According to Chinese folk tradition, on this night when the moon is high in the sky, people will light up ten thousand colored lanterns to celebrate.
Lanterns of the Lantern Festival Atlas (19)
Go out and enjoy the moon, light lanterns and fireworks, guessing riddles, *** eating Lantern Festival, family reunion, celebrating the festival, a happy and harmonious.
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Han Wendi commemorated Pinglue
"Sanyuan said"
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Mingdi lit lamps to honor the Buddha
Origin of the Festival
Torch Festival
People in the Han Dynasty in the countryside and fields with torches to chase away insects and beasts in the hope of mitigating the insect infestation, and praying for a good harvest. Until today, people in some areas of southwestern China still make torches out of reed wood or twigs on the 15th day of the first month, and dance in groups holding up the torches in the fields or sunbathing yards. Since the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties, the festival has been very popular. Tens of thousands of people participated in the songs and dances, from dusk to dawn, until the end of obscurity. When with the changes in society and the times, the Lantern Festival customs and habits have long had greater changes, but is still a traditional Chinese folk festival. [1]
And the real impetus for the Lantern Festival customs is because it is at a new point in time, and people take full advantage of this special stage of time to express their wishes for their lives.
3History of the Festival
Festival Period and Festivals
The festival period and festivals of the Lantern Festival have been lengthened and expanded with the development of history. In terms of the length of the festival, the Han Dynasty is only one day, to the Tang Dynasty has been three days, the Song Dynasty is up to five days, the Ming Dynasty is from the eighth light, until the night of the seventeenth day of the first month of the lights, the whole ten days. With the Spring Festival, the daytime for the city, bustling, night lights, spectacular. Especially the delicate, colorful lights, making it the climax of the entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. To the Qing Dynasty, and added a dragon dance, lion dance, running boats, stilt walkers, twisting rice-planting songs and other "hundreds of theater" content, just shortened to four to five days. [3]
Dynasty history
Tang Dynasty, in the unprecedented power of the Tang Dynasty, the Lantern Festival is very prosperous, whether it is the capital or the townships, everywhere hanging colored lanterns, people also make a huge lamp wheel, lamp tree, lamp post, etc., full of fire, very prosperous and lively city.
Song Dynasty, the festival of lights is more colorful, Lantern Festival lasts five days, the lamps of the style of complexity and diversity, the lantern market is a very pleasing thing. The poet Xin Qiji wrote: "the east wind at night flowers, more blown down, stars like rain", said the Song Dynasty lantern festival lanterns, fireworks like a rain of stars. At that time there was also the rise of riddles, that is, a variety of riddles written on strips of paper, pasted on the lanterns, the person who guessed can also get a small reward. This kind of entertainment and educational activities are loved by people, widely spread.
The festival of lights in the Ming Dynasty lasted longer. Lights were lit from the eighth day of the first month until the night of the seventeenth day of the first month, a full ten days to show the song and dance, the longest lantern festival in Chinese history.
The Qing Dynasty, the Manchus dominated the Central Plains, the court no longer run the Lantern Festival, but the folk lanterns are still spectacular. Lantern Festival Qing Dynasty is only three days,
Lantern Festival lanterns
But the lights are bright, the lights are also more exquisite fantasy, still very attractive.
Modern
The date was shortened to five days, which continues to this day.
The lanterns have a symbol
Folks set up a "heaven and earth hall" when they worship God on New Year's Eve. People in the yard to set up a small shed, shed inside the small table stood "heaven and earth, three worlds, ten square ten thousand spirit of the true ruler" of the god; god in front of the incense burner, offerings, but also hung a lantern, lantern on behalf of the seat of Jiang Taigong. It is said that when Jiang Taigong sealed the gods, other people are sealed, is to forget to seal their own, they do not have a seat had to sit with the Lord.
The lantern is related to the god, so it also gives a lot of symbolism.
In ancient times, people wanted to expel the fear of darkness, so the lanterns were derived as having the meaning of driving away demons and praying for light.
In Minnan language, "lantern" and "ding" are similar in pronunciation, so lanterns are also used to pray for a child, to get a good job, and to avoid evil spirits and peace of mind.
There is a kind of "bright lantern", which is placed in temples at the end and beginning of the year, in order to obtain a safe and smooth year through the Buddha's law.
There are also farmers in the fields, long bamboo poles hung on a lamp "light field silkworms", to observe the color of the fire in order to predict the year's water and drought conditions, with a view to a good year.
