Legends about lights:
Legend has it that a long time ago, there were many fierce birds and beasts that hurt people and livestock everywhere, so people organized themselves to beat them. A god bird landed on the earth because it got lost, but was accidentally shot dead by an unsuspecting hunter. The Emperor of Heaven was very angry when he learned about it. He immediately sent a decree and ordered the heavenly soldiers to set fire to the earth on the 15th day of the first month, and burned all the human and animal property. The daughter of Emperor Tiandi was kind-hearted. She couldn't bear to see the innocent suffering of the people, so she risked her life and secretly drove Xiangyun to the world to tell people the news. When people heard the news, it was like a thunderclap on their heads. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. It was a long time before an old man came up with an idea. He said, "On the 14th, 15th and 16th of the first month, every family decorated their houses, lit firecrackers and set off fireworks. In this way, the emperor of heaven will think that people have been burned to death. "
Everyone nodded and said yes, so they were ready to go separately. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first month, the Emperor looked down and found that the world was red and the noise was deafening for three consecutive nights. He thought it was the flame of a big fire, and his heart was so happy. In this way, people saved their lives and property. In order to commemorate this success, every household hangs lanterns and sets off fireworks to commemorate this day on the fifteenth day of the first month.
Legends in memory of Pinglu in Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty;
Another legend is that the Lantern Festival was set up in memory of Pinglu when Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty. After the death of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, Lv Hou's son Liu Ying became Emperor Hui of Han Dynasty. Huidi was born weak and indecisive, and the power gradually fell into the hands of Lv Hou. After Emperor Huidi died, Lv Hou monopolized the state affairs and turned Liu's world into Lu's world. The old courtiers and Liu's imperial clan were deeply indignant, but they were all afraid of Lv Hou's cruelty and dared to speak out.
After Lv Hou's death, Zhu Lv was in a state of anxiety, afraid of being hurt and excluded. So, in the home of the general Lv Lu, they secretly assembled and conspired for the insurrection, so as to completely seize Liu Jiangshan.
The matter reached the ears of Liu Nang, the king of the imperial clan of Liu. Liu Nang, in order to protect Liu Jiangshan, decided to attack Zhu Lv and then got in touch with zhou bo and Chen Ping, the founding elders, and designed to lift Lv Lu. The "Zhu Lv Rebellion" was finally completely put down.
After the rebellion, all the ministers established Liu Heng, the second son of Liu Bang, as Emperor Wen of Chinese. Deeply impressed by the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wendi designated the 15th day of the first month to quell the "Zhulu Rebellion" as a fun day with the people, and every family in the capital decorated with lanterns to celebrate. Since then, the fifteenth day of the first month has become a popular folk festival-"Lantern Festival".
Dong Fangshuo and Yuanxiao Girl:
This legend is related to the custom of eating Yuanxiao. According to legend, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a favorite named Dong Fangshuo, who was kind and funny. One winter, it snowed heavily for several days, and Dong Fangshuo went to the Imperial Garden to fold plum blossoms for Emperor Wu. As soon as I entered the garden gate, I found a maid-in-waiting in tears ready to throw herself into the well. Dong Fangshuo rushed forward to help and asked why she wanted to commit suicide. It turns out that this maid-in-waiting is named Yuanxiao, and there are parents and a sister at home. Since she entered the palace, she has never seen her family again. Every year when spring comes, I miss my family more than usual. I think it is better to die than to be filial in front of my parents. Dong Fangshuo was deeply sympathetic to what happened to her and assured her that she would try to reunite her with her family.
One day, Dong Fangshuo left the palace and set up a divination booth on Chang 'an Avenue. Many people are vying to ask him for divination. Unexpectedly, what everyone wants is the signature of "the sixteenth day of the first month burns us". Suddenly, there was a great panic in Chang 'an. People are asking for solutions to the disaster. Dong Fangshuo said, "On the evening of the 13th day of the first month, Vulcan will send a goddess in red to visit the earth. She is the messenger who ordered the burning of Chang 'an. I will give you the transcribed poems, so that the emperor can do something." Say that finish, then dropped a red post and roared off. The common people picked up the red post and quickly sent it to the palace to report to the emperor.
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took it and saw that it said, "Chang 'an is robbing, the imperial palace is being burned by fire, and the fire is burning for fifteen days, and the midnight snack is red." He was so frightened that he quickly invited Dong Fangshuo, who was resourceful. Dong Fangshuo thought for a while, and said, "I heard that Vulcan loves to eat glutinous rice balls. Doesn't Yuanxiao in the palace often make glutinous rice balls for you? Let Yuanxiao make dumplings on 15th night. Long live the incense and offerings, and command every family in Kyoto to make dumplings and worship Vulcan together. Then tell the subjects to hang lights together on the fifteenth night, light firecrackers and set off fireworks all over the city, which seems to be a fire all over the city, so that the jade emperor can be fooled. In addition, inform the people outside the city, go to the city to watch the lights on the fifteenth night, and eliminate disasters and solve problems in the crowd. " Upon hearing this, Emperor Wudi was very happy, so he ordered him to do it according to Dong Fangshuo's way.
On the fifteenth day of the first month, Chang 'an city was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and tourists were bustling and lively. The parents of the maid-in-waiting Yuanxiao also took their sister to the city to watch the lights. When they saw the big palace lantern with the words "Yuanxiao" written on it, they shouted in surprise: "Yuanxiao! Lantern Festival! " When Yuanxiao heard the shouts, she was finally reunited with her relatives at home.
After such a busy night, Chang 'an was safe. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was overjoyed, so he ordered that glutinous rice balls should be made for Vulcan every fifteenth day of the first month, and the whole city would hang lights and set off fireworks on the fifteenth day of the first month. Because Yuanxiao makes the best dumplings, people call them Yuanxiao, and this day is called Lantern Festival.