What will you do on lantern festival? Do you know any interesting 燈謎? Please share with us.

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元宵節，亦稱為上元節、小正月、元夕或燈節，時間是每年的農曆正月十五，這是春節之後的第一個重要節日。錢塘瞿佑《雙頭牡丹燈記》：「每歲元夕，於明州張燈五夜。傾城士女，皆得縱觀」。在這一天，人們要吃元宵，鬧燈會，猜燈謎，提燈籠，許多地方還有放天燈的習俗。是華人社會的盛大節日之一﹐是中國人的情人節。

道教中，上元節視為天官大帝（堯）誕辰，正月十五為上元，七月十五為中元，十月十五為下元，分別屬天、地、人這三官主管。上元節天官喜樂，故燃燈以慶。終唐一代，朝廷皆正式祭拜。

在廣東佛山，有元宵節的傳統習俗「行通濟，無閉翳」。寓意走過通濟橋，就會健健康康，無閉翳。


2007年台灣燈會在嘉義縣太保市之盛況在台灣，除了賞花燈活動及著名的台北燈節、台灣燈會之外，還有台灣北部的台北縣平溪鄉放天燈活動。另外，台灣中北部苗栗市則有著名的「苗栗火旁龍」，苗栗火旁龍是指以鞭炮、蜂炮炸舞龍方式得到「去邪（去舊）迎新年」的作用。在台灣南部的台南縣鹽水鎮則有著名的「鹽水蜂炮」。在台灣東部的台東市，則有「炸玄壇爺（炸寒單爺）」，也是以蜂炮為主，但與鹽水蜂炮的進行方式並不相同。

在台灣早期，有在元宵節夜裡未婚的女性要偷得蔥來討個吉兆的說法。俗語說：「偷挽蔥，嫁好翁；偷挽菜，嫁好婿」（台灣話發音）


** 起源**
據史籍記載，元宵節開始於二千多年前的西漢時期。相傳漢惠帝劉盈死後，呂后一族控制了政權。呂后死後，周勃、陳平等元老奮起勘平「諸呂之亂」，擁劉恆為主，是為漢文帝。文帝博採眾臣建議，精心治國，使漢帝國又處強盛。因掃除諸呂正是在正月十五，所以每年這一天的晚上，文帝就微服出宮遊玩，與民同樂，以示紀念。漢文帝因此將正月十五定為元宵節。


**日本的元宵節**
日本的元宵節稱為小正月（こしょうがつ），明治維新後改為格里曆1月15日，習俗有迎年神、祖靈，祈求豐收，有在早上吃紅豆粥的習俗。

小正月也是日本成年禮（男性的元服禮和女性的裳著禮）舉行的日子，因此也是成人節。

source from:
http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%85%83%E5%AE%B5%E7%AF%80&variant=zh-tw

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For the festival associated with mooncakes sometimes called Lantern Festival, see Mid-Autumn Festival.

Lantern Festival celebration in Shijiazhuang
Year 2007 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Chiayi, TaiwanThe Lantern Festival (simplified Chinese: 元宵节; traditional Chinese: 元宵節/元宵; pinyin: yuánxiāojié) or (Yuanxiao Festival), also known as the Shang Yuan Festival (simplified Chinese: 上元节; traditional Chinese: 上元節; pinyin: shàngyuánjié) is a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar year in the Chinese calendar. It is not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is also sometimes known as the "Lantern Festival" in locations such as Singapore, and Malaysia. During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night to temples carrying rabbit-shaped lanterns (simplified Chinese: 兔子灯; pinyin: tùzidēng) and solve riddles on the lanterns (simplified Chinese: 猜灯谜; pinyin: cāidēngmí).

In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, for only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones; in modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in shapes of animals.

The Lantern Festival is also known as the Little New Year since it marks the end of the series of celebrations starting from the Chinese New Year. Koreans celebrate this festival as the Daeboreum.


[History]
The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is the Chinese Lantern Festival because the first lunar month is called yuan-month and in the ancient times people called night Xiao. The 15th day is the first night to see a full moon. So the day is also called Yuan Xiao Festival in China. According to the Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice ball) and get all their families united in the joyful atmosphere.

[Earliest Origins]

There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. But one thing for sure is that it had something to do with celebrating and cultivating positive relationship between people, families, nature and the higher beings they believed were responsible for bringing/returning the light each year.

