The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival. It's a Chinese custom to eat lanterns. After dinner, I came to the lantern party with my father and mother.
I took my father and mother's hands and came to the Lantern Festival. The lights were bright and the crowd was like a tide. The first thing that comes into our eyes is the civilization gate. There are all kinds of lanterns on the left and right sides of the civilization gate. One of my favorite is "peacock open screen". Its beautiful big tail is one by one, which is very vivid and realistic. There are two or three cranes on both sides and the big ship. When I see the big ship, I feel like I'm sailing and sailing on the sea.
Some people buy snacks and eat snacks while resting on the roadside. Some children buy fluorescent sticks and fluorescent balls and play in the street. We took several photos as a souvenir.
What a beautiful night! I like beautiful lanterns.
In the daytime of the Festival, performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a yangge dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be staged. On the night, except for magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Most families spare some fireworks from the Spring Festival and let them off in the Lantern Festival. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party. On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people become really intoxicated by the imposing fireworks and bright moon in the sky.
随着时间的推移，元宵节的活动越来越多，白天有耍龙灯、耍狮子、踩高跷、划旱船扭秧歌、打太平鼓等传统民俗表演。到了夜晚，除了五颜六色的美花灯之外，还有艳丽多姿的烟火。大多数家庭会在春节时留下一些烟花等到元宵节这天燃放，而一些地方政府也会举办烟花大会，当新年的第一个月圆之夜在盛大的烟火表演中来临时，人们都陶醉在这令人难忘了烟花与皎洁的明月中。
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.
During the Lantern Festival， people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuan xiao (glutinous rice ball)。
In 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.
The fillings inside the dumplings or Yuansiao are either sweet or salty. Sweet fillings are made of sugar，Walnuts，sesame，osmanthus flowers，rose petals，or jujube paste etc. A single ingredient or any combination can be used as the filling . The salty variety is filled with minced meat，vegetables etc.
Today, is the traditional Chinese festival - Lantern Festival. Eating yuanxiao, the meaning of the lanterns is tuan tuan yuan yuan, harmony and beauty. After dinner, my mother and I went to the square to see the lantern show.
Come to the square, ho, people many ah, really lively! These lights are vivid and lifelike, with 12 zodiac lanterns, corn lights, jack-o-lanterns, lotus lanterns, lei yue lanterns... It's beautiful. There was a lamp that impressed me the most, it was the moon, and there were some lovely twinkling stars.
I hope the next Lantern Festival will come soon.
The first day of the Lunar New Year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth."Many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them.
On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.
The third and fourth days are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law.
The fifth day is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck.
On the sixth to the 10th day, the Chinese visit their.
Probably more food is consumed during the new year celebrations than any other time of the year.
Vast amounts of traditional food is prepared for family and friends, as well as those close to us who have died.
On new year's day, the chinese family will eat a vegetarian dish called jai.
Although the various ingredients in jai are root vegetables or fibrous vegetables, many people attribute various superstitious aspects to them.
Other foods include a whole fish, to represent togetherness and abundance, and a chicken for prosperity.
The chicken must be presented with a head, tail and feet to symbolize completeness.
Noodles should be uncut, as they represent long life.
In south china, the favorite and most typical dishes were nian gao, sweet steamed glutinous rice pudding and zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped up in reed leaves), another popular delicacy.
In the north, steamed-wheat bread (man tou) and small meat dumplings were the preferred food.
The tremendous amount of food prepared at this time was meant to symbolize abundance and wealth for the household.
In his sleep, I was suddenly a burst of nose smell "called" wake up, I will with the fastest speed to put on clothes, jumped out of bed and ran into the kitchen down the fragrance, saw mother is boiled dumplings!
Yuan xiao like each one grownup at "karaoke" jump beautiful dance, let a person see the's saliva dc, very anxious to swallow it bite into the belly, at this moment, mom found me, said: "little lazier, soon can eat yuan xiao!" Sure enough, after a while, the fragrant rice dumplings out of the pot, I can't wait to eat a small yuan xiao, "ah! Burned to death." I jumped three feet high, mother in the kitchen heard the call, hurriedly ran out, anxiously shouted: "what? What's the matter? When she saw that I was flushed, my mother knew what was going on, and I poured a glass of cold water for me to drink, and it was better.
