The origin of the Lantern Festival
Legend 1: Legend has it that a long time ago, a divine bird got lost and landed on earth, but was accidentally shot to death by an unsuspecting hunter. When the Emperor of Heaven found out, he was very angry and ordered the heavenly soldiers to set fire to the human world on the 15th day of the first lunar month to burn all humans to death. The daughter of the Emperor of Heaven was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see the innocent people suffer, so she risked her life and told people the news. When everyone heard the news, it was like a thunderbolt ringing above their heads. I was so scared that I didn’t know what to do. It took a long time before an old man came up with an idea. He said: "On the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth of the first lunar month, every household hangs up red lanterns, lights firecrackers and sets off fireworks at home. In this way, the Emperor of Heaven will think that people have been burned to death." Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing this, and then went separately to prepare. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the heavenly soldiers looked down and saw a red light in the world. They thought it was the flames of a fire, so they told the emperor that there was no need to go down to earth and set fires. 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 day.
Legend 2: It is related to the custom of eating Yuanxiao: According to legend, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a favorite named Dongfang Shuo, who was kind and funny. If someone in the palace offended Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, they would always rely on Dongfang Shuo to intercede. One winter, it snowed heavily for several days. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty felt a little bored, 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 not seen her family again. Every year when the Spring Festival comes, I miss my family even more than usual. She thought that since she could not fulfill her filial piety in front of her parents, she might as well die, so she threw herself into the well. After hearing her experience, Dongfang Shuo sympathized with her very much and assured her that he would try to reunite her with her family. On this day, after Dongfang Shuo left the palace, he set up a divination stall on Chang'an Street.
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 a great panic in Chang'an. People are 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 'goddess in red' to visit the mortal world. She is the envoy who was ordered to burn Chang'an. If you see a girl in red riding a pink silver donkey, , immediately knelt down and begged, and the girl said: "I came to burn Chang'an with the order. The Jade Emperor also stood on the Nantian Gate to watch. In response to my father's plea, I will give you the copied verses so that you can think of a solution today. After saying that, he threw down a red sticker 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 disaster and is burning." Emperor's Palace, sixteen heavenly fires, flaming red midnight snacks." Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was shocked when he saw it, and quickly invited the resourceful Dongfang Shuo.
Dongfang Shuo pretended to think about it and said: "I heard that fire Shenjun loves glutinous rice balls the most. Doesn’t the Yuanxiao in the palace often make glutinous rice balls for you? On the night of the 15th, Yuanxiao can make glutinous rice balls for you. Long Live burned incense and offered sacrifices, and ordered every household in Kyoto to make glutinous rice balls to worship the God of Fire. Then he ordered the subjects to hang up lanterns together on the night of the 16th, light firecrackers and set off fireworks all over the city, as if the city was full of fire, so that they could hide it from the Jade Emperor. In addition, the people outside the city were notified to come into the city on the night of the 16th to watch the lanterns and mingle with the crowd to eliminate disasters and solve problems." After hearing this, Emperor Wu was very happy and sent an order to follow Dongfang Shuo's method. On the sixteenth 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. Yuanxiao's parents 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! Yuanxiao!" Yuanxiao heard the shout and was finally reunited with her parents and sister. After such a lively night, Chang'an City was indeed safe and sound. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was so happy that he ordered that glutinous rice dumplings 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 sixteenth 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.
Legend 3: After the death of Han Emperor Liu Bang, Empress Lu’s son Liu Ying ascended the throne as Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Hui was weak and indecisive by nature, and power gradually fell into the hands of Empress Lu. After Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty died of illness, Empress Lu took sole control of it. The government changed the Liu family's world into the Lu family's world. The old officials in the court and the Liu family were deeply indignant, but they were all afraid of Empress Lu's cruelty and dared not speak out.
After Empress Lu died of illness, Zhu Lu was panic-stricken and feared being hurt and excluded. So, they secretly gathered at the home of General Lu Lu to plot rebellion in order to completely seize the Liu family.
This matter reached the ears of Liu Nang, the king of Qi, the Liu family. In order to protect the Liu family, Liu Nang decided to launch an army to attack Zhu Lu. Then he contacted the founding veterans Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, and designed to remove Lu Lu. , the "Zhu Lu Rebellion" was finally completely put down.
After the rebellion was over, the ministers supported Liu Bang’s second son Liu Heng to ascend the throne and became Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty. Emperor Wen felt deeply that peace and prosperity were hard-won, so he set the tenth day of the first lunar month to quell the "Zhu Lu Rebellion". The fifth day of the lunar month was designated as the day to enjoy the people together, and every house in the capital put up lanterns and colors to celebrate. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month has become a popular folk festival - "Lantern Festival".
Lunar Calendar The fifteenth night of the first lunar month is my country's traditional folk Lantern Festival, also known as the Lantern Festival and Lantern Festival.
The Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month brings the celebrations that started on New Year's Eve to another climax. On the night of the Lantern Festival, the streets and alleys are decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. People admire the lanterns, guess lantern riddles and eat the Lantern Festival, which has become a custom that has been passed down from generation to generation.