What festival is the Lotus Lantern?

Lantern Festival is a folk sacrifice and religious activity of Han nationality. River lanterns are used to mourn the dead relatives and bless the living. They are often held on the first day, fifteenth day and the anniversary of death every month. Religious activities such as Taoism and Buddhism are often held on July 15.

The 15th day of the seventh lunar month is a traditional festival in China. It is gradually evolved from "Yulan Festival" and "Zhongyuan Festival", also known as "Ghost Festival". This is a traditional day for China to pay homage to his ancestors. As the saying goes: "In July and a half, ghosts go ashore, set off river lanterns, burn incense and hold candles to offer sacrifices to the river god". Which means today.

According to legend, from July 1st every year, the Prince of Yan ordered the gate of hell to be opened wide. Let those ghosts who suffer all the year round and are imprisoned in hell get out of hell, get a short wandering and enjoy human blood. So people call July a ghost month. This month is considered unlucky, neither getting married nor moving. In the past, on this night, people would prepare some dishes, wine, rice, gold and silver clothes and paper to worship ghosts and gods other than their ancestors. Legend has it that all wandering ghosts are looking forward to this day, crossing the dark river and reincarnating in the lotus lanterns put by their relatives. It seems that the road to the world of death is dark, and light is needed to find their way, so river lanterns have become the most important sacrificial activity on this day, and people will put them on this day to cross the lost soul between Yin and Yang.