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Happy Lantern Festival

2022-02-15

The Lantern Festival (traditional Chinese元宵節simplified Chinese元宵节pinyinYuánxiāo jié), also called Shangyuan Festival (traditional Chinese上元節simplified Chinese上元节pinyinShàngyuán jié), is a Chinese traditional festival celebrated on the full moon, the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar Chinese calendar. Usually falling in February or early March on the Gregorian calendar, it marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.[1] As early as the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE–25 CE), it had become a festival with great significance.[2]

During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns (traditional Chinese猜燈謎simplified Chinese猜灯谜pinyincāidēngmí).[3][4] In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, and only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones.[5] In modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs.[4] For example, lanterns are now often made in the shape of animals. The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones,[6] which they will let go of the next year. The lanterns are almost always red to symbolize good fortune.[7]

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