The Origin, Stories and Pictures of Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, which existed in the Western Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago.

Lantern Festival began in the period of Emperor Han Ming in the East. Because Emperor Han Ming advocated Buddhism, it coincided with Cai Cheng's conversion from India to Buddhism. Cai Cheng said that on the fifteenth day of the first month in India, monks gathered together to worship the Buddhist relics, which is an auspicious day to participate in Buddhism. Cai Cheng said that on the fifteenth day of the first month in India, monks gathered to worship the Buddhist relics, which was an auspicious day to participate in Buddhism.

In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Hanming ordered "burning lamps to show Buddha" in palaces and temples on the fifteenth night of the first month. Therefore, the custom of burning lanterns on the 15th night of the first month has gradually spread in China with the expansion of the influence of Buddhist culture and the addition of Taoist culture.

Since then, this Buddhist ceremonial festival has gradually expanded into a grand folk festival. The festival has experienced a development process from the court to the people, and from the Central Plains to the whole country.

Lantern Festival story:

There is also a saying that the Lantern Festival originated from the Torch Festival. In the Han dynasty, people held torches in rural fields to drive away insects and wild animals, hoping to reduce pests and pray for a bumper harvest. Since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties, it has been in full swing. Tens of thousands of people took part in the song and dance, which lasted from dusk on the first day to dark the next day.

To this day, people in some areas in southwest China still use reeds or branches as torches on the 15th day of the first month, and hold them high in groups and dance in fields or grain drying fields.

With the changes of society and times, the customs of Lantern Festival have changed greatly, but it is still a traditional folk festival in China.