Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, which existed as early as 2000 years ago in the Western Han Dynasty. Lantern Festival began in the period of Emperor Han Ming in the East. Because Emperor Hanming advocated Buddhism, it coincided with Cai Xiangyin's prayer for Buddhism. Cai _ said that on the fifteenth day of the first month in India, monks gathered to pay tribute to the Buddhist relics, which was an auspicious day to participate in Buddhism. Cai _ said that on the fifteenth day of the first month in India, monks gathered to pay tribute to the Buddhist relics, which was an auspicious day to participate in Buddhism.
In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Han Ming ordered "burning lamps to show Buddha" in palaces and monasteries on the 15th night of the first month. Therefore, the custom of burning lanterns on the 15th night of the first month has gradually spread in China with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and the addition of Taoist culture. Since then, this Buddhist ceremonial festival has gradually expanded into a grand folk festival. The festival has experienced a development process from the court to the people, and from the Central Plains to the whole country.
In addition, there is a saying that the Lantern Festival originated from the Torch Festival. In the Han dynasty, people held torches in rural fields to drive away insects and wild animals, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a bumper harvest. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. Tens of thousands of people took part in the song and dance, which lasted from dusk on the first day to dark the next day. To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still use reeds or branches as torches on the 15th day of the first month, and hold high in groups to dance in fields or grain drying fields. With the changes of society and times, the customs of Lantern Festival have changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.