Lantern Festival

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The Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It is also known as the Little New Year since it marks the end of the series of celebrations starting from the Chinese New Year.As early as the Western Han Dynasty，it had become a festival of great significance.

The Lantern Festival is a Buddhist holiday that is often compared to Halloween.As children go trick-or-treating at night on Halloween，during the Lantern Festival，children go out at night carrying bright lanterns.

This day’s important activity is watching lanterns.Throughout the Han Dynasty，Buddhism flourished in China.One emperor heard that Buddhist monks would watch sarira，or remains from the cremation of Buddha’s body，and light lanterns to worship Buddha on the 15th day of the first lunar month，so he ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on this day.7Later，the Buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people and its influence expanded from the Central Plain to the whole of China.

Through the present day，the Lantern Festival is still held each year around the country.

Traditionally，the date once served as a day for love and matchmaking.It was one of the few nights without a strict curfew. Young people were chaperoned in the streets in the hope of finding love.Matchmakers acted busily in the hope of pairing couples.Often，those with brightest lanterns were deemed good luck and hope.

Guessing lantern riddles is an essential part of the Festival.Lantern owners write riddles ona piece of paper and post them on the lanterns.If visitors have keys to the riddles，they can pu the paper out and go to the lantern owners to check their answer.If they are right，they will get a little gift.The activity emerged during people’s enjoyment of lanterns in the Song Dynasty.As riddle guessing is interesting and full of wisdom，it has become popular among all walks of life.

Other popular activities at this festival include eating Tang Yuan，a sweet rice dumpling soup.Tang Yuan in Chinese has a similar pronunciation with the Chinese word“团圆tuanyuan”，which means reunion.So people eat them to denote union，harmony and happiness for the family.