One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven in ancient times. The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world. He had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought,storms, famine or pestilence upon human beings. Beginning with Qinshihuang, the first emperor to unite the country, all subsequent emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year. The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people. Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty directed special attention to this event. In 104 BC, he proclaimed it one of the most important celebrations and the ceremony would last throughout the night.

Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tianguan is the Taoist god responsible for good fortune. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is said that Tianguan likes all types of entertainment. So followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune.

The third story about the origin of the festival goes like this. Buddhism first entered China during the reign of Emperor Mingdi of the Eastern Han Dynasty. That was in the first century. However, it did not exert any great influence among the Chinese people. One day, Emperor Mingdi had a dream about a gold man in his palace. At the very moment when he was about to ask the mysterious figure who he was, the gold man suddenly rose to the sky and disappeared in the west. The next day, Emperor Mingdi sent a scholar to India on a pilgrimage to locate Buddhist scriptures. After joumeying thousands of miles,the scholar finally returned with the scriptures. Emperor Mingdi ordered that a temple be built to house a statue of Buddha and serve as a repository for the scriptures. Followers believe that the power of Buddha can dispel darkness.

So Emperor Mingdi ordered his subjects to display lighted lanterns during what was to become the Lantern Festival.

In ancient traditions, it was one of the few nights in ancient times without a strict curfew. Young people were chaperoned in the streets in hopes of finding love. Matchmakers acted busily in hopes of pairing couples. The brightest lanterns were symbolic of good luck and hope. As time has progressed, however, the festival no longer has such implications nowadays.

Those who do not carry lanterns often enjoy watching informal lantern parades. In addition to eating tangyuan (simplified Chinese: 汤圆; traditional Chinese: 湯圓; pinyin: tāngyuán), other popular activities at this festival include and guessing lantern riddles (which became part of the festival since Tang Dynasty), often messages of good fortune, family reunion, abundant harvest, prosperity and love.

More History (to present-day)

Until the Sui Dynasty in the sixth century, Emperor Yangdi invited envoys from other countries to China to see the colorful lighted lanterns and enjoy the gala performances.

By the beginning of the Tang Dynasty in the seventh century, the lantern displays would last three days. The emperor also lifted the curfew, allowing the people to enjoy the festive lanterns day and night. It is not difficult to find Chinese poems which describe this happy scene.

In the Song Dynasty, the festival was celebrated for five days and the activities began to spread to many of the big cities in China. Colorful glass and even jade were used to make lanterns, with figures from folk tales painted on the lanterns.

However, the largest Lantern Festival celebration took place in the early part of the 15th century. The festivities continued for ten days. Emperor Chengzu had the downtown area set aside as a center for displaying the lanterns. Even today, there is a place in Beijing called Dengshikou. In Chinese, Deng means lantern and Shi is market. The area became a market where lanterns were sold during the day. In the evening, the local people would go there to see the beautiful lighted lanterns on display.

Today, the displaying of lanterns is still a big event on the 15th day of the first lunar month throughout China. People enjoy the brightly lit night. Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, for example, holds a lantern fair each year in the Cultural Park. During the Lantern Festival,the park is literally an ocean of lanterns! Many new designs attract countless visitors. The most eye-catching lantern is the Dragon Pole. This is a lantern in the shape of a golden dragon, spiraling up a 27-meter-high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth.


[Vietnam: "Tết Thượng Nguyên"]
In Vietnam, this festival is named "Tết Thượng Nguyên" or "Tết Nguyên Tiêu". People go to pagodas to worship Buddha. It was brought over to Vietnam in the 1300s when the Mongols conquered both China and Vietnam and spread the Chinese culture to the Vietnamese

Have a go, 123.

1) 妻子僑居舊金山 (三字)
2) 聞雞起舞 (二字昆蟲)
3) 橘子、魚肝油的營養 (三字日用品)

haha thank your futari's offer!!

聞雞起舞 (二字昆蟲)-->flea

Correct! And the other two?

The other two? Who could answer them? ><lll

To Futari:
Could you give us a hint for the rest two riddles?

Quote:

Sure!

1) 妻子僑居舊金山 (三字) <== a virtue
3) 橘子、魚肝油的營養 (三字日用品) <== 一種平價消費品/日常用品

1) 妻子僑居舊金山 (三字)
My answer is 勤持家
Not sure.
sweet

A good try, sweetheart.
You're near.

3) 橘子、魚肝油的營養 (三字日用品) <== 一種平價消費品/日常用品
the answer is cd盒？