1, Legendary Stories I

In the Song Dynasty, there was a governor named Cai Junmu in Fuzhou, who was facing the starvation of thousands of people, but he wanted to make it look peaceful. He ordered a, requiring all the people under the rule of each family in the night of the Lantern Festival must burn seven lamps. A poor man named Chen Lei made a big lamp more than ten feet high, with a poem written on it: "A lamp in a rich family is a grain of corn in Taicang; a lamp in a poor family is a father and his son weeping relative to each other." The news reached the ears of the governor, and he had to withdraw his order.

2. Legendary Story 2

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, a courtesan named Yuanxiao was unable to join her parents on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar because she was in the palace. For this reason, she wanted to jump into a well to kill herself. In order to help the girl Yuanxiao to fulfill her filial piety for her parents, the wise man Dongfang Shuo came up with a plan. He told Emperor Wu that the Jade Emperor, the highest god in heaven, had ordered the burning of Chang'an City on the 16th day of the first month. In order to save the city of Chang'an, Emperor Wu of Han asked Dongfang Shuo what he should do.

Dongfang Shuo replied that the fire god loves big red lanterns. He suggested hanging big red lanterns on the streets, and the emperor, empress, six concubines and court ministers should all go out to view the lanterns. In this way, the fire god's attention would be distracted and disaster could be averted. The emperor adopted Dongfang Shuo's suggestion, and when everyone went out to enjoy the lanterns, the Lantern Festival was able to have a chance to sneak out of the palace and reunite with his family.

Lantern Festival folklore stories

1, Lantern Festival and lights

Legend has it that a long time ago, there are a lot of ferocious birds and beasts, all around the harm to people and animals, people in order to self-defense, they organize to fight with them. A god bird landed on earth because it was lost, but was accidentally shot dead by an unknowing hunter. Upon hearing the news, the emperor was furious and immediately sent an order to the heavenly soldiers and generals to set fire to the earth on the 15th day of the first month, in order to burn down all the properties of human beings and animals. The emperor's daughter is kind-hearted, can not bear to see the innocent people suffer, risking their lives, secretly ride the auspicious clouds to the earth, to the people to inform the news. The news spread and all the people were scared and did not know what to do. After a long time, an old man finally had a solution: on the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth days of the first month, every household would put up lanterns and firecrackers and fireworks. In this way, the Emperor of Heaven would mistakenly think that the people had all been burned to death. When the people heard about this, they nodded their heads in agreement and split up to make preparations. On the night of the fifteenth day, the Heavenly Emperor looked down from the sky and the loud noise shook the sky. For three consecutive nights it was like this, and the Heavenly Emperor thought it was the flames of a great fire burning, and his heart was pleased, and the people were thus fortunate to save their lives and property.

In order to commemorate this successful elimination of disaster, since then every first month of the fifteenth, every family hanging lanterns, burning fireworks, to commemorate and celebrate.

2, Lantern Festival and Lantern Girl

Legend has it that when Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there was a man called Dongfang Shuo in the palace, short, resourceful, funny and kind-hearted. Palace women, no matter who offended Emperor Wu, when the emperor blamed, he always went up to intercede. Therefore, the palace e color women are to him very much love. That year, the waxing moon, a few days of snow, Dongfang Shuo went to the Imperial Garden to fold plum blossoms. Just into the garden door, see a courtesan is in tears to the Royal Well, he rushed forward to save. It turned out that the courtesan called Yuan Xiao, living in the hills northwest of Chang'an, the family has parents and a little sister. Since being elected to the palace, every year-end, she always misses her relatives, heart like a knife. These days the wind and cold snow, she can not help but think of the parents and little sister at home hard day. She thought to herself, "If I can't live with my parents, I might as well die, so I threw myself into a well.