In the evening, I went to see the lanterns with my mother, wow! Good beauty! The lantern has yellow, red, pink and so on, let a person see really colorful, beautiful! Walking forward, I saw a small lantern hanging on a tree. Inside, a child was carrying a lantern as if to say, "happy Lantern Festival! Happy Lantern Festival! There was a riddle next to him, and my eyes turned, and I thought of the answer.
After the Spring Festival, here comes the Lantern Festival. In China, people celebrate it on the lunar calendar fifteen. It symbolizes the short rest has come to an end after the spring festival; people need to get back to work with their best wishes in the brand-new year. We all celebrated this festival with plenty of food and fun. The most important and traditional food on the Lantern Festival is Tang-yuan. With sweet and soft rice outside and peanuts or sesame inside, this little rice ball stand for the happy reunion, and the best wish for the whole families. Apart from having dinner with parents and relatives, there are also lots of activities on that day. The Lantern shows as well as guessing riddles are part of the Lantern Festival; and the most interesting part of the show is that the riddles are written on the Lantern. After dinner, the whole families go to the lantern fair, to enjoy the happiness in this moment.
Happy Lantern Festival!
Lantern Festival is a China's traditional festival. It is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year.
I,antern Festival is one of the biggest holidays in China. Several days before Lantern Festival, people begin to make lanterns. Lanterns are made in the shape of different animals, vegetables, fruits and many, other things. While making lanterns people usually write riddles on lanterns. On the eve of Lantern Festival, all the lanterns are hung up.
On Lantern Festival people go outside to have a look at the lanterns and guess the riddles on the lanterns. Perhaps you call see some wonderful folk performances,Dragon Dance and Yangko. Everything is very interesting and everyone is very happy. Our life is rich and varied.
In the daytime of the Festival, performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a yangge dance, walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be staged. On the night, except for magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. Most families spare some fireworks from the Spring Festival and let them off in the Lantern Festival. Some local governments will even organize a fireworks party. On the night when the first full moon enters the New Year, people become really intoxicated by the imposing fireworks and bright moon in the sky.
After the Spring Festival, here comes the Lantern Festival. In China, people celebrate it on the lunar calendar fifteen. It symbolizes the short rest has come to an end after the spring festival; people need to get back to work with their best wishes in the brand-new year. We all celebrated this festival with plenty of food and fun. The most important and traditional food on the Lantern Festival is Tang-yuan. With sweet and soft rice outside and peanuts or sesame inside, this little rice ball stand for the happy reunion, and the best wish for the whole families. Apart from having dinner with parents and relatives, there are also lots of activities on that day. The Lantern shows as well as guessing riddles are part of the Lantern Festival; and the most interesting part of the show is that the riddles are written on the Lantern. After dinner, the whole families go to the lantern fair, to enjoy the happiness in this moment.
festival of lanterns.i spent the festival of lanterns with my grandparents this year.
my family went to my grandparents‘ home and had dinner with them.we had lots of sweet dumpl ins. after the dinner, my grandparents and i went out to play fireworks.
we had a very good time together.
The atmosphere of the Spring Festival is still hazy, the breath blowing. The streets decorated, bursting with happiness. The Lantern Festival is a traditional festival in China. The Lantern Festival has the custom of putting fireworks and lanterns on the Lantern Festival.
What a lot of people in the street! The little old came out, everyone in the country and the bursting with happiness, to share the joy of the moment. You see, "whoosh", a few pieces of rockets into the sky, thousands of shining golden line into a beautiful huge flowers bloom in the sky quickly in the blink of an eye, and such as the waterfall, slowly shed. After the light of the yellow line, it turned into countless small gold flowers and opened a new beauty. Several fireworks flew into the sky, and the colors were open. Some like the beautiful peacock, the fan, a string of fireworks is the riotous with colour beautiful peacock feathers. Some flowers, like thousands of blooming flowers, show the charm of beauty. Some like an unfolding fan, waving. Theres like a fairy, to endure endure crowded crowded together...... The dark night is then lit up, has also become a big stage fireworks, let us feel dazzling, dizzying. All this I could not help but think of "the toast, and the world laughs" scene.
