fortune festival. The night is not prohibited in the capital, and people are free to go out on the streets to see the lanterns and play.
Legend has it that Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty was once sick for a long time and asked a Taoist priest to come down to the god. The heavenly Taiyi God (Taiyi God, Taiyi God) responded that Emperor Wu would soon be cured and would like to meet him at Ganquan Palace. Soon the emperor was really cured, and he was so happy that he ordered the construction of Taiyi altar in Ganquan Palace, and the night of the first month on the first day of the Xin day, the lights were opened for thanksgiving rituals, which lasted all night long and was a great event. This in Sima Qian "Historical Records", the Tang Dynasty Ouyang Xun "Arts and Letters Classes Gathering" Volume IV are recorded. Later, the upper Xin day was changed to the night of the 15th day of the first month, so that the Lantern Lantern burning has become a major feature of the real beginning of the Lantern Festival.