Dongfang Shuo, from Yuanxiao's life, associated with the palace sisters have a bellyful of homesickness, they are determined to come up with a brilliant plan. On this day, he came to the northwest mountain of Yuan Xiao's home, so and so arranged, and then returned to Chang'an Street to sell trigrams. Some people knew Dongfang Shuo, knew that he knew astronomy, yin and yang, all scrambled to divination. As a result, all the divination requests were "the 16th day of the first month, the fire burns my body". People are very alarmed, have to ask for relief, East Secret said: "the afternoon of the first month of the thirteenth, the city's white-bearded old people, are to the northwest of the ten miles of stores waiting at the mouth of the Avenue. When the day is late, from the northwest will come over a girl in red riding a pink donkey. When they see her, the old men and women must kneel before they can be saved." When people heard Dongfang Shuo's words, they believed them and secretly conspired with each other. By the afternoon of the thirteenth day of the first month, the white-bearded old men of the city all came to the Ten Mile Shop on crutches to wait. In the evening, a girl in red riding a pink donkey did come from the northwest, and the old men swarmed up and begged bitterly. The girl looked at the more than sad fathers and mothers said: "I was led by the Jade Emperor's will to do the job, the fire burned Chang'an Jade Emperor will also stand in the South Heavenly Gate to watch, if there is no fire, it is my sin. Since I am obliged to beg for mercy from the fathers and the elders, I will give you the gatha that I have copied, and you may send it to the king of men and the landlord, so that they may think of a way out." After saying this, he threw down a sheet of gathas and turned back to go.

The old people hurriedly reported the matter to Emperor Wu of Han. Emperor Wu took the gatha, only to see that it reads, "Chang'an in the robbery, fire burns the Imperial Palace; fifteen days of fire, flame red night." Emperor Wu was shocked and sought advice from the resourceful Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo said: "I heard that the fire god loves to eat dumplings, 15 nights can let the whole city subjects are made dumplings offerings, devout prayers, begging the fire god to raise your hand. And then pass Yu Kyoto all the subjects to make lights, sixteen nights, the streets, alleys, courtyards, house doors, all hung with red lights, fireworks and firecrackers all over the city. At that time, the city was red, fireballs flying, will be able to fool the Jade Emperor in the South Heavenly Gate watching. And then the four gates of Kyoto open, so that the people outside the city can also enter the city to watch the lights. The emperor, consort, the palace e color girl, should also be out of the palace to go to the street to watch the lanterns, mixed in the people, so that will dip their light, to avoid disaster. In addition, the gods also know that the dumplings of the Lantern Festival are well made, write the name of the Lantern Festival on the streets and alleys, and devoutly honor the Fire God King who travels over Chang'an, and it will surely make his heart soften." Hearing this, Emperor Wu of Han passed the order to act according to Dongfang Shuo's way.

On the sixteenth day of the first month, the sun set in the west, the city of Chang'an was decorated with lanterns, and the people in the countryside were informed of the news that they were also coming to the city to watch the lanterns. Emperor Wu took off his dragon robe, changed into civilian clothes, under the protection of a few close ministers to walk on the street. The Queen Consort, the palace e color girl, also left the palace in groups. The whole Chang'an City, bright lights, fireworks all over the sky, very beautiful.

Yuan Xiao's sister led her parents also came to Chang'an to see the lanterns, when she saw the words written "Lantern" large palace lanterns, surprised and shouted: "Lantern sister, Lantern sister." When she saw the lantern, she was surprised and shouted, "Sister Yuanxiao, Sister Yuanxiao." When Yuanxiao heard the shout, she came to her parents, and the family reunited.

After a night of fervor, Chang'an, the capital, was safe and sound. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was delighted, the next year on the 15th of the first month, as usual, let the Lantern do dumplings for the Fire God Jun, sixteen nights, as usual, the whole city hanging lights and fireworks. Passed down for practice, year after year as before. Because the fifteenth offering of dumplings is made of Lantern, people called the dumplings "Lantern", the day called "Lantern Festival". This is now the fifteenth of the Lantern Festival, sixteen lanterns of the origin.

3, Lantern Festival and Oriental Shuo

The 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar is called the "Festival of the first yuan", also known as the "Lantern Festival". According to legend, when Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, there was a man named Dongfang Shuo, resourceful, funny, often in front of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty to offer plans to make fun of the Emperor, loved by Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty. Dongfang Shuo was kind-hearted and often interceded for courtesans who offended Emperor Wu.

One day in Lunar New Year, Dongfang Shuo saw a courtesan in tears to the Royal Well, he panicked to save. The courtesan was called Yuan Xiao, who had parents and sisters at home. Every holiday, she misses her relatives, can not meet, the heart is like a knife, even want to die, Dongfang Shuo saved the night, promised to try to let her reunite with her family.