"Sky lanterns", from the past, people in hiding from bandits and scattered after the escape, to light sky lanterns for each other to report the signal of peace. As the day of refuge home is the Lantern Festival, since then, every year on this day, people will be released to celebrate the ceremony of the lantern, so also known as the lantern for "blessing lamp" or "peace lamp". Since then, it has gradually evolved into a folkloric activity of praying and wishing for blessings from the heavens. The lanterns are filled with all kinds of prayers from the heart, hoping that the lanterns can reach the heavens and bring people unlimited hope and light.
Legend has it that Emperor Li Shimin, the Emperor of Tang Dynasty, encouraged reading, and people sent their children to school. The first program of the school is called "open lantern", which is to bring the pre-made lanterns to the school and ask a learned old man to light them up to symbolize a bright future. Once upon a time, most private schools opened later on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar, so the lanterns at the beginning of the school year also became a decorative feature of the "Shangyuan Festival".
The lanterns of the Lantern Festival are of many kinds, either modeled on the image of things prepared by the image of the lamp, such as dragon lamps, tiger lamps, rabbit lamps, etc., or based on folk tales compiled by the activities of the lamp, such as the Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden, the Twenty-four Filial Piety, etc., to express the spirit of the national spirit of loyalty, filial piety and righteousness. All kinds of lanterns are skillfully made, showing the wisdom and skills of the craftsmen.
With the development of the times, the Lantern Festival was held more and more grand, more and more strong national characteristics, the festival of lights is also longer and longer. Tang Dynasty Lantern Festival is one day before and after the first day, three days; Song Dynasty and after the sixteen added two days, for five days; Ming Dynasty is extended to by the first eight to eighteen whole ten days. Because of the different light period, so the initial day of the light called "test light", fifteen days called "light", the last day called "residual light", "appendix light The last day of the festival is called the "Remnant Lantern" or "Rendering Lantern". There are also called "God lamp", "human lamp", "ghost lamp" said. On the night of the 14th for the "Divine Lantern", placed in the home of the gods, ancestral halls, in order to sacrifice to the gods and ancestors; the night of the 15th is called the "Human Lantern", placed in the doors, windows, beds, cases, etc., used to avoid scorpions and insects; the night of the 16th for the "Ghost Lantern The night of the 16th is called "Ghost Lamp", which is placed in the mound and tomb, and in the wilderness, so that the wandering souls can get out of the ghostly realm.
Praying for the will of heaven, the lower protection of the living, gods and men, ghosts and animals, nothing left out[4]
Lantern appreciation poem on the Lantern Festival
"A song of spring as the sea, a thousand door lights night like day". Throughout the ages, writers and writers have praised the lanterns of the Lantern Festival in countless poems, which are still interesting to read today.
During the Tang Dynasty, the Lantern Festival has developed into an unprecedented lantern market. The capital "for the lantern wheel twenty feet high, dressed in brocade, decorated with gold and silver, burning 50,000 lamps, clustered as a flower tree". Tang Dynasty poet Su flavor of the "15th night of the first month" poem cloud weeds "fire trees and silver flowers, star bridge iron locks open. Dark dust with the horse to go, the moon comes by people." Depicts the lights and the moon, the tourists weaving, lively scene. Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Yue also used poems to praise the name of the site, "Calyx building door dew new, Chang'an city peace people. Dragon fire tree flames, chickens step on the lotus flower long live the spring." The Lantern Festival Lantern Festival scene described to the fullest. Li Shangyin, on the other hand, used the poem "The moonlight and lights filled the Imperial City, and the fragrant carriage overflowed through the streets" to depict the grand scale of the lanterns at that time. It is also worth mentioning that the Tang Dynasty poet Cui liquid "on the night of the New Year's" website: "Jade leaks and copper pots and do not rush, the iron passes through the golden locks of the bright open; who can see the moon to sit idly, where to hear the lights do not seem to be." Here, although there is no positive description of the Lantern Festival, but implies a very joyful and pleasant warm bustling scene.
The Lantern Festival in the Song Dynasty is even more spectacular, more spectacular lights. Su Dongpo has a poem that colleagues "lights home, singing everywhere building." Fan Chengda also wrote a poem "Wutai ancient prosperity, preferring the Lantern Festival shadow play." The "shadow lanterns" in the poem are "horse lanterns". The great lyricist Xin Qiji once wrote an eulogy of the Lantern Festival, "The east wind releases thousands of flowers at night, and even blows down the stars like rain. BMWs and carvings filled the road with fragrance. The phoenix xiao sound, jade pot light turn, a night of fish and dragons dance".
