Lantern Festival, also known as the shangyuan festival, the small first month, yuan xi or the Lantern Festival, is the first important festival after the Spring Festival, is China is also the cultural circle of Chinese characters in the region and overseas Chinese traditional festivals.
The first lunar month is the first month of the lunar calendar, the ancients called night "night", so the first full moon night, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month known as the Lantern Festival.
yuanxiao
As a food, yuanxiao has a long history in China.
It was first called "floating yuan zi" and later "yuanxiao".
Ancient "yuanxiao" price is more expensive, there is a poem said: visitors hook curtain to see the imperial street, city treasures to come. The flower rack before shade does not have road to go, cannot money cannot answer.
The northern "roll" yuanxiao, the southern "pack" tangyuan, all take the meaning of reunion, a symbol of family happiness, happy together every year.
The dragon
Lantern Festival started more than 2,000 years ago during the qin dynasty. Many of the traditional customs are related to lanterns.
Dragon dance, also known as the dragon dance or dragon dance. Legend has it that as early as the yellow emperor period, there were six flood dragons dancing among themselves.
The earliest dragon dance in written records is the ode to xijing written by zhang heng in the han dynasty. And according to the records of sui · music records, emperor Yang of the sui dynasty similar to the dragon dance performance "yellow dragon change" is also very wonderful, dragon dance popular in many parts of China. The Chinese people worship the dragon, the dragon as a symbol of good luck.
Go out
Walk 100 diseases, also call to swim 100 diseases, spread 100 diseases, roast 100 diseases, walk a bridge, etc., is a kind of activity that eliminate disaster qi health.
On the night of the Lantern Festival, women made an appointment to go on a trip. Walking 100 diseases is a northern custom since the Ming and qing dynasties, some on the 15th, but more on the 16th.
On this day, the women dressed in festive costumes, out of the door in groups, walk bridge crossing danger, ascend the city, touch nails for children, until midnight, only to return.
Guess riddles
Guess lantern riddles also known as the lantern riddles play riddle, from the ancient began to spread the Lantern Festival activities.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the traditional folk people will hang up colorful lanterns and set off fireworks. Later, some people write riddles on a piece of paper and stick them on colorful lanterns for people to guess.
Because riddles can inspire wisdom and cater to the festive atmosphere, so many people respond, and then guess gradually become the Lantern Festival indispensable program.
The lion dance
Lion dance, also known as "peace music."
Usually done by three people, one ACTS as the head of the lion, one ACTS as the body and hind feet of the lion, and the other ACTS as the lead lion, which is an excellent Chinese folk art.
Whenever the Lantern Festival or assembly celebration, the folk to the lion dance to come to add to the fun. This custom originated in The Three Kingdoms period, the southern and northern dynasties began to popular, has a history of more than one thousand years.
On the dance method and the division of civil and military, civil dance performance of the gentle lion, there are shaking, rolling and other movements; The fierce performance of the lion lion, a prance, high pedal, roll ball and other movements.
To meet the "zigu"
Zigu also called qi gu, the north said more toilet gu, pit three gu.
Ancient folk customs on the fifteenth day of the first month to welcome the toilet god zigu and sacrifice, divination sericulture, and accounted for many things.
Legend zigu this concubine for others, for the big woman was jealous, the fifteenth day of the first month was killed between the toilet, become toilet god. Every ying zigu to this day night people with straw, cloth, such as a large and small portrait of zigu, and at night in the toilet to welcome and worship the pig.
This custom popular in the north and south around, as early as the northern and southern dynasties in the records.
Walking on stilts
Walking on stilts is a popular folk performance of mass art.
Stilts, one of the ancient Chinese operas, appeared as early as the spring and autumn period. People on stilts often dress up in opera costumes, wear costumes, wear makeup, and sing and dance.
And the role of stilts, because of their different identities, so different shapes, different levels. Very ornamental.
These yuanxiao customs due to different regions, ethnic differences, with the passage of time, the heritage has become increasingly rare.
May we revive these old customs,
Live the holidays as you did when you were a child,
Sound, color and taste.
At this Lantern Festival
Family reunion
Best wishes for the New Year
People circle, things circle, round round;
Popularity, good luck, the edge edge constantly;
Willing, willing, willing to heart.