One day, Dongfang Shuo came to Yuanxiao's home to make some arrangements, and then returned to the streets of Chang'an to sell their fortunes. A lot of people asked for the divination, and all they asked for was "the 16th day of the first month, the fire burns the body", and they asked for a way to get rid of it. Dongfang Shuo said mysteriously: "the thirteenth day of the first month will come over a donkey-riding girl in red, she is the fire goddess who was ordered to burn Chang'an, all the fathers and mothers can ask for it."

On the thirteenth day of the first month, a girl in red really came. The girl said, "I was ordered to burn Chang'an, the Jade Emperor also want to see on the South Heavenly Gate. Since the father and the old man pleaded for mercy, I give you the copy of the verse, can let the present son of heaven think of a way." The gatha is: Chang'an in the robbery, the fire burns the emperor tone, sixteen days of fire, flame red night.

Han Wu Di read it and was shocked, busy asking Dongfang Shuo for advice. Dongfang Shuo said: "I heard that the fire god king's favorite food dumplings. Fifteen nights, you can make the best dumplings Lantern do some dumplings, long live the incense burning offerings, honoring the fire god king, will make its heart soft down. And then make the subjects in the courtyard house door are Gua on the red lights, the whole street fireworks firecrackers, may fool the Jade Emperor watching on the South Heavenly Gate."

On the night of the 15th, Yuanxiao's sister also led her parents to Chang'an to watch the lanterns, and saw Yuanxiao, who went out of the palace to play with the lanterns on the street, and the family was reunited.

Raised a night of lights, the Kyoto Chang'an peace and quiet, Emperor Wu of Han was delighted. The second year on the 15th day of the first month, as usual, let the Lantern do dumplings for the Fire God Jun. Because of the Lantern made the best dumplings, people will be the dumplings called Lantern, the first month of the 15th is called the Lantern Festival.

The night of the Lantern Festival, some places, dragon lanterns, lion dances, lanterns all emerge. The main streets of the city are brightly lit, and all streets are prepared to burn fire dragons with flower tubes, which is a spectacular and very lively scene. Dragon lantern players from the thirteenth day of the first month began to the countryside, residents of the home, the authorities to pay homage to the New Year. To the residents of the house, commonly known as drill grid, willing to let the dragon into the house will open the door, and rewarded to the joy of money; unwilling, the dragon came after the door will be closed. Fifteen nights into the climax, celebrating late into the night, burning firecrackers, eat the last meal of the year, called sending the year, the entire Spring Festival is over.

Origin of the Lantern Festival

The fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival. It is also known as the Shangyuan Festival, the Night of Lanterns, and the Festival of Lights. According to legend, Han Wendi (179-157 years ago) to celebrate Zhou Bo in the first month of the fifteenth survey leveled the chaos of Zhu Lü, every night, will be out of the palace to play, and the people with the people, in ancient times, the night with the night, the first month is also known as the month of yuan, the Han Wendi on the first month of the fifteenth as the Lantern Festival, the night is called the Lantern Festival. Sima Qian created the Taichu Calendar, which listed the Lantern Festival as a major festival. Since the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties, it has been even more prevalent. "Sui book - music Zhi" day: "Whenever the first month, all the countries to the court, stay until the 15th in the Duanmen outside the Jianguo Gate, stretching eight miles, the play for the theater," to participate in the songs and dances up to tens of thousands of people, from the dusk to the end of the day, to the obscurity of the end. When with the changes in society and the times, the Lantern Festival customs and habits have long had a greater change, but is still a traditional Chinese folk festival.

Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, as early as 2000 years ago in the Qin Dynasty. According to the data and folklore, the 15th day of the first month in the Western Han Dynasty has been attached importance to the activities of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in the first month of the first night of the Xin night in the Ganquan Palace to sacrifice to the "Taiyi" (Taiyi: master of the universe of all the gods), by the later generations as the first day of the first month of the 15th day of the festival of the gods of the first voice.