The Ming Dynasty was even more ostentatious, the Lantern Festival from three nights to ten nights. Tang Bohu had a poem praising the Lantern Festival, bringing people into the charming Lantern Festival night. Poetry said "there are lamps without the moon is not a mistake, there is a moon without lamps do not count the spring. Spring to the human world like jade, lights burning under the moon like silver. The street is full of beads and emeralds to swim in the spring female, boiling land pith and song race social god. If you don't show your bottle and open your mouth to laugh, how can you get rid of this good time."
In addition to the various lanterns, there are dancing torches, fireballs, fire rain, fire dragons, fire lions, etc. In the Qing Dynasty, the Lantern Festival was a lively spectacle. Ruan Yuan has Yangcheng lantern market poem cloud: "sea chelating cloud phoenix clever and exquisite, return to the German door Ming column colorful screen, the city fire barbarians Bin Yu material force, long years of sheep Germany back to the immortal spirit. The moon can be full of spring light throughout the night, people like visiting horses have not stopped; is said to be Yingzhou double guests to the book window more ten thousand lamps green." Yao Yuanzhi, a poet of the Qing Dynasty, wrote a poem entitled "Singing of the Lantern Festival": "Bees and butterflies take advantage of the joyful frenzy among the flowers, and the night of BMWs and fragrant cars is long. The lights in front of the twelve buildings are like fire, and the moon outside Siping Street is like frost." It is even more vivid and wonderfully chic.
The Lantern Festival, which is full of poetic and romantic colors, is often linked with love. Throughout the ages, there are many poems that express love and adoration through the Lantern Festival. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Ouyang Xiu's words: "This year's Lantern Festival, the moon and the lamps are still the same; I don't see last year's people, and my tears fill the sleeves of my spring shirt." It expresses the pain of longing for the lover.
The Lantern Festival is also a romantic festival, Lantern Festival in the traditional feudal society, but also to the unmarried men and women to meet to provide an opportunity for young girls are not allowed to go out of the society of free activities, is a festival but can be accompanied out to play, enjoy the lanterns is just a fellowship opportunity, men and women through the enjoyment of the lanterns can also be by the way to search for objects for themselves. During the Lantern Festival, it is the time for young men and women to meet their lovers.
Ouyang Xiu (Sheng Zha Zi) said, "Last year, on the night of the Lantern Festival, the lanterns in the flower market were as bright as the daytime; the moon was on the top of the willow, and the people were about to meet after dusk." Xin Qiji (The Case of the Green Jade) wrote: "I searched for it a thousand times, but when I looked back, the person was in the end of the lights." It is to describe the situation on the night of the Lantern Festival, while the traditional opera Chen San and Wuniang met and fell in love at first sight while enjoying the lanterns on the Lantern Festival, Princess Lechang and Xu Deyan broke the mirror on the night of the Lantern Festival, and Yuwen Yan and Shadow Niang were engaged on the night of the Lantern Festival in the Riddle of Spring Lanterns. So the Lantern Festival is also China's "Valentine's Day".
Social Lantern Festival is a big folk festival in urban and rural areas, the city Lantern Festival is particularly enthusiastic, reflecting the unique spirit of the Chinese people's carnival. The festival function carried by the Lantern Festival has been dissolved by daily life, and people have gradually lost the ****same spiritual interest, and the complex festival has been simplified to the food custom of "eating the Lantern Festival".[5]
Social Lantern Festival is a folk festival valued by both urban and rural areas. [5]
Yuanxiao Yin Lantern Association
Yuanxiao Zhang Lantern is the traditional custom of our people. Throughout the ages, there are not only a large number of popular poems about lanterns on the Lantern Festival, but also left behind countless amusing Lantern Festival chants.
The Lantern Festival is not only an entertaining event, but also contains deep cultural connotations, forming a unique cultural activity. At that time, the government officials and the people went to see the lanterns and guess the riddles, while the literati drank wine, wrote poems and answered the questions. There are many interesting stories.
At the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a man named Jia Sidao who guarded Huaiyin (present-day Yangzhou), and one year when the lanterns were opened at the Lantern Festival of the Shangyuan Dynasty, some of the gatekeepers extracted verses from a Tang Dynasty poem to make a lantern couplet: "The world's three bright moonlight, Yangzhou, ten miles of the small red building." This is said to be the earliest lantern couplet in China. Since then, all generations have been scrambling to follow suit, in the door or conspicuous columns hanging wall lamps, door lamps, not only for the Lantern Festival added festive interest, but also for the people who appreciate the lanterns to increase the appreciation of the content.
