On the 15th night of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival is traditionally celebrated in China, commonly known as the Lantern Festival. On the night of the Lantern Festival, both cities and villages are decorated with lanterns, and solve riddles on the lanterns is an unprecedented activity on lanterns. At that time, no matter the royal family, ordinary people and ladies, they could break the rules and follow the customs. Make lanterns to enjoy, travel and have fun. Cui Ye, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, wrote a poem: "Don't worry if the jade leaks the silver pot and the iron lock is fully open;" Who can do nothing on the moon? Where can I smell the light? "Women who are usually not involved in households often take this opportunity to talk with the right person. Song Xin Qi Ji's Yuan Xi says: "Thousands of trees bloom in the east wind night, and the stars are like rain. BMW carved cars are full of incense. Phoenix flute moves, jade pot turns, fish dragon dances all night. Moths, snow, willows, gold thread, laughter and incense are all gone. Look for him in the crowd. Suddenly looking back, the man was there, dimly lit. "The image vividly shows the interesting scene of the Lantern Festival carnival night. Lovers are eager to outline the encounter and wear it." There is nowhere to find it. "

During the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Lantern Festival became an important public entertainment during the Spring Festival. Poets and poets often paint poems as a way to add elegance. Today, Lantern Festival is still a popular folk entertainment in China. Especially in recent years, there has been unprecedented prosperity. People like Lantern Festival, but when did it originate?

One view is that the Lantern Festival was formed in the Tang Dynasty. "The Seventh Revision" says: "Lantern Festival lights up, from the beginning of Tang Kaiyuan, ... from 14 to Izayoi, and then five nights." Lin Dazu's point of view is slightly different from the seven revised manuscripts. According to Zong Rui's records in the Book of the Old Tang Dynasty, he said in the article Brilliant Lantern Festival in the Tang and Song Dynasties: "In the four years of Jinglong, the Emperor and Empress of the Shang Dynasty walked to see the lanterns. Fortunately, Xiao Zhizhong was the first in the book. At the end of the evening, I watched the light again. " People think that "Lantern Festival has been popular since Zong Rui, the father of the Ming emperor".

Another view is that the Lantern Festival was handed down from the Han Dynasty. Xu Jian's Book of the Early Tang Dynasty says: "The Historical Records of Le Shu said that the Han family worshipped Taiyi in order to reach the Ming Dynasty when he was delirious. Watching the lights on a moonlit night is a legacy of today's people. " The Book of Beginners is a book compiled by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty for governors to learn culture. The book "making people watch the lights on a moonlit night" obviously refers to the Xuanzong era. The author of "A Brief History of Lantern Festival" quoted Yu Lan's statement in Historical Records Le Shu, and according to the story of the collapse of the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty in the temple of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in "Old News of Qu Yan", he thought that the Lantern Festival "seems to be a special activity formed in the early Han Dynasty and is not considered as a kind of entertainment". 1In the China Festival published in September, 1983, Luo Qirong and Ou thought: "Wendi came to power after suppressing the' rebellion of the various emperors'. The leveling day is the fifteenth day of the first month. On this night, Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty will go to the palace to play "having fun with the people". "Night" is also called "Xiao" in the old saying, so Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty designated the 15th day of the first month as the Lantern Festival. However, there was no custom of turning on the lights at that time. In the 10th year of Emperor Yongping of Han Dynasty (AD 67), Cai Cheng obtained Buddhism from India. In order to promote Buddhism, Emperor Han Ming ordered the Lantern Festival to be lit to show his respect for Buddhism. This is the origin of the Lantern Festival. "

There is also a view that the Lantern Festival originated from religious activities that explain Taoism. "Nirvana Sutra" says: "Those who come to live will collect Buddhist relics and put them on the golden bed. Heaven and man will scatter flowers and play music, walk around the city and burn lights for twelve miles. " In the Western Regions, it is said that on the 15th day of the first month, monks and nuns get together to watch the Buddhist relics shine in the rain. It is recorded in Miscellaneous Notes at the Age of Years that this is a stereotype of Taoism. Taoism calls the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month "Shangyuan Festival". Recently, in the article "The Origin and Development of the Lantern Festival" of the Folk Literature ForumNo. 1 andNo. 1985, there are new sayings that the Lantern Festival "originated from the worship of fire", "after primitive people invented fire" and "thought that mysterious fire could drive away all monsters". Holding fire to exorcise ghosts is a custom, and its "primitive form can be traced back to ancient times".

