Happy Valentine’s day and Lantern Festival!
Posted By Becky on February 14, 2014
Today is 14th, February, 2014. As we all known it is Valentine’s day. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not a holiday in most of them.
At the same time, it is coincidence that today is also Chinese traditional festival–Lantern Festival. 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, Childen go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns.
It is not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival; which is sometimes also also known as the “Lantern Festival” in locations such as Singapore and Malaysia.
In Chinese ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple and only the emperor and noblemen has large ornate ones. While in modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now offen 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.
On this day, people will together with their family and eat Tangyuan at the same time. Tangyuan is a glutinous rice ball, first made 800 years ago. Chinese people believe the round shape of the balls, and the bowls in which they are served symbolize family togetherness, and that eating tangyuan may bring happiness and good luck to the family in the new year.
Here Leiyuan Company wish happy Valentine’s day and Lantern Festival to you and your family!
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