Being known as the "father and son, two bachelors, old and young two prime ministers" of the Qing Dynasty Tongcheng, Anhui Province, Zhang Ying, Zhang Tingyu, are able to poems and good right. One year the Lantern Festival, Zhang House as usual, hanging lights, firecrackers. The old chancellor of the United States to test the "high burning red candles reflecting the sky, bright, light spread all over the ground." Little Tingyu pondered when he heard a firecracker outside the door, suddenly realized, said "low-point firecrackers shocked the earth, loud, gas spit in the sky." The pairing is neat and seamless, and it is a wonderful pairing.
I'm afraid the most talked about is the story of Wang Anshi's wonderful matchmaking in the Northern Song Dynasty. Wang Anshi was 20 years old when he went to Beijing to catch the examination, the Lantern Festival passed by a certain place, walking while enjoying the lanterns, see a large family hanging high horse lanterns, under the lights hanging a couplet, the recruitment of marriage. Couplet said "horse lamps, lamps go horse, lights out horse stop." Wang Anshi saw, a moment to answer, it will be silently remembered in mind. To the capital, the examiner to the flying tiger flag fluttering in the wind out of the "flying tiger flag, flag flying tiger, flag roll tiger hide." Wang Anshi was taken as a scholar after he responded with a marriage proposal. Returning to his hometown, Wang Anshi passed by the family's house and heard that no one had responded to the marriage proposal, so he responded with the examiner's proposal and was recruited as a fast son-in-law. A pair of coincidental couplets, actually achieved Wang Anshi two big happy events.
Legend has it that Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, went on a trip during the Lantern Festival in one year, and met a scholar, who was quite talkative. Zhu Di out of the first couplet to test his talent, the couplet: "Lights bright moon bright, lights and moon long bright, Daming unification." The scholar immediately came up with the next couplet, "The king is happy and the people are happy, the king and the people are happy together, Yongle for ten thousand years." The name "Yongle" is the year number of Emperor Chengzu of Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Di was so happy that he gave him the title of Scholar of the Scholarship.
Lantern riddles at Lantern Festival
Lantern riddles in the Spring and Autumn Period, then called "cryptic language", to the Han Wei began to be called "riddle", the Southern Song Dynasty, some people will be riddles written in the lamps, in the New Year's Day, so that people guess the riddles. After the Southern Song Dynasty, lanterns and riddles made the Lantern Festival lively and cozy. Because lantern riddles are difficult to guess, just as a tiger is difficult to shoot, they are also called "lantern tigers" (also known as wenhu). The production of traditional lantern riddles requires a certain format and the use of ingenuity to produce very clever lantern riddles, which is an original Chinese literary art.
One year during the Lantern Festival, Emperor Qianlong took a group of civil and military ministers to watch a lantern festival. Left to see a variety of colorful lanterns, beautiful; right to see a variety of lanterns chic fun, intriguing. See happy, the Qianlong emperor accompanied his ministers also out of the riddle, let everyone guess a guess. University scholar Ji Xiaolan thought for a moment, wrote a couplet on the lanterns:
"Black is not, white is not, red and yellow is not. And foxes, wolves, cats and dogs as if, neither domestic animals, nor wild beasts.
Poetry is not, words are not, The Analects are not. To the east and west, south and north is vague, although it is a short product, it is also a wonderful text."
The Qianlong Emperor looked at the meditation, civil and military ministers one by one scratching their heads, how can not guess, and finally or Ji Xiaolan himself revealed the answer to the riddle: riddle.
Chinese Valentine's Day
The Lantern Festival is also a romantic festival in the Chinese traditional festivals, the Lantern Festival in the feudal traditional society, to the unmarried men and women to meet each other to provide an opportunity to the traditional society of young girls are not permitted to go out to free activities, but the festival can be accompanied by a trip out to the Lantern Festival Lantern Festival is just an opportunity to fellowship, unmarried men and women take the opportunity to enjoy the lanterns and also incidentally The Lantern Festival is an opportunity for friendship, and unmarried men and women can use the Lantern Festival as an opportunity to look for a partner. During the Lantern Festival, it is also a time for young men and women to meet their lovers. So the Lantern Festival can be said to be the authentic Chinese Valentine's Day, not the Tanabata that some people superficially imagine.
In Taiwan, there are unmarried women in the Lantern Festival night to steal picking green onions or vegetables will be married to a good husband of the traditional custom, commonly known as: "Stealing pull onions, marrying a good Inib," "Stealing pulling vegetables, marrying a good son-in-law," hoping that the marriage of the girl to be successful in the night of the Lantern Festival to the vegetable gardens Stealing green onions or vegetables, looking forward to the future of family happiness, the lantern market in the Tang Dynasty also appeared in the music and dance performance, thousands of courtesans, folk girls singing and dancing under the lights, called the line song, step song.