After watching the fireworks, we began to look at the lanterns with the flow of people. There were so many lights in the street. I was dazzled. Look, the first is just a few energetic, vigorous rabbits. This year is the year of the rabbit. These little rabbits symbolize the coming of the new year. We must accept new challenges and welcome ourselves. Well, look at that. A few small lanterns go around a big lantern. The big lantern says "golden year". Look at that, in three a lovely bear in front of a couple holding a picture of Spring Festival couplets written "bursting with happiness Spring Festival, energy-saving." All kinds of colored lights are like the stars in the sky. It is the "Lantern night drunk, only the edge of strong spring."
The Lantern Festival, the Chinese festival and the red hot Festival, is the beginning of the new year for Chinese people. You can also contribute to primary school composition, composition and personal network. Sincerely wish all Chinese people good luck next year.
Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, embodying the wisdom of the Chinese people and the emotion, thousands of words also couldn't say for sure, I will say today I of the Lantern Festival.
We want to eat dumplings every year, and the moral of dumplings is a reunion, as long as the family together the feeling of happiness like in filling sweetness, let people never forget! As long as the family reunion is better than thousands of gifts, as long as the family can gather together a cup of the celebration, eliminates the loneliness of the New Year, this is more than the countless blessings must warm!
Suddenly The New Year's bell sounded, suddenly boiling city! Than the fireworks into the sky, such as silver arrows, such as meteor, more like a small ball of fire into the night, they through the night, fireworks together, then exploded, painted on the sky the bright flowers, light interweave together, for the night paint a beautiful picture. And then introduced into our ears, a deafening explosion that were eliminated, at this time in the coming year the New Year passed from fireworks explosions!
The Lantern Festival, blended in the festival of the Chinese emotions, let all people never forget!
Today is the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival is being held everywhere.
We xiamen is no exception, held a large flower lantern show. The lantern show has improved and improved significantly compared to the past, such as security, order, security measures and guards. I entered the zhongshan park from the south gate, and I saw the colorful and colorful lanterns in my eyes. But the soaring shenzhou vi and the big, mighty golden dragon stood out. As far as I know, the big golden dragon was made up of 28,000 small chrysanthemum plants. You said that it was not surprising and the success of shenzhou 6 was a symbol of the increasing technological level in China. Then, I again to go by boat, tour of the water lanterns, see a station of the five fuwa lanterns, Im curious: fuwa are some graceful, some happy, there are strong. Fuwa wish the Beijing 20__ Olympic Games a complete success. Finally, I left zhongshan park reluctantly.
Today, I have learned a lot about extracurricular knowledge by watching lanterns, and I still have a great harvest.
Tomorrow is the fifteen Lantern Festival, on this day, all have held a grand festival, lantern riddles, eating lantern, lamp, kids playing lanterns, can be happy. I look up the history of the Lantern Festival and learn from all of you. I wish you a happy holiday!
The Lantern Festival has two thousand years of history in Chinese, also known as the "Lantern Festival", also known as the "Lantern Festival" or "Dengxi". According to Chinese ancient custom, "Yuan" means the moon circle, a year in the so-called "three yuan" the fifteen known as the "spring" in July fifteen, known as the "ghost", in October fifteen called "Yuan"; the fifteen is the year the first full moon night, is also one yuan the return of the night, Spring returns to the earth, people have to celebrate and celebrate the Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, also known as the "spring festival". "The night" is also the night, so the Lantern Festival also has the meaning of the first round night of the year.
Today is the fifteenth day of the month, that is, the Lantern Festival. Afternoon, our family came to the square waiting for the night's fireworks show!
