What are the customs across the country during the Lantern Festival?

Lantern Festival customs across the country: hanging lanterns in Shanxi, entertainment activities in Shandong, lighting lanterns in front of ancestral graves in Henan, releasing sky lanterns in Shaanxi, eating Lantern Festival in Jiangsu, etc.

1. Shanxi hanging lanterns

Hanging lanterns are an essential form for Shanxi people to celebrate the Lantern Festival. Whenever the Lantern Festival comes, every household hangs up various kinds of lanterns, which are turned on every night from the 14th to the 16th. Fireworks are the most joyful activity of the Shanxi people's Lantern Festival. Fireworks are set off in the square on the night of the Lantern Festival. At that time, the whole family goes to the street to watch the beautiful fireworks.

2. Shandong recreational activities

Carrying out recreational activities is an important part of the Lantern Festival. There are various forms of juggling, including lion dance, dragon lantern dance, stilts, land boats, and flower sticks. Villages around Qufu City play dragon lanterns, and the dragon lanterns from each village have to be performed at Confucius' mansion. The place where the dragon lanterns are played in the Confucius Mansion is in front of the lobby of Ermenli. The Confucius Mansion, which is usually off-limits, allows outsiders to come in and watch the dragon lanterns. While the dragon lantern was being played, the servants of the Confucius Mansion and the "fireworks dealer" were setting off fireworks.

3. Lighting lanterns in front of ancestral tombs in Henan

The most unique custom of Henan people in Changxing is that on the night of the Lantern Festival, every household must put up lanterns with bamboo leaves and red paper in front of their ancestral tombs. , light the candle in between and let it burn out. The common customs of the Lantern Festival are appreciating lanterns, guessing lantern riddles, eating glutinous rice balls, and doing lion dances. Even among Henan people, it is rare to light lanterns in front of ancestors’ graves.

4. Shaanxi releases sky lanterns

Every year during the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, in addition to making lanterns, there is also a custom of "setting up sky lanterns". This custom has a long history, and according to historical records, this practice was already in place in the Tang Dynasty. "Ban Deng Mo" is popular in Tongchuan, Shaanxi. Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, during the Lantern Festival, every household sets up an incense table, lights candles, burns incense and sets off firecrackers in their houses. Lamps are lit everywhere in the house, and various flower buns are placed next to the lamps, which are called "steamed buns with lanterns".

5. Eating Yuanxiao in Jiangsu

Eating Yuanxiao on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, "Yuanxiao" was a novel food popular among the people during the Song Dynasty. This kind of food was first called "Fu Yuanzi" and later "Yuanxiao". Businessmen also euphemistically called it "Yuanbao". Eating Yuanxiao means that the days are getting more prosperous and life is reunited and harmonious.