4 Festival Legends Editor
Points of colored lanterns origin
Legend in a long, long time ago, there are a lot of ferocious birds and beasts, all around the harm to people and livestock, the people organized to fight them, there is a god bird because of the lost and landed on earth, but accidentally was unknowingly hunters to shoot dead.
The emperor was so angry that he immediately sent a decree ordering the heavenly soldiers to come to earth on the fifteenth day of the first month to set fire to all human and animal property on earth. When the people heard the news, it was as if a thunderbolt had rung over their heads, and they were so frightened that they did not know what to do.
It was only after a long time that an old man came up with a method, saying, "On the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth days of the first month, every family will put up lanterns, light firecrackers, and set off fireworks at home. In this way, the Heavenly Emperor will think that people are burned to death."
All of them nodded their heads in agreement and went off in separate directions to get ready. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first month, the Heavenly Emperor looked down and found the earth red and loud, for three nights in a row, and assumed that it was the flames of a great burning fire, and was greatly pleased. The people thus preserved their lives and property. In honor of this success, from then on, every first month of the fifteenth, every household hung lanterns and set off fireworks to commemorate this day.
The Legend of Dongfang Shuo and the Lantern Girl
Dongfang Shuo and the Lantern Girl
This legend has to do with the custom of eating the Lantern Girl: According to legend, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had a favored minister named Dongfang Shuo, who was kind and funny. One winter, it snowed heavily for a few days, and Dongfang Shuo went to the imperial garden to fold plum blossoms for Emperor Wu. When he entered the garden, he found a courtesan in tears, ready to throw herself into a well. Dongfang Shuo rushed to her rescue and asked her why she wanted to commit suicide. It turned out that the courtesan named Yuan Xiao, there are parents and a sister at home, since she entered the palace, no longer have the opportunity to meet with their families, every year to the end of the spring season, more than usual, miss their families. She felt that she could not fulfill her filial piety in front of her parents, so she might as well die. When Dongfang Shuo heard her story, he sympathized with her and assured her that he would try to reunite her with her family.
One day, Dongfang Shuo went out of the palace and set up a divination booth on Chang'an Street. Many people were eager to ask for his fortune. Unexpectedly, every person's request was "the 16th day of the first month, the fire burns my body". For a while, Chang'an was in a great panic. People asked for a solution to the disaster. Dongfang Shuo said, "On the evening of the 15th day of the first month, the Fire God will send a red-clothed goddess down to visit the earth, and she is the messenger who has been ordered to burn Chang'an, so I will give you a copy of the verse, and let the current emperor think of a solution." After saying this, he threw down a red post and went away. The common people picked up the red post and hurriedly sent it to the palace to report to the emperor.
Han Wu Di received a look, only to see written on it: "Chang'an in the robbery, the fire burns the Imperial Palace, fifteen days of fire, the flame red curfew," he was shocked, and hastened to invite the resourceful Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo pretended to think for a moment, then said: "I heard that the fire god gentleman loves to eat dumplings, the palace Lantern is not often for you to make dumplings? On the fifteenth night, you can let the Lantern make soup dumplings. Banzai burned incense and made offerings, and ordered every family in Kyoto to make dumplings to honor the Fire God. And then, you will summon your subjects to hang lanterns together on the fifteenth night, and light firecrackers and set off fireworks all over the city, as if the city is on fire, so that you can hide it from the Jade Emperor. In addition, notify the people outside the city, the fifteenth night into the city to watch the lanterns, mixed in the crowd to eliminate disasters and solve the problem". When the Jade Emperor heard this, he was very happy, so he sent a decree to do as Dongfang Shuo's method.
To the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chang'an city of lights, colorful, tourists come and go, very lively. The parents of the courtesan Yuan Xiao also took their sister into the city to watch the lanterns. When they saw the words written "Lantern" large palace lanterns, surprise shouted: "Lantern! When they saw the big lantern with the word "Yuanxiao" written on it, they shouted in surprise: "Yuanxiao!
After such a lively night, the city of Chang'an was indeed safe and sound. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was very happy, then ordered every first month of the future to make dumplings for the fire god king, the first month of the fifteenth as usual, the whole city hanging lights and fireworks. Because the best dumplings were made at the Lantern Festival, the day was called the Lantern Festival.
