A 20-word story about the origin of the Lantern Festival

A 20-word story about the origin of the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival first originated in the Han Dynasty. It began to be taken seriously in the Tang Dynasty, and even more attention was paid to the Lantern Festival in the Song Dynasty. Festival. Chinese folk tradition is to celebrate the Lantern Festival night when the bright moon hangs high. The following introduces 20 words of the origin story of the Lantern Festival. The story of the origin of the Lantern Festival 20 words 1

The origin of the Lantern Festival

Legend has it that a long time ago, there were many ferocious birds and beasts, hurting people and livestock everywhere, so people organized themselves Going to hunt them, a magical bird landed on earth because it was lost, but was accidentally shot to death by an unsuspecting hunter. The Emperor of Heaven was very angry when he found out. He immediately issued a decree and ordered the heavenly soldiers to set fire to the human world on the 15th day of the first lunar month and burn all the human and animal property in the human world.

The daughter of the Emperor of Heaven was very kind-hearted and could not bear to see the innocent people suffering, so she risked her life and secretly came to the world on auspicious clouds to tell the news to mankind. When everyone heard the news, it was like a thunderbolt ringing above their heads.

Human beings at that time were so frightened that they didn’t know what to do. After a long time, an old man came up with an idea. He said: "On the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth of the first lunar month, during these three days, Every family decorated their homes with lanterns, lit firecrackers, and set off fireworks. In this way, the Emperor would think that everyone was burned to death."

After hearing this, everyone nodded yes, and then went separately to prepare. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Emperor of Heaven looked down and found that the world was filled with red light and loud noises. It was like this for three consecutive nights. He thought it was the flames of a fire, and he was very happy in his heart. In this way, people saved their lives and property. In order to commemorate this success, from then on every fifteenth day of the first lunar month, every household hung lanterns and set off fireworks to commemorate this special day.

The meaning of the Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival, Lantern Festival, and Lantern Festival, is the iconic time in the first month of the year. Round Night - the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It originated in the period of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty and has a history of more than 2,000 years. From the perspective of traditional Chinese Spring Festival culture, the Lantern Festival is only one of the important components of the Spring Festival. The ancient Chinese Spring Festival custom lasts for one and a half months. The long Spring Festival goes through three stages: preparing for the new year, celebrating the new year, and celebrating the new year. The Spring Festival begins on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month and celebrates the small new year. It does not end until the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Year. If we compare it to a trilogy of movements, the Lantern Festival, which is at the end of the New Year celebrations, is the climax of the Chinese Spring Festival trilogy. The Lantern Festival is regarded as the last climax of the Spring Festival, because after this day, people really enter the life of the new year, so people celebrate the Lantern Festival to pray to God for good weather in the coming year.

The reason why the Lantern Festival has been passed down is because of the cultural significance contained in this festival: reunion, harmony, and the pursuit of freedom. These are what we yearn for and our good expectations. The reason why every festival is It can be inherited because it contains the people's prayers and yearning for a better life. The Lantern Festival has rich cultural connotations, its culture has a long history, and is unique in the world's folk culture. At present, the world's competition for folk festivals is intensifying, and we must protect it well. Pass it on well.

Ten customs of the Lantern Festival

1. Eating "Yuanxiao"

Eating Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is a long-standing custom in China. Yuanxiao means "Yuanxiao" "Tangyuan", its preparation, ingredients and flavors are different, but the meaning of eating Yuanxiao is the same. It represents reunion, harmony and beauty, and the days are getting more and more prosperous. There is a saying that harmony brings wealth. Family harmony and family reunion are so important factors for a complete family. Therefore, you must eat "Yuanxiao" with your family during the Lantern Festival.

2. "Send lanterns"

"Send lanterns" is referred to as "send lanterns", and its essential meaning is to send lanterns to children.

That is, before the Lantern Festival, the natal family sends lanterns to the newly married daughter's family, or ordinary relatives and friends send them to the newly married infertile family, in order to bring good luck to the family, because "Leng" and "Ding" are homophonic. It expresses the hope that the daughter will have good luck after marriage and give birth to a son soon. If the daughter is pregnant, in addition to the big palace lanterns, one or two pairs of small lanterns will also be given to wish the daughter a safe pregnancy.