Lantern Festival, the original meaning of the "night of the Shangyuan Festival", because the first day of the first month of the "Shangyuan Festival" is the main activity of the evening of eating dumplings and enjoying the moon, and then the name of the festival evolved into the "Lantern Festival". Later, the name of the festival evolved to "Lantern Festival". On the night of the Lantern Festival, the streets and alleys were decorated with lanterns, people enjoyed the lanterns, guessed the riddles, and ate the Lantern Festival, which pushed the celebrations from the New Year's Eve to another climax, and became a custom that has been followed for generations. Lantern Festival in the early formation of the process, only known as the 15th day of the first month, the first half of the first month or the moonrise, Sui called after the first night or the first night. In the early Tang Dynasty, under the influence of Taoism, it was also called Shangyuan, and only at the end of the Tang Dynasty was it occasionally called the Lantern Festival. But since the Song Dynasty, it is also called Lantern Festival. In the Qing Dynasty, it was called the Lantern Festival. In foreign countries, the Lantern Festival is also known as the Lantern Festival.

Food Culture of Lantern Festival

The food for the Lantern Festival was rice porridge or bean porridge with gravy in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. But this food is mainly used for rituals, not to talk about the festival food. In the Tang Dynasty, Zheng Wangzhi's "Catering Records" recorded: "Bianzhong festival food, on the Yuan oil hammer. The method of making oil hammer, according to Taiping Guangji, which quoted a record of "Shangshi Food Order" in Lu's Miscellany, is similar to the deep-fried Yuanxiao of the later generations. It is also known as "oil painting pearl".

The Tang dynasty's Lantern Festival food was the noodle worm. According to Wang Renyu's (880-956) 'Remains of the Kaiyuan Tianbao', 'The custom of making face worms for the Lantern Festival was still practiced in the Song Dynasty, but the different food items were more plentiful than in the Tang Dynasty'. Lv Yuanming's Miscellany of the Year and Season mentions, "The people of Beijing use mung bean flour to make a soup of Kodou, cook glutinous rice balls, and make meat broth with sugar, which is called round salt and black bean paste. Twisting the head of mixed meat soup, called salt and black bean soup, and as a human day to create silkworms, all on the Yuan Festival food. In the Southern Song Dynasty, there was the so-called "lactose rounds", which should be the predecessor of the soup dumplings.

At least by the Ming Dynasty, people called these glutinous rice balls "Yuanxiao" (元宵). Liu Ruoyu (born in 1541) of the "discretion in the Zhi" recorded the method of Lantern Festival: "the method of production, with glutinous rice flour, filled with walnuts, sugar, roses, sprinkled with water and rolled into, such as walnuts, that is, the Jiangnan known as dumplings also".

During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Household Catering Specialty Eight Treasures Lanterns was a famous delicacy. Ma Siyuan was a master of making dumplings in Beijing at that time. He was famous for his powder-dripping snacks. Fu Zeng (born in 1688) wrote in his "Bamboo Poem for the Last Lantern Festival", "The osmanthus fragrance is wrapped in walnuts, and the rice is like a pearl poured into the well. I have seen that the Ma family sells Lanterns in the wind, saying that the Ma family sells good powder. The poem is about the famous Ma Jia Lanterns.

Over the past thousand years, the production of the Lantern has become increasingly sophisticated. In the past thousand years, the production of Yuanxiao has become more and more sophisticated. In terms of crust alone, there are river rice noodles, sticky sorghum noodles, yellow rice noodles, and bao gui noodles. The contents of the filling are sweet, salty, meat and vegetarian, all kinds of. The sweet ones are so-called osmanthus sugar, hawthorn sugar, assorted, bean paste, sesame, peanut, etc. The savory ones are lard and meat. The salty ones are stuffed with pork lard, which can be used for deep-frying and stir-frying. The vegetarian ones are mustard, garlic, leek and ginger, which means hard-working, long-lasting and upward.

The method of production also varies from north to south. The north of the Lantern Lanterns more with the method of the Wuhu roll hand shaking, the south of the dumplings are more with the heart of the hand kneading dough. Lanterns can be as big as walnuts, there are small like soybeans, cooking methods with soup, fried food, boiled in oil, steaming and so on. Whether with or without filling, are equally delicious. At present, the Lantern has become a kind of all-time snack snacks, at any time you can come to a bowl to quench your thirst.