Yuan Shikai and the Lantern Festival
Legend has it that after usurping the fruits of the Xinhai Revolution, Yuan Shikai, the master thief, wanted to be restored to the throne as the emperor, but was afraid of the people's opposition, so he was in fear all the time. One day, he heard the street sellers of Lanterns shouting at the top of their voices: "Lanterns - Lanterns." Thinking that the word "Yuanxiao" harmonized with the word "Yuan Fade" and that Yuan Shikai was suspected of being annihilated, and associating it with his own destiny, he ordered the banning of the name "Yuanxiao" before the Lantern Festival of 1913, and could only call it "Tangyuan" (soup dumplings). So before the Lantern Festival in 1913, it was forbidden to call it "Yuanxiao" and could only call it "Tangyuan" or "Pink Fruit". However, the word "Lantern" was not canceled by his will, the people did not buy his account, as usual in the folklore.
5 Customs around the editor
Han
Lanterns
Since the Lantern Lantern Lantern custom formed, the dynasties have been to the first month of the 15th Lantern Lantern Lantern as a major event. Liang Jianwendi once wrote a <
Compatriots around the Lantern Festival
To the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang in Jinling after the throne, in order to make the capital prosperous and lively, and the provisions of the eighth day of the first month on the lights, seventeen lights, and even Zhang ten nights, families are hanging colorful lanterns, lanterns on the depiction of a variety of characters, dancing, birds flying flowers. Dragons and fish leap, lanterns and fireworks shine all night long. Drums and music. Noisy Dan, which is China's longest Lantern Festival, the Qing Dynasty, Manchu dominated the Central Plains, the court no longer run the Lantern Festival, the folk Lantern Festival is still spectacular. The date was shortened to five days, has continued to the present day. [6]
Guessing Lantern Riddles
Lantern Riddles
"Guessing Lantern Riddles", also known as "Playing Lantern Riddles", is one of the activities that increased after the Lantern Festival, Lantern Riddles were first developed from riddles, originating in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It is a kind of literary game which is full of ridicule, admonition, warning, wit and jest. Riddles are hung in lamps for people to guess and shoot, which began in the Southern Song Dynasty. The Old Story of Wulin - Lanterns" recorded: "Silk lamps cut and written poems, sometimes with ridicule and laughter, and painting characters, hidden hidden words, and gags in the old capital, teasing pedestrians." Lantern Festival, the Imperial City is not night, the spring Lantern Festival lanterns, the people mixed, poetry riddles book in the lamp, reflected in the candle, listed in the thoroughfare, let people guess, so called "lantern riddles". Nowadays, every Lantern Festival, all places are playing lantern riddles, hoping to be joyful and peaceful. Because riddles can enlighten and interest people, they are popular among all social classes.
A variety of juggling skills began to appear in the lantern markets of the Tang and Song dynasties. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, in addition to the lantern riddles and a hundred plays and dances, the lantern market also added the content of opera performances.
Throughout the ages, in addition to touring the lantern market, there are welcome Zigu worship toilet god, bridge touch nails away from the hundred diseases and other customs, there are drums, rice-planting songs, stilt walkers, dragon dance, lion dance and other games.
The Lantern Festival in traditional society is a folk festival valued by both urban and rural areas, and the Lantern Festival in the city is particularly enthusiastic, reflecting the unique carnival spirit of the Chinese people. The function of the traditional Lantern Festival has been dissolved by daily life, and people have gradually lost the spiritual interest in the ***
Dance of the Dragon Lanterns
same, and the complexity of the festival has been simplified to the food custom of "eating Lanterns".
Juggling Dragon Lanterns
Juggling Dragon Lanterns is also known as Dragon Dance or Dragon Dance. Its origin can be traced back to ancient times. Legend has it that as early as during the time of the Yellow Emperor, in a large-scale song and dance called "Qingjiao", there was an image of a dragon with a bird's head and body played by a human being, and then a dance scene with six augur dragons interspersed with each other was choreographed. See in the written records of the dragon dance, is the Han Dynasty Zhang Heng's "Xijing Fu", the author of the hundred plays in the narrative of the dragon dance made a vivid depiction. According to the "sui book - music" records, the emperor of sui yang similar to the hundred plays in the dragon dance performance of the "yellow dragon change" is also very wonderful, the dragon dance is popular in many parts of China. The Chinese people revere the dragon as a symbol of good luck.
Stilts
Stilts are a kind of popular skill show. Stilts are one of the hundred ancient Chinese plays, which appeared as early as the Spring and Autumn Period. The earliest introduction of stilts in China is in the article of "Lie Zi - Said Fu": "There was a Lanzi in Song, who used his skills to dry Song Yuan. Song Yuan summoned him to see his skill.
Traditional Folk Program--Lion Dance
Lion Dance
Lion Dance is an excellent folk art in China, and every Lantern Festival or gathering celebration, the folk use lion dance to cheer up. This custom originated in the Three Kingdoms period and became popular during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and has a history of more than a thousand years.