3. Playing with dragon lanterns

The dragon is the totem of China. The Chinese nation respects the dragon and regards the dragon as a symbol of auspiciousness. The dragon lantern dance on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and the joyful atmosphere of singing and dancing are spread in many places.

4. Lion Dance

Lion dance, also known as "lion dance", "lion lantern" and "lion dance", is mostly performed at New Year's Day and festive events. The lion is an auspicious animal in the eyes of the Chinese people, symbolizing good luck and good fortune. Therefore, in the lion dance activities, it entrusts the people's good wishes to eliminate disasters and seek good luck.

5. Guessing Lantern Riddles

During the Lantern Festival, lantern riddles are played in various places. I hope this year will be joyful and safe. Because riddles can enlighten wisdom and are interesting, they are very popular among all walks of life in the process of spreading. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, various juggling skills began to appear in the lantern market. In the lantern markets of the Ming and Qing dynasties, in addition to lantern riddles and opera songs and dances, opera performances were also added.

6. Stilt walking

Stilt meetings are usually organized spontaneously by the masses. People start walking on the streets on the 11th and 12th of the first lunar month, which means to tell people to sign up for this year among the many folk flower parties. The festival officially takes to the streets on the 15th day of the first lunar month and ends on the 18th day of the lunar month.

7. Door sacrifices and household sacrifices

In ancient times, there were "seven sacrifices", and these are two of them. The method of offering sacrifices is to insert poplar branches above the door, insert a pair of chopsticks in the bowl of bean porridge, or place wine and meat directly in front of the door.

activities. On the night of the Lantern Festival, women meet to go out together and cross bridges whenever they see them, believing that this can cure diseases and prolong life.

9. Welcome Zigu

Zigu is also called Qigu. In the north, she is often called toilet aunt and pit third aunt. Ancient folk customs include offering sacrifices to Zigu, the toilet god, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, fortune-telling about sericulture, and fortune telling. Every night on the day when Zigu is welcomed, people tie up a life-size portrait of Zigu with straw, cloth, etc., and worship her in the pig pen in the toilet room at night. It truly reflects the thoughts and feelings of the working people who are kind, loyal and sympathetic to the weak.

10. Rat Chasing

Rat Chasing is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Silkworm farmers cook a large pot of sticky porridge on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and some even cover it with a layer of meat. The porridge is served in a bowl and placed on the ceiling, in a corner where mice are infested, or in the mouth while eating. While muttering something, cursing the rat that it will not die well if it eats silkworm babies. Legend has it that if you do this, this year's mice will not eat silkworm babies. The origin story of the Lantern Festival, 20 words 2

Some traditional customs of the Lantern Festival

Eating glutinous rice balls: Eating glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival, "tangyuan" and "reunion"

(tuanyuan)" has similar pronunciation, symbolizing family reunion, harmony and happiness, and embodying people's good wishes for future life.

Lantern viewing: During the Lantern Festival, everywhere is very lively. There are many kinds of lanterns, such as revolving lanterns, Guan Dao lanterns, lotus lanterns, and rabbit lanterns.

Guessing lantern riddles: During the Lantern Festival, lantern riddles are played in various places. I hope this year will be joyful and safe. Riddle guessing can inspire wisdom and is interesting, and it is deeply loved by everyone during its spread.

Dragon Dance: The dragon is the totem of China. The dragon is the totem of China. The Chinese nation respects the dragon and regards it as a symbol of auspiciousness. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, dragon lanterns are danced, and the festive atmosphere of singing and dancing also entrusts people with their good wishes for blessings.

Lantern Festival customs

The legend of eating Yuanxiao during the Lantern Festival

Legend 1: Yuanxiao is a delicacy that King Chu Zhao intended to revive the country

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, when King Chu Zhao passed the Yangtze River on his way back to his country, he saw something floating on the surface of the river. It was white and slightly yellow in color, with red flesh like rouge inside and a sweet taste. No one knew what this was, so King Zhao of Chu sent someone to ask Confucius. Confucius said: "This duckweed fruit is a sign of revival for those who get it."

When King Zhao of Chu heard about it, he couldn't help but be overjoyed. Because this day happened to be the 15th day of the first lunar month, every time thereafter, King Zhao of Chu ordered his men to imitate the fruit with flour, cook it with red hawthorn filling, and eat it in order to revive the country. Because this delicacy is round in shape and originates from duckweed fruit, people call this delicacy eaten on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month "Fuyuanzi", also known as "tangyuan". It means family reunion, happiness, auspiciousness, harmony and happiness, and has been welcomed by people. Later, eating glutinous rice balls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month gradually became a custom.