The black velvet night covered the blue sky, the stars blinked in the moonlight, and they seemed to be taking a break from urging those who had been tired for a day, but they were disappointed. Because of the more colorful lights on the ground, look! No matter the street, the fork in the road, in front of the store, next to the stalls, are lit countless lights. There are fiery red lanterns; there are colorful small bulbs; Yingying shiny fluorescent lamp, there are always changing color neon lights. The square at this time became the world of lights, the sea of lights. People here enjoy talking, playing, seems to be under, you will forget the day's fatigue.
We are still feeling very much at the end of the fireworks and hopefully we will be better next year!
the festival of lanterns takes place at the end of the chinese new year celebration, on the fifteenth day of the first moon. lanterns have been part of chinese life for centuries so it's not surprising to see a festival of lanterns. people usually hang lanterns in the gardens, outside the houses, and on the boats. these lanterns are signposts to guide guests and spirits of ancestors to the lunar celebration. after a sumptuous fifteen-day feast, these lanterns light the way for the spirits back to the world beyond. silk, paper and plastic lanterns vary in shape and size and are usually multi-colored. some are in the shapes of butterflies, birds, flowers, and boats.
other are shaped like dragon, fruit and animal symbols of that year. the most popular type of lantern is special food for the lantern festival is yuen sin or tong yuen. these are round dumplings made with sticky rice flour. they can be filled and served as a sweet snack or made plain and cooked in a soup with vegetables, meat and dried shrimp. the round shape of the dumpling is a symbol of wholeness, completeness and unity.
the lantern festival is an occasion for families to get together and for everyone--young, old, rich and poor to have fun.
This day's important ACTivity is watching lanterns. Throughout the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), Buddhism flourished in China. One emperor heard that Buddhist monks would watch sarira, or remains from the cremation of Buddha's body, and light lanterns to worship Buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, so he ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on this day. Later, the Buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people and its influence expanded from the Central Plains to the whole of China.
元宵主要的活动就是看灯。东汉明帝时期，明帝提倡佛教，听说佛教有正月十五日僧人观佛舍利，点灯敬佛的做法，就命令这一天夜晚在皇宫和寺庙里点灯敬佛，令士族庶民都挂灯。以后这种佛教礼仪节日逐渐形成民间盛大的节日。该节经历了由宫廷到民间，由中原到全国的发展过程。
This days important activity is watching lanterns. Throughout the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), Buddhism flourished in China. One emperor heard that Buddhist monks would watch sarira, or remains from the cremation of Buddhas body, and light lanterns to worship Buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, so he ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on this day. Later, the Buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people and its influence expanded from the Central Plains to the whole of China.
Till today, the lantern festival is still held each year around the country. Lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the streets, attracting countless visitors. Children will hold self-made or bought lanterns to stroll with on the streets, extremely excited. "Guessing lantern riddles"is an essential part of the Festival.
the lantern festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, usually in february or march in the gregorian calendar. as early as the western han dynasty (206 bc-ad 25), it had become a festival with great significance. this day's important activity is watching lanterns. throughout the han dynasty (206 bc-ad 220), buddhism flourished in china. one emperor heard that buddhist monks would watch sarira, or remains from the cremation of buddha's body, and light lanterns to worship buddha on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, so he ordered to light lanterns in the imperial palace and temples to show respect to buddha on this day. later, the buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people and its influence expanded from the central plains to the whole of china.
till today, the lantern festival is still held each year around the country. lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the streets, attracting countless visitors. children will hold self-made or bought lanterns to stroll with on the streets, extremely excited. "guessing lantern riddles"is an essential part of the festival.
lantern owners write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns. if visitors have solutions to the riddles, they can pull the paper out and go to the lantern owners to check their answer. if they are right, they will get a little gift. the activity emerged during people's enjoyment of lanterns in the song dynasty (960-1279).
as riddle guessing is interesting and full of wisdom, it has become popular among all social strata.
people will eat yuanxiao, or rice dumplings, on this day, so it is also called the "yuanxiao festival."yuanxiao also has another name, tangyuan. it is small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour with rose petals, sesame, bean paste, jujube paste, walnut meat,dried fruit, sugar and edible oil as filling. tangyuan can be boiled, fried or steamed. it tastes sweet and delicious.
