The formation of Lantern Festival has a long process, which is rooted in the folk custom of turning on lights to pray for blessings. According to general data and folklore, the fifteenth day of the first month has been paid attention to in the Western Han Dynasty, but the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month really became a national folk festival after the Han and Wei Dynasties. The rise of the custom of burning lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first month is also related to the spread of Buddhism to the east. In the Tang Dynasty, Buddhism flourished, and officials and ordinary people generally "burned lanterns for the Buddha" on the fifteenth day of the first month, so Buddhist lanterns were spread all over the people. Since the Tang Dynasty, it has become a legal thing to light lanterns on Lantern Festival.
Lantern Festival is one of the traditional festivals in China, Chinese character cultural circle and overseas Chinese. Lantern Festival mainly includes a series of traditional folk activities such as viewing lanterns, eating glutinous rice balls, solve riddles on the lanterns and setting off fireworks. In addition, traditional folk performances such as Youlong lanterns, lion dancing, walking on stilts, boating, yangko dancing and playing Taiping drums have been added to the Lantern Festival in many places. In June 2008, the Lantern Festival was selected as the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage.
Origin of festivals
Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, and the formation of Lantern Festival custom has a long process, which is rooted in the folk custom of turning on lights to pray for blessings. Turning on the lights to pray usually begins on the 14th night of the first month, and on the 15th night, it is a "positive light". People point lanterns, also known as "sending lanterns", to carry out activities of offering sacrifices to the gods and praying for blessings. The introduction of Buddhist culture in the Eastern Han Dynasty also played an important role in promoting the formation of the Lantern Festival custom. During the Yongping period of Emperor Han Ming, in order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Han Ming ordered "burning lanterns to show Buddha" in palaces and monasteries on the fifteenth night of the first month. Therefore, the custom of burning lanterns on the fifteenth night of the first month gradually spread in China with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and the addition of Taoist culture. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, lantern festival lights gradually became a trend. Liang Wudi believes in Buddhism, and the palace is full of lights on the 15th day of the first month. During the Tang Dynasty, cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries became closer, Buddhism flourished, and officials and ordinary people generally "burned lanterns to offer sacrifices to the Buddha" on the fifteenth day of the first month, so Buddhist lights spread all over the people. Since the Tang Dynasty, it has been legal to display lanterns on Lantern Festival.
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan Festival, Lantern Festival and Lantern Festival. The first month is the first month of the lunar calendar. The ancients called the night "Xiao", so they called the fifteenth day of the first month "Lantern Festival". 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. Yuanxiao was only called the 15th day of the first month, the first half of the first month or the full moon when the early festivals were formed, and it was called Yuanxi or Yuanye after Sui. Influenced by Taoism in the early Tang Dynasty, it was also called Shangyuan, and it was only in the late Tang Dynasty that it was occasionally called Yuanxiao. But it has also been called Dengxi since the Song Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it was also called Lantern Festival. In foreign countries, Yuanxiao is also known as The Lantern Festival. On the night of the 15th day of the first month, people in China have a series of traditional folk activities, such as watching lanterns, eating glutinous rice balls, eating Yuanxiao, solve riddles on the lanterns and setting off fireworks.
Other legends
In memory of "Pinglu"
Legend has it 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. After the death of Emperor Hui of the Han Dynasty, Lv Hou monopolized the state affairs and turned Liu's world into Lu's world. The old minister and Liu's imperial clan in the DPRK were deeply indignant, but they were all afraid of Lv Hou's cruelty and dared not 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. This story reached the ears of Liu Xiang, the king of the Liu clan. In order to protect Liu's country, Liu Xiang decided to fight against Zhu Lv, and then got in touch with zhou bo and Chen Ping, the founding elders, and designed to remove Lv Lu. The "Zhu Lv Rebellion" was finally completely put down.
After the rebellion, all the ministers established Liu Heng, the fourth son of Liu Bang, as Emperor Wen of Chinese. Deeply impressed by the hard-won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen 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".
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrificial activities of "Taiyi God" were scheduled for the 15th day of the first month. Taiyi: the God who rules everything in the universe. It is said that when Sima Qian founded the "taichu calendar", the Lantern Festival was identified as a major festival.
Torch Festival
Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China since ancient times. It is said that the Lantern Festival began when ancient people held torches in rural fields to drive away insects and beasts, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a good harvest. To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still make torches out of reeds or branches on the fifteenth day of the first month, and hold them high in groups and dance in fields or grain drying fields. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. Tens of thousands of people took part in singing and dancing, from faint to dull. 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.
"ternary theory"
The custom of burning lanterns in Lantern Festival also has the "three-yuan theory" that originated from Taoism; Shangyuan means the first full moon night in the new year. The origin of Shangyuan Festival is recorded in Miscellanies at the Age of Years, which is a Taoist stereotype. The gods worshipped by Wudou Midao, an important faction of Taoism at the end of Han Dynasty, were Tianguan, Diguan and Shuiguan. They said that heavenly god blesses the people, Diguan pardoned sins and Shuiguan relieved Eritrea, and they matched three officials with three yuan, saying that Shangyuan Tianguan was born on the 15th of the first month, Zhongyuan Diguan was born on the 15th of July and Xiayuan Shuiguan was born on the 15th of October. Taoism in Wei and Jin Dynasties matched season and climate with "three officials", and designated the 15th day of the first month as "Shang Yuan", the 15th day of July as "Zhong Yuan" and the 15th day of October as "Xia Yuan", which were collectively called "Sanyuan". In this way, the fifteenth day of the first month is called Shangyuan Festival. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wu Zimu said in the Record of Dreams and Beasts: "The fifteenth day of the first month is the birthday of heavenly god blesses the people in Shangyuan." Therefore, the lantern festival should be lit.
Ming Di respects Buddha.
Originated from Buddhism. This statement is mainly in the "300 Topics of Social Customs" edited by Mr. Hu Shensheng: "In Buddhist teachings, the fire is compared to the power of the Buddha, and the" Infinite Life Sutra "has the statement that' infinite flame shines on infinity'. In Buddhist teachings, the lamp has always been one of the offerings before the Buddha. Moreover, Buddhist classics have repeatedly publicized:' Repentance of a Thousand Lights' ("Bodhisattva Tibetan Sutra") and' The Best Fortune for the World' ("Infinite Life Sutra"). Bright lights are needed in every Buddhist event. In Buddhist legends, the story of the Buddha's transformation is related to the fifteenth lantern in the first month.
According to "A Brief History of Monks", Buddha Sakyamuni showed the change of gods and surrendered the demons in the west1February 30th, that is, the 15th day of the first month in the eastern soil. In order to commemorate the change of gods of Buddha, a lantern burning ceremony was held on this day. When Emperor Hanming came to the East to preach, Morten Zhufalan ordered Emperor Hanming to light lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first month when the Buddha changed, and personally went to the temple to display lanterns to show his respect to the Buddha. Since then, Lantern Festival lanterns have become a common practice. However, some scholars believe that this view is untenable and that Buddhism only uses people's festive atmosphere to expand its influence on this day.