Eating Yuanxiao

Legend 2: The story of Dongfang Shuo and the Yuanxiao girl

This legend is related to the custom of eating Yuanxiao: According to legend, Han Dynasty Emperor Wu had a favorite named Dongfang Shuo, who was kind and funny. One winter, it snowed heavily for several days, so Dongfang Shuo went to the Imperial Garden to pick plum blossoms for Emperor Wu. As soon as I entered the garden gate, I found a palace maid with tears streaming down her face and ready to throw herself into the well. Dongfang Shuo hurriedly stepped forward to rescue her and asked her why she wanted to commit suicide. It turns out that the palace maid's name is Yuanxiao, and she has parents and a younger sister at home. Since she entered the palace, she has never had the chance to see her family again. Every year when the Spring Festival comes, I miss my family even more than usual. I felt that if I could not fulfill my filial piety in front of my parents, it would be better to die. Dongfang Shuo felt deeply sympathetic after hearing her experience, and assured her that he would try to reunite her with her family.

One day, Dongfang Shuo left the palace and set up a divination stall on the streets of Chang'an. Many people are vying to ask him for divination. Unexpectedly, what everyone wanted was the sign of "burning the body with fire on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month". Suddenly, there was great panic in Chang'an. People have been asking for solutions to the disaster. Dongfang Shuo said: "On the evening of the 13th of the first lunar month, Lord Vulcan will send a red-clothed goddess down to earth to investigate. She is the envoy who ordered to burn Chang'an. I will give you the copied verses so that you can think of a solution today." After finishing, he threw down a red post and walked away. The common people picked up the red sticker and hurriedly sent it to the palace to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took it and took a look, and saw that it read: "Chang'an is in tribulation, Emperor Huo burns the palace, fifteen days of fire, flame red supper", he was shocked, and quickly invited the resourceful Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo thought for a while and said, "I heard that Lord Vulcan loves glutinous rice balls the most. Doesn't the Yuanxiao in the palace often make glutinous rice balls for you? You can ask Yuanxiao to make glutinous rice balls on the night of the 15th. Long live the incense and offer it to Kyoto. Every family makes glutinous rice balls and worships the God of Fire together, and then orders the subjects to hang up lanterns on the night of the 15th, light firecrackers and set off fireworks all over the city, so that the Jade Emperor can be hidden. Common people, on the night of the 15th, go to the city to watch the lanterns and mingle with the crowd to resolve misfortune.” After hearing this, Emperor Wu was very happy and ordered to follow Dongfang Shuo's method.

On the 15th day of the first lunar month, the city of Chang'an was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and it was very lively with tourists coming and going. The parents of the palace maid Yuanxiao also took their sister to the city to watch the lanterns. When they saw the big palace lantern with the word "Luanxiao" written on it, they shouted in surprise: "Lanxiao! Lantern Festival!" Yuanxiao heard the shout and was finally reunited with her relatives at home. After such a lively night, Chang'an City was indeed safe and sound. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was overjoyed and ordered that glutinous rice balls be made as offerings to the God of Fire every fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Lanterns and fireworks would still be hung throughout the city on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Because the dumplings made during the Lantern Festival are the best, people call the dumplings Yuanxiao, and this day is called the Lantern Festival. The story of the origin of the Lantern Festival in 20 words 3

1. Why do we eat Yuanxiao during the Lantern Festival

Yuanxiao is commonly known as "tangyuan", "tangyuan" or "yuanzi" or "tuanzi". Southerners also call it They are "Shui Yuan" and "Floating Yuan Zi". Every fifteenth day of the first lunar month, almost every household eats Yuanxiao.

It is said that the Lantern Festival originated from King Zhao of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. On his way back to the country, King Zhao of Chu was boating on the Yangtze River. He saw a floating object floating on the river, white and yellowish in color. The boatman picked it up and presented it to King Zhao of Chu. When King Zhao ate it, it was as red as rouge and tasted delicious. King Zhao then ordered people to imitate hawthorn fillings for his subjects to eat to celebrate the reunion of his family and country. This day happened to be the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and it became a tradition for future generations.