what’s more, tangyuan in chinese has a similar pronunciation with "tuanyuan”, meaning reunion. so people eat them to denote union, harmony and happiness for the family.
in the daytime of the festival, performances such as a dragon lantern dance, a lion dance, a land boat dance, a yangge dance,walking on stilts and beating drums while dancing will be staged. on the night, except for magnificent lanterns, fireworks form a beautiful scene. most families spare some fireworks from the spring festival and let them off in the lantern festival. some local.
finally arrived, and finally to the lantern festival. from over the years, i have been waiting for this day.
lantern festival, the festival has to be taken seriously since the western han dynasty period, jun, and become a folk customs, people carry on for hundreds of years of tradition, to admire the lanterns, guess riddles, dragon dance, lion dance, twist dayangge, very lively, with the development of science and technology now and create a new folk to watch the fireworks.
today, the whole family gather together, waiting for the yuan get to midnight snack, it just dark down, you can hear "bang hua" of firecrackers.
at night, i walk in the street, with the family is full of "boom" sound, the sky is the fireworks, although not as good as the day, but it is also illuminated. walking up and down the street, looking at people, listening to the deafening firecrackers; feel the lively gas; my heart also could not help being alert and cheerful. along the way, all the stores a lantern festival color, roadside lights flash new moon, full moon in the sky upon the earth, is "with no lights light there is not a beauty, japan is not spring".
condensed out of the accident, my eyes and in the fireworks in the sky above, like will soon open the flower of the hail, suddenly open, scattered pieces of the blossom. everywhere is the flowers open, as if spring mei fang and hail in full bloom.
today busy angry, also let me feel though years have passed, but the yuan snack than eve also. lively.
Great China, blooming flower of carved 56 nationalities. Different regions, different customs are memorable, whether the Tibetan sholton, or yi people's torch festival. The han nationality of the Lantern Festival is the most let I addicted. It has more than two thousand years of history, in today's China popular is of no doubt. The Lantern Festival of its name, because its festival and customs activities in the first month in a year (yuan) on the fifteenth day of night (night) to hold.
The Lantern Festival, the first great achievement of the nature is yuanxiao. No matter the south north, to the fifteenth day this day, men, women and children around the table and to end on a few bowl of steaming glutinous balls, the steam in a small house and now and then the clouded spread a few happy laughter sound.
Tangyuan is made from glutinous rice flour. You can prepare glutinous rice flour in a bowl and slowly add hot water until they mix into dough. Then you can pinch off the dough and roll them into small balls.
Then you can fill tangyuan with either sweet or savoury fillings. Sweet fillings are often made from peanut butter, black sesame seeds or red beans. But some people prefer the savoury fillings made from meat, mushroom and green vegetables.
Then try to enwrap all the fillings into glutinous rice dough.
You can make different forms for different fillings.
Ready? Then you can drop these balls into boiling water and cook them for about 8 minutes until they float. Okay, Just enjoy them!
The Lantern Festival is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the lunar calendar marking the last day of the lunar New Year celebration. During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns .It officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations.
It is not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival; which is sometimes also known as the "Lantern Festival" in locations such as Singapore and Malaysia.
In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, and only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones .
[citation needed] In modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in the shape of animals. The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones, which they will let go of the next year. The lanterns are almost always red to symbolyze good fortune.
In Hong Kong, it is commercialized as the Chinese equivalent of Valentines Day.
Lantern Festival night, my father and mother and his party went to the square to see fireworks. Along the way, more people can see the lights, men and women have both, they happily said and laugh, the whole city festive atmosphere.
Suddenly, a "missiles" jet flew to the sky like an airplane, exploding in the sky, colorful parachutes floating in the air and disappeared as soon as it reached the ground. Several "meteors" across the sky, watching, that meteor shiny, flying to the clouds, then there have been numerous small fireworks, small fireworks crackling sound scared my brother quickly covered his ears, while a small fireworks disappeared Without a trace.