"Lion Dance" began in the Wei and Jin dynasties, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, also known as the "Lion Dance", "Peaceful Music", generally completed by three people, two dressed as a lion, a person acting as the head of the lion, a person acting as the body and the back of the lion. One person as a lion body and back feet, the other when the lion guide, the dance method and there are cultural and military points, cultural dance to show that the lion's tame, there are shaking hair, rolling and other actions, martial arts lion lion lion lion ferocious, there are prancing, stomping, rolling colorful ball and other actions.
Rowing the dry boat
Rowing the dry boat, folklore says, is in honor of Dayu, who was successful in curing the water. Rowing a dry boat, also known as running a dry boat, is to imitate the boat on land, most of the performance of running a dry boat is a girl. Dry boat is not a real boat, more than two thin boards, sawed into a boat shape, bamboo and wood tied into, and then masked with colorful cloth, set of ties in the girl's waist, as sitting in the boat, as in the hands of the same paddle, to do the rowing position, one side running, one side singing some local ditties, singing and dancing, which is the rowing of dry boat. Sometimes there is another man dressed up as a boat passenger, partnering performance, most of them dressed up as clowns, with a variety of comical actions to amuse the audience joy. Rowing the dry boat is popular in many parts of China.
Eating Lantern Festival
"Lantern Festival" as a food has a long history in China. During the Song Dynasty, a novelty food for the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This food, the earliest called "floating Yuanzi" later called "Lantern", the businessman also beautifully called "Yuanbao". In ancient times, "Lantern" is more expensive, there is a poem that says: "Your guests hook curtains to see the Royal Street, the market treasures a moment to. The flower racks in front of the curtains have no way to travel, no money shall not return."
The 15th day of the first month to eat Lantern Festival, Lantern Festival that is "dumplings" to sugar, rose, sesame, bean paste, yellow cinnamon, walnuts, nuts, jujube puree, etc. for the filling, wrapped in glutinous rice flour into a round, meat can be vegetarian, with a variety of flavors. It can be boiled in soup, deep-fried or steamed, and has the meaning of reunion. Shaanxi dumplings are not wrapped, but in the glutinous rice flour "rolled" into, or boiled Division or deep-fried, hot fire, reunion. [7]
Sacrificing the door, sacrificing the household
In ancient times, there were "seven sacrifices", of which these were two. They were performed by sticking a poplar branch above a gateway, inserting a pair of chopsticks into a bowl containing bean porridge, or placing wine and meat directly in front of the door.
Rats
This activity is mainly said to people who raise silkworms. Because the rats often ate the silkworms in large pieces at night, people heard that on the 15th day of the first month, they fed the rats with rice porridge, so that they could stop eating the silkworms. So, these people in the first month of the fifteenth simmering on a big pot of sticky porridge, some also covered with a layer of meat on the top, the porridge with a bowl, put the porridge into the rat-infested roofs, corners, and put the side of the mouth while chanting, cursing the rats to eat silkworms again on the baby shall not die.
The Jing Chu chronicle said, the first month of the fifteenth time, there is a fairy down to a family surnamed Chen, said to them: if you can worship me, let your silkworms harvest. Later on, the custom was formed.
Sending children lamps
Short for "send lamps", also known as "send lanterns", etc., that is, before the Lantern Festival, the mother's family to send lanterns to the newly married daughter's home, or general friends and relatives to give the newly married family of the infertile, in order to increase the Ding omen, because the "lamp" and the "lamp" are the same as the "lamp", and the "lamp" is the same as the "lamp", and the "lamp" is the same as the "lamp". "Lights" and "Ding" harmonized. This custom in many places, Xi'an, Shaanxi area is the first eight to fifteen during the first month to send lamps, the first year to send a pair of large lanterns, a pair of glass lamps with colorful paintings, hope that the daughter of the marriage of the lucky star, early birth of a child; such as the daughter of the pregnancy, in addition to the large lanterns, but also to send one or two pairs of small lanterns, wishing the daughter a safe pregnancy.
Welcome purple nun
Purple nun also called Qi Gu, the north more known as the toilet nun, pit three nuns. Ancient folk custom on the fifteenth day of the first month to welcome the toilet god Zigu and sacrifice, divination sericulture, and account for many things. Legend has it that the purple nun was originally a concubine, jealous of the older women, the first month of the fifteenth was killed in the toilet, the toilet god. On the night of each day, people use straw and cloth to tie a life-size portrait of the Purple Nun, and at night in the pigsty between the toilets to meet and worship the Purple Nun. This custom is popular in the north and south,
Lunar New Year's Eve, "walk a hundred diseases" to seek well-being
as early as the North and South Dynasties period in the record.
