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What is the origin of Lantern Festival

What is the origin of Lantern Festival

Sihaiwang: after the Spring Festival is the Lantern Festival, which is also one of the traditional festivals in China. It has a history of more than 2000 years. Do you know how the Lantern Festival came? What is the origin and legend of Lantern Festival? Let's take a look at the four seas life channel.

The Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China, which existed as early as 2000 years ago in the Western Han Dynasty. The Lantern Festival began in the period of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Emperor Ming advocated Buddhism. It was said that Buddhism had the practice of monks observing Buddhist relics on the 15th day of the first month and lighting lamps to worship the Buddha, so they ordered that on this night, they would light lamps in the Imperial Palace and temples to worship the Buddha, and that the scholars and ordinary people would hang lamps. Later, this kind of Buddhist Etiquette Festival gradually formed a grand folk festival. The festival experienced a development process from the palace to the folk, from the Central Plains to the whole country.

In the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, the 15th day of the first month was designated as the Lantern Festival. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the sacrifice of Taiyi God was set on the 15th day of the first month. (1) the God who rules everything in the universe. When Sima Qian founded the "Taichu calendar", he had identified the Lantern Festival as a major festival.

Another theory is that the custom of lighting lanterns in Lantern Festival originated from Taoism's "three yuan theory"; the 15th day of the first month is Shangyuan Festival, the 15th day of July is Zhongyuan Festival, and the 15th day of October is Xiayuan Festival. In charge of the three yuan, they are heaven, earth and people. The heaven officials are happy, so the Lantern Festival should be lit.

The festival period and customs of the Lantern Festival are extended and expanded with the development of history. In terms of the length of the festival, it was only one day in the Han Dynasty, three days in the Tang Dynasty, and five days in the Song Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the lights were lit from the eighth day of the first month to the 17th night of the first month, for ten days. Connected with the Spring Festival, the city is busy in the daytime and lights at night. Especially the exquisite and colorful lights make it the climax of entertainment activities during the Spring Festival. In the Qing Dynasty, there were more "hundred operas" such as dragon dance, lion dance, dry boat running, stilt walking and Yangko dancing, but the festival period was shortened to four to five days.

There are several interesting folk legends about the origin of the Lantern Festival:

The legend of lights

It's said that a long time ago, there were many fierce birds and beasts, which hurt people and livestock everywhere. People organized to fight them. A god bird landed on the earth for getting lost, but was accidentally shot dead by an unknown hunter. When the emperor knew that he was very angry, he immediately issued a decree to let the heavenly soldiers set fire to the human world on the 15th day of the first month and burn all the human and animal properties. The daughter of the emperor of heaven is kind-hearted and can't bear to see the innocent sufferings of the people. She risked her life and secretly drove Xiangyun to the world to tell the people the news. When people heard the news, it was like a thunderbolt on their head. I was so scared that I didn't know what to do. After a long time, an old man came up with a way. He said, "on the fourteenth, 15th and 16th of the first month, every family put up lights and lights, firecrackers and fireworks at home. In this way, the emperor will think that people have been burned.

Everyone nodded and said yes, then they were ready to go separately. On the night of the 15th day of the first month, the emperor looked down and found that there was a red light and a loud noise in the world. It was the same for three consecutive nights. He thought it was a fire burning in the middle of the sky. In this way, people keep their lives and property. In order to commemorate this success, every family hung lanterns and set off fireworks to commemorate this day.

It was set up in memory of Pinglu in the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty

Another legend is that the Lantern Festival was set up to commemorate Pinglv in the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty. After the death of Liu Bang, the Gaozu of Han Dynasty, Liu Ying, the son of later LV, became emperor Hui of Han Dynasty. Huidi was born cowardly and indecisive, and power gradually fell into the hands of empress Lv. After the death of Huidi in the Han Dynasty, empress LV took charge of the imperial government and turned Liu's world into Lu's world. The senior officials of the court and Liu's clan were deeply indignant, but they were afraid of empress Lv's cruelty and dared not speak up

After the death of empress LV, Zhu LV was afraid of being hurt and excluded. Therefore, they gathered secretly in the family of Lu Lu, the general of the upper Kingdom, and conspired to make trouble, so as to seize Liu's mountains and rivers completely.