The night can be bustling Lantern Festival, the crowds of people to see the lights, people laugh open by word, I think this is a dream, but this is indeed true.
The Lantern Festival, also known as Shang yuan Festival, is celebrated on January 15th on Chinese lunar calendar.It is the first full moon night in Chinese lunar year, symbolizing the coming back of the spring.The Lantern Festival is deemed as a good day for family get together.
According to the custom of China, people on that night will carry nice lanterns and go out to appreciate the moon, light fireworks, guess lantern riddles, and eat sweet dumplings to celebrate the festival.Some places even have folk performances such as playing dragon lanterns, lion dance and stilt walking.
The Lantern Festival, an important traditional Chinese festival which has been in existence for over 2,000 years, is still very popular in China, even overseas.And any place in which Chinese people live will experience busy activities on that day.
Today is the Lantern Festival, in order to go to see the Lantern Festival early, I eat the speed also accelerated. At chengbei park, it is a sea of people and a sea of joy.
I wanted to see the dragon dance, but there were too many people to get in, so we had to go to the playground first. After playing for a while, my mother suddenly saw a big light, I was attracted by it, and ran to the past. It's really big, bigger than daddy! Here is a small boat with a big golden bull, which means we have a good year in the ox.
The sky was filled with all kinds of lights. There are lotus lanterns, fish lamps, jade rabbit lights, octagonal palace lanterns... They were strung together like a river of lights, shining brightly across the park.
Looking up, a large and round moon hung in the sky, and countless lanterns were rising. The kong ming lamp was invented by zhuge kong ming in The Three Kingdoms period, also known as the wishing lamp, which brought good luck and happiness to people.
The moon is round, the earth is round, everything is round! The flowers are good, the scenery is good, the mood is better! Wish you and your family a happy Lantern Festival!
On the fifteenth day of the first month, the moon represents my heart! Let the moon take my blessing to you: happy Lantern Festival!
I will make you the happiest person tonight, when the light is day and we are all together.
At this moment, I have the deepest thoughts, let the cloud send to full blessing, adorn your sweet dream, wish you have a happy Lantern Festival.
The sound of drums and gongs and drums of fire, fireworks and lights, and Februarys wisps of light breeze into your heart, strings of hope to wish you: happy Lantern Festival!
Great China, blooming flower of carved 56 nationalities. Different regions, different customs are memorable, whether the Tibetan sholton, or yi people's torch festival.
The han nationality of the Lantern Festival is the most let I addicted.
It has more than two thousand years of history, in today's China popular is of no doubt.
The Lantern Festival of its name, because its festival and customs activities in the first month in a year (yuan) on the fifteenth day of night (night) to hold.
The Lantern Festival, the first great achievement of the nature is yuan xiao. No matter the south north, to the fifteenth day this day, men, women and children around the table and to end on a few bowl of steaming glutinous balls, the steam in a small house and now and then the clouded spread a few happy laughter sound.
Yuan xiao put the lights learning
The Festival of Lanterns takes place at the end of the Chinese New Year Celebration, on the fifteenth day of the first moon. Lanterns have been part of Chinese life for centuries so it's not surprising to see a festival of lanterns.
People usually hang lanterns in the gardens, outside the houses, and on the boats. These lanterns are signposts to guide guests and spirits of ancestors to the Lunar celebration. After a sumptuous fifteen-day feast, these lanterns light the way for the spirits back to the world beyond.
Silk, paper and plastic lanterns vary in shape and size and are usually multi-colored. Some are in the shapes of butterflies, birds, flowers, and boats. Other are shaped like dragon, fruit and animal symbols of that year. The most popular type of lantern is the horse-racing one, in which figures or animals rotate around the vertical axis of the lantern.
The special food for the Lantern Festival is Yuen Sin or Tong Yuen. These are round dumplings made with sticky rice flour. They can be filled and served as a sweet snack or made plain and cooked in a soup with vegetables, meat and dried shrimp. The round shape of the dumpling is a symbol of wholeness, completeness and unity.
The Lantern Festival is an occasion for families to get together and for everyone--young, old, rich and poor to have fun.