Walking for a hundred diseases
"Walking for a hundred diseases", also known as touring for a hundred diseases, scattering a hundred diseases, baking a hundred diseases, walking on the bridge, etc., is a kind of elimination of disasters and pray for health activities. The night of the Lantern Festival, women meet to travel, traveling in pairs, see the bridge must be crossed, that can get rid of diseases and prolong life.
Walking the hundred diseases is a custom in the north since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, some in the 15th, but more in the 16th. On this day, women dressed in festive costumes, groups of people out of the house, walking bridge across the danger, climbed the city, touching the nail for a child, until midnight, to return. [
Related Poems
(Sui) Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty, "The Lanterns are Built on the Night of Lantern Rising from the South Tower in the Passageway on the Eve of the New Year"
(Tang) Su Taste, "The Night on the Fifteenth Day of the First Month"
(Tang) Cui Liquid, "The Night of the First Day of the New Year"
(Tang) Lu Zhaoliu, "Observing the Lanterns on the Fifteenth Night of the New Year"
(Tang) Zhang Hu, "Lanterns on the Fifteenth Night of the First Month"
(Tang) Li Shangyin, Poetry
The moonlight and the lanterns fill the imperial capital, and fragrant cars and treasures cover the thoroughfares.
Being idle and not witnessing the prosperity of the Middle Kingdom, I am ashamed to chase the villagers to compete with the purple nuns.
(Song) Jiang Baishi Poem
The Lantern Festival is a competition to see the lotus picking boat, the BMW fragrant car to pick up the falling tin;
The stormy night is deep and the people are dispersed, the lone lamp is still called to sell soup yuan.
(Song) Jiang Baishi Poem
Valuable guests hooked curtains to see the Royal Street, the city treasures a moment to
Curtains before the flower racks no way, no money refused to return.
(Note: the treasures here refer to the Lantern Festival)
(Song) Xin Qiji "The Case of the Green Jade" (青玉案-元夕)
(宋) Ouyang Xiu (一说朱淑真) "Sheng Zhazi" (生查子-元夕)
(元) Yuan Haoqian "Yuanxi of the Kyoto City" (京都元夕)
(元) Lost Name "Folding Gui Orders" (折桂令-元宵)
love the three or five scenic views of the Lantern Festival, the moonlight is beautiful, and the lamps are brilliant! The moonlight and the lanterns are brilliant.
The moon is full of ice wheels, the lights burn the land and sea, and people step on the spring sun.
Three beautiful things can be better appreciated, four no love can hate hard to long.
Fear is the lamp dark glow, people quiet desolate, corner Pin Nanlou, the moon under the West Wing.
(Ming) Li Mengyang "Bianjing Yuanxi"
(Ming) Tang Yin "Lantern Festival"
(Qing) Dong Shunmin "Lantern Festival"
Hundreds of branches of the fire tree thousands of gold shoes, BMW incense and dust. The first time I saw you, I was so happy to see you, and I was so happy to see you.
One time I feinted, one time I smiled, and the little servant girl helped me to walk timidly.
The stone bridge is slippery with light yellow color, and I said to my mother in a low voice. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it. I'm afraid to go into the cold palace.
It would be better to go back to your home, and it would be hard for you to find a place where you can be reunited with your family.
(Qing Dynasty) Fu Zeng, "The Bamboo Words of the New Year"
(Ming Dynasty) Tang Shunzhi, "The Shadow of the Ice Lantern on the Eve of the New Year"
It is the pity of the fire tree that the spring is so beautiful, but suddenly I see the clear light reflecting the moon.
The shark's pearl is still carrying water, and the sleeve of the hall is cold.
Candle blossoms don't hinder the shadow in the air, and the giddy air is seen from the moon.
This is the first time I've ever seen the wind in my face, and I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy it all in the coming night.
(Qing Dynasty) Qiu Fengjia, "Moonless Lantern Festival"
Hou Ji, "Tapsa Xing"
Zhang Xiaoxiang, "Willow Tops"
Folk Ballad
Minnan Song, "Lantern Festival, Full Moon"
The Lantern Festival, the full moon, the compatriots of Fujian and Taiwan are close to each other.
Take your old people back to your hometown with you and bring them back to your home town, and you will be able to stop the longing for each other across the Taiwan Straits.
What does it feel like to have tears in your eyes? The first time I saw you, I was so happy to see you again," he said!
The Lantern Festival, cooking dumplings, the reunion of flesh and blood, is full of joy.
Men, women, and children gather around the table, and the whole family eats the Shangyuan Pills together.
The blood of the cradle is hard to separate, and the leaves return to their roots.