The Beauty Of The Asian New Year Lantern Ceremony
Discover the historical origins of the lantern festival that is celebrated during the Chinese New Year.
One of the vital sign of the Chinese New Year is the lantern. During the time of New Year, there is a festival celebrated known as the Chinese lantern festival. The Chinese people refer it to as Yuan Xiao festival. The word Yuan originates from the starting month in a lunar year and the second comes from the word that is referred to by the Chinese people as the night.
Fifteen days after entering the New Year, when the first full moon night is observed, the lantern festival is celebrated that night. It is to celebrate the joyful atmosphere when the first full moon of the New Year is seen shining brightly. Chinese people get together at the festival site and together they hold their lanterns up trying to constitute a beautifully lit up surrounding.
There are many intricacies associated with Chinese lanterns. These are no mediocre lanterns rather they can be an extremely engaging item once you begin to indulge in the puzzles that are often featured on the lanterns. The eating of glutinous rice balls also goes along with the lantern celebrations which are shared amongst friends and families.
The beginings of the lantern tradition
The legend that is most popular linked with the Lantern New Year event is that, God Taiyi who reigned over the heavens in the ancient era was prayedby the people in this festival. This is one of the many mythologies associated with the traditional New Year lantern festival.
Being the god of heaven it was believed that he controlled the entire fortune of the human world. The authority to impose punishment through natural disasters or medical epidemics was attributed to this god. The emperor who first started the tradition of holding a ceremony to please Taiyi was Qinshihuang. There ceremonies were held in order to gain the good pleasure of Taiyi and avoid the risk of natural disasters.
As time went, the Han dynasty patronized the ceremony to please lord Taiyi to very great extent and with time the ceremony became popular. It was during the reign of the ruler Wudi that this event became the most important in China and revelry went on for the entire night.
However, the Taoists had something else to add to this legend and they believed that the tradition became popular under their influence. Apparently, the Taoist god Tianguan had the responsibility of good fortune of the Chinese people and had a strong attraction towards Chinese entertainment. In order to please him, they indulged in merry-making and celebrating on the streets and performing.
There was another edge to this old legend that said that the ceremony of lantern lighting was discovered by the ruler Mingdi. He was influenced by Buddhist preaching and also he had a dream that made him select the fifteenth day after the New Year date as the day of lantern lighting.
Irrespective of which of the legends are genuine the fact remains that the lantern festival is a prominent part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Especially interesting are the decorative lanterns with different traditional Chinese motifs.
One of the vital sign of the Chinese New Year is the lantern. During the time of New Year, there is a festival celebrated known as the Chinese lantern festival. The Chinese people refer it to as Yuan Xiao festival. The word Yuan originates from the starting month in a lunar year and the second comes from the word that is referred to by the Chinese people as the night.
Fifteen days after entering the New Year, when the first full moon night is observed, the lantern festival is celebrated that night. It is to celebrate the joyful atmosphere when the first full moon of the New Year is seen shining brightly. Chinese people get together at the festival site and together they hold their lanterns up trying to constitute a beautifully lit up surrounding.
There are many intricacies associated with Chinese lanterns. These are no mediocre lanterns rather they can be an extremely engaging item once you begin to indulge in the puzzles that are often featured on the lanterns. The eating of glutinous rice balls also goes along with the lantern celebrations which are shared amongst friends and families.
The beginings of the lantern tradition
The legend that is most popular linked with the Lantern New Year event is that, God Taiyi who reigned over the heavens in the ancient era was prayedby the people in this festival. This is one of the many mythologies associated with the traditional New Year lantern festival.
Being the god of heaven it was believed that he controlled the entire fortune of the human world. The authority to impose punishment through natural disasters or medical epidemics was attributed to this god. The emperor who first started the tradition of holding a ceremony to please Taiyi was Qinshihuang. There ceremonies were held in order to gain the good pleasure of Taiyi and avoid the risk of natural disasters.
As time went, the Han dynasty patronized the ceremony to please lord Taiyi to very great extent and with time the ceremony became popular. It was during the reign of the ruler Wudi that this event became the most important in China and revelry went on for the entire night.
However, the Taoists had something else to add to this legend and they believed that the tradition became popular under their influence. Apparently, the Taoist god Tianguan had the responsibility of good fortune of the Chinese people and had a strong attraction towards Chinese entertainment. In order to please him, they indulged in merry-making and celebrating on the streets and performing.
There was another edge to this old legend that said that the ceremony of lantern lighting was discovered by the ruler Mingdi. He was influenced by Buddhist preaching and also he had a dream that made him select the fifteenth day after the New Year date as the day of lantern lighting.
Irrespective of which of the legends are genuine the fact remains that the lantern festival is a prominent part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Especially interesting are the decorative lanterns with different traditional Chinese motifs.
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Making a Chinese new years lantern can be a fun way of engaging kids in their heritage. For information about other aspects of the celebrations, including Chinese New Years fireworks, please follow the links.