There is also a legend: There was a maid named "Yuanxiao" in the palace of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. She stayed in the palace for many years, missing her parents and crying all day long. Minister Dongfang Shuo was determined to help her, so he lied to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that the God of Fire was ordered by the Jade Emperor to burn Chang'an on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The only way to escape the disaster was to let the "Yuanxiao Girl" do a lot of things on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The god of fire loves to eat glutinous rice balls, and all the subjects light up lanterns to worship them. Emperor Wu got it right, and "Yanxiao Girl" finally met her family. Since then, the Lantern Festival has been formed. This is just a legend and cannot be trusted.

According to written records, there was no Lantern Festival before the Song Dynasty. At that time, people ate rice porridge or bean porridge topped with gravy during the Lantern Festival. In the Tang Dynasty, there was "paste porridge on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month." According to the saying "The Gate of the Temple", this kind of cake and porridge is the predecessor of the Lantern Festival. After years of evolution, in the Song Dynasty, a novel food "Fuyuanzi", which is eaten during the Lantern Festival, became popular among the people. , family reunion. By the Ming Dynasty, there were more names for "Yuanxiao".

After the Revolution of 1911, Yuan Shikai stole the position of president. He tabooed the word "Yuanxiao" which is homophonic to "Yuan Xiao", and ordered before the Lantern Festival in 1913 to change the name of Yuanxiao to "Tangyuan".

When people talk about Yuanxiao nowadays, they think it means reunion, and eating Yuanxiao on this day symbolizes missing their loved ones. In fact, it is a superficial understanding by later generations based on homophony. In fact, in the eyes of the ancients, a star in the sky means a person in the world, and various astrological phenomena are closely related to Chinese customs. For example, hanging a red lantern on the door means "good luck shines high", and hanging three red lanterns means "good fortune and good fortune". Three-star longevity at home." On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, lights are lit. The lights are a simulation of the stars, and the Lantern Festival is actually the same.

What is the difference between Yuanxiao and Tangyuan? To sum up, the North is called Yuanxiao and the South is called Tangyuan. The biggest difference between the two is the different production methods. The South’s Tangyuan is made of glutinous rice flour, mixed with water and made into dough, and then stuffed with stuffing, while the North’s Yuanxiao is made directly from glutinous rice flour. The glutinous rice flour is rolled out layer by layer. In terms of taste, the freshly made Yuanxiao is more chewy when eaten freshly. The glutinous rice balls have thin skin and large fillings, and are stickier and softer.

2. Various ways to make Yuanxiao

Boiling Yuanxiao in soup

To master the key points of "boiling under boiling water and overflowing with water", And use a spoon to slowly push and turn the dumplings so that the dumplings rotate in the soup and prevent them from sticking to the pot. When the water boils, you can add a little cold water to keep it in a rolling state. Cook until the outside and inside are weak, then put it into a bowl with sugar in advance. In this way, the Lantern Festival is neat and beautiful, soft and delicious.

Fried Yuanxiao

First heat the oil in the pan, then put the Yuanxiao in the pan and gently flip it a few times. When the Yuanxiao is completely puffed up, take it out and sprinkle with sugar. Edible.

Drawn Yuanxiao

First slick the bottom of the pot with cooking oil, then add sugar and an appropriate amount of water and simmer over low heat until it becomes a thick paste. When it bubbles and turns yellow, add the cooked sesame seeds and oil. Put the fried Yuanxiao into the pot, stir it with the sugar paste, take it out of the pot quickly, and eat it while it's hot. The table will be covered with golden silk threads

Brewed Yuanxiao

Cook the Yuanxiao and put it in a bowl , then boil the sweet fermented rice in a pot, you can also add frangipani flowers according to your personal taste, then put the yuanxiao into the fermented rice and boil it out of the pot. Sweet, sour, soft and smooth, with an intoxicating aroma, and complete color, aroma and taste.

Steamed Yuanxiao

Place the Yuanxiao on a porcelain or metal plate greased with a layer of oil, steam until cooked, take out and sprinkle with sugar. It's fragrant and glutinous to eat, and it's easy to make. There seems to be little difference between steamed Yuanxiao and boiled Yuanxiao. In fact, only by trying it yourself can you know the difference - the cooked Yuanxiao is soft and glutinous, and the steamed Yuanxiao is chewy.