This matter was transmitted to Liu Baoer, the king of Qi in Liu's clan. In order to protect Liu's family, Liu Bao decided to launch a crusade against Zhu LV, then contacted Zhou Bo and Chen Ping, the old ministers of the founding of the state, and designed to remove Lu Lu. Finally, the 'chaos of Zhu LV' was completely pacified

After the peace and uprising, Liu Heng, Liu Bang's second son, was enthroned by all the officials, who called him Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty. Deeply aware of the hard won peace and prosperity, Emperor Wen designated the 15th day of the first month to quell the "chaos of zhulv" as a day of happiness with the people. The families in the capital were decorated with lights to celebrate. Since then, the 15th day of the first month has become a folk festival - "Lantern Festival".

Dongfang Shuo and Yuanxiao girl

This legend is related to the custom of eating Yuanxiao: it is said that Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty had a favorite minister named dongfangshuo, who was kind and funny. One winter, after a few days of heavy snow, Dongfang Shuo went to the imperial garden to break the plum blossom for Emperor Wu. As soon as I entered the garden gate, I found a maid in tears ready to throw herself into the well. Dongfang Shuo hurriedly came forward to rescue her and asked why she wanted to commit suicide. It turns out that the maiden is called yuanxiao, and there are two parents and a younger sister at home. Since she entered the palace, she has never been able to meet her family again. Every year, when it comes to the spring of Laju, I miss my family more than usual. I think it's better to die than to be filial to my parents. Dongfang Shuo listened to her experience, deeply sympathized, and assured her that he would try to reunite her with her family.

One day, dongfangshuo left the palace and set up a divination stall on Chang'an Street. Many people are vying for divination from him. Unexpectedly, everyone's demands are the sign of "fire on the 16th day of the first month". For a while, there was a great panic in Chang'an. People are asking for solutions to the disaster. Dongfangshuo said: 'on the evening of the 13th day of the first month, the God of fire will send a goddess in red to visit the earth. She is the messenger who is ordered to burn Chang'an. I will give you the copied verse, so that the emperor can find a way. 'then he left a red post and left. The common people picked up the red post and rushed to the palace to report to the emperor.

Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took a look at it, and it said: 'Chang'an is robbing the Imperial Palace, burning the imperial palace for 15 days, and the night is red with fire'. He was shocked and invited Dongfang Shuo, a resourceful man, to come. Dongfang Shuo thought for a moment, and said: 'it's said that the God of fire loves Tangyuan the most. Isn't the Lantern Festival in the palace often made Tangyuan for you? In the 15th night, you can make dumplings. Long live to burn incense for offering, and order every family in Kyoto to make Tangyuan, and worship the God of fire. Then he told his subjects to hang up lights and light firecrackers and fireworks in the city on the 15th night. It was like a fire in the city. In this way, we could hide from the Jade Emperor. In addition, the people outside the city were informed to go to the city to watch the lights on the 15th night, to help the people in the crowd. After hearing this, Emperor Wu was very happy. He sent a message to do it according to Dongfang Shuo's method.

On the 15th day of the first month, Chang'an city was decorated with lights. Tourists were bustling and bustling. The parents of the palace girl Yuanxiao also take their sister to the city to watch the Lantern Festival. When they saw the palace lamp with the word "Lantern Festival", they were surprised and shouted: "Lantern Festival! Glutinous Rice Balls for Lantern Festival! The Lantern Festival finally reunited with the family after hearing the shouting.

After such a busy night, Chang'an city is really safe. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was very happy, so he ordered to make Tangyuan for the Lord of fire every 15th day of the first month. On the 15th day of the first month, the whole city hung lamps and set off fireworks. Because Yuanxiao is the best dumpling, people call it yuanxiao, which is called yuanxiao Festival.