Lantern Festival text content:

The Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China. The formation of the custom of the Lantern Festival has a long process and is rooted in the ancient folk custom of turning on lights to pray for blessings. Turning on lanterns to pray for blessings usually starts on the 14th night of the first lunar month to "test the lanterns", and the night of the 15th is the "main lantern". Folks light lanterns, also known as "sending lanterns", to carry out sacrifices to gods and pray for blessings.

The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty also played an important role in forming the customs of the Lantern Festival. During the Yongping period of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, in order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty ordered that lanterns be lit in palaces and temples on the 15th night of the first lunar month to represent the Buddha. The custom of lanterns gradually spread in China with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and later the addition of Taoist culture.

During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it became popular to display lanterns during the Lantern Festival, and Emperor Wu of Liang believed in Buddhism. Five large lanterns. In the Tang Dynasty, cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries became closer, and Buddhism flourished. Officials and common people generally "burned lanterns to worship Buddha" on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Buddhist lanterns became common among the people. From the Tang Dynasty, it became legal to light lanterns during the Lantern Festival.

Extended information:

The formation of the Lantern Festival customs has a long process. The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty played an important role in the formation of the customs of the Lantern Festival. During the Yongping period of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty (AD 58-75), because Emperor Ming promoted Buddhism, it coincided with Cai Min's return from India to seek Buddhism. He said that every fifteenth day of the first lunar month in India, monks gathered to pay homage to the Buddha's relics. It is an auspicious day to visit the Buddha.

In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty ordered that lanterns be lit in palaces and temples on the 15th night of the first lunar month to show the Buddha. Therefore, the custom of lighting lanterns on the 15th night of the first lunar month expanded with the influence of Buddhist culture. The addition of Taoist culture has gradually spread in China. ?

Now, with the development of the times, today's Lantern Festival is moving from family to society. No matter how new the Lantern Festival, lanterns, and fireworks are, these Lantern Festivals have changed. The ancient traditional customs have not changed. These elements of traditional culture have always been part of people's hearts.