About the origin of the Lantern Festival, folklore is even more varied. Some legends say that Emperor Yang Di was addicted to sex and wanted to marry his sister. My sister can't get married unless there is a miracle on the fifteenth day of the first month. Emperor Yang Di ordered people around the capital to light lamps in every household on the evening of 15, and those who disobeyed the orders would be beheaded. /kloc-On the evening of 0/5, my sister went upstairs and saw lights everywhere. She mistakenly thought that the stars really landed, so she threw herself into the river. In memory of this woman who is unwilling to be humiliated, the people light lamps on the fifteenth day of the first month. Some legends say that the Lantern Festival originated from Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. At that time, the maid-in-waiting Yuanxiao missed her parents at home after the first month, and it was strictly forbidden in the palace. How can she go out to meet? Dong Fangshuo, who was resourceful, expressed deep sympathy after learning about it, so he designed it to satisfy them. First, rumors were spread that Vulcan would send personnel to burn Chang 'an, and the city palace was in a panic. Later, he offered a plan to Emperor Wu, and all the court personnel went out to avoid disaster on the fifteenth night. Red lights are hung on the streets and courtyard doors in the city, just like the fire in the city, in order to deceive Vulcan who is watching and monitoring in the sky. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty promised that the ladies-in-waiting would take the opportunity to meet their families during the Lantern Festival. Since then, lights have been lit on the fifteenth day of the first month every year. There are also legends that the Lantern Festival originated from folk farming habits such as "keeping fire". Every year around the 15th day of the first month, spring ploughing is coming, and farmers all over the country are busy preparing for ploughing. Farmers in some areas went to the fields that night to pick up dead branches and weeds and set fire to kill pests.

Lantern Festival is the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, also known as Shangyuan Festival. Lantern Festival is the oldest night festival in China. According to legend, the Western Han Dynasty pacified Zhu Lu, and Emperor China began to lay the foundation stone on 1 month 15, which was designated as the Lantern Festival. The whole country celebrates festivals with lanterns and colorful decorations. The royal family, ladies and gentlemen in the deep palace can also go to the streets to watch the lights.

On the Lantern Festival, every household makes Yuanxiao (now monopolized by professional households). Yuanxiao Yuanxiao, known as "floating Zi Yuan" in ancient times, is a kind of folk snack that tastes both refined and popular, sweet but not greasy, and is popular all over the country. The stars are in the dark clouds and the beads are floating in the turbid water. "Light circles are more delicious than chicken head meat, and crab eye soup is better when you are bored." No wonder ancient poets described the Lantern Festival so much that it has been popular for thousands of years.

Hang lanterns and set off fireworks. It is the most gratifying activity of Quanzhou Lantern Festival. "There are many lanterns, and Su and Fu are crowned" (see Song's "Old Wulin Stories"). "There is more money in the world, and lamps and candles are no better than those in Fujian" (see Xie Wuza). Quanzhou is the city of lanterns, known as "ancient lanterns". Lanterns are pasted by families, spread and sold by shops, and specially made by professional artists. There are drum lights, cake-moistening lights, fish and shrimp, chicken, duck and goose lights, orange lights, banana lights, pineapple lights, palace lights, wishful lights, silk lights, glazed lights and lanterns ... all kinds of colors. The bride's family sends lotus-seed lanterns to her husband's family, and the newly-married man hangs lanterns to the ancestral hall (lotus gives birth to a noble child, and lanterns are homophonic with Ding, praying for more). Lights are hung on streets, halls and porches. The "Aoshan" is set on the thoroughfare avenue, with movable organs, landscape figures, flowers, birds, fish and insects, which is dazzling. There is also a light show, and the exquisite lamps for large-scale activities are dazzling. Kaiyuan Temple and Chengtian Temple are good places to watch the lantern show. Cultural people held a Spring Lantern Poetry Meeting, and Nanyin Society set up a "pavilion" in the street and sang on stage. Couplets in front of Tang Palace in Fengzhou, Nan 'an: "Orchestral strings ring, people come and go to Jinwu night;" Snuff everywhere, Xi Nanxi North Royal Garden Spring ". The grand occasion of the Lantern Festival is all in it.

Literature and art stepping on the street can be called a folk culture makeup parade. Dress up stories, adorn jewelry, bells and drums are loud, and a country is crazy. (Qiao Ming Yuan's Min Shu). Make-up, Quanzhou is commonly known as "makeup artist" and "makeup booth". Dress up the characters in various plays beautifully, such as walking on stilts, centipede pavilions, horseback riding teams and floats. The parade was accompanied by various bands, such as Nanyin, Ten Tones, Car Drum, Cage Blow and Western Band. Accompanied by kicking the ball, patting the chest, burning the tripod, dancing the sword, dancing the fan, playing the lion, playing the dragon and other dances full of Minnan customs. Tourists look along the street and the city is empty.

The Lantern Festival has attracted overseas tourists to visit relatives in Quan Quan. Various activities have been held, such as Nanyin Concert, Puppet Festival and Shaolin Wushu Festival, commodity fairs, cordial meetings and conferences, which have promoted the economic, trade and cultural development of the whole state. Lantern Festival is the highest peak of Spring Festival celebrations.