What is the origin and custom of Lantern Festival?

Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, which began in the Western Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago. Lantern Festival viewing began in the period of Emperor Han Ming in the East. Ming Di advocates Buddhism. It is said that in Buddhism, monks observe Buddhist relics and light lamps to worship Buddha on the 15th day of the first month.

He ordered that lights should be lit in palaces and temples to worship Buddha that night, so that all the gentry and ordinary people could hang lights. Later, this Buddhist ceremonial festival gradually formed a grand folk festival. This festival has experienced the development process from the court to the people, and from the Central Plains to the whole country. ?

Lantern Festival mainly includes a series of traditional folk activities, such as watching lanterns, eating glutinous rice balls, solve riddles on the lanterns and setting off fireworks. In addition, in many places, traditional folk performances, such as playing dragon lanterns, playing lions, walking on stilts, boating, yangko dancing and playing Taiping drums, have all joined the Lantern Festival. In June 2008, the Lantern Festival was selected as the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage.