The Lantern Festival: The Grand Finale of Lunar New Year Celebrations

As the Lunar New Year festivities come to a close, it's time to prepare for the spectacular grand finale – the Lantern Festival.

Taking place on the 15th day of the first lunar month (February 5 this year), the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Jie in Mandarin, marks the perfect conclusion to weeks of Lunar New Year festivities and preparations.

The Lantern Festival honors the first full moon of the year – symbolizing the beginning of the lunar cycle (Yuan meaning 'beginning' and Xiao meaning 'night').

This festival signifies the end of winter and the arrival of spring. It often coincides with two key Chinese Solar Terms – ‘Spring Commences’ and ‘Spring Showers’ – that mark the shift in seasons.

On this day, lanterns are lit to chase away the darkness and usher in hope for the year ahead.

This tradition is believed to have flourished during China’s Han Dynasty over 2,000 years ago.

Festivalgoers would gather at local fairs to enjoy fireworks, performances, admire lantern displays, and solve riddles written on lantern tags.

Lantern riddles have changed over time. Here's a simple one to try:

When you draw it, it takes a circular shape.

When you write it, it becomes a rectangle.

It’s short during winter.

It’s long in summer.

The answer is the sun – 日 in Chinese.

Historically, the Lantern Festival was one of the few occasions when unmarried men and women could meet, gathering under the glow of lanterns. This is why some even call it the Chinese Valentine’s Day.

This romantic festival is well-documented in classic literature, including works like 'Journey to the West' and 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' and has inspired countless timeless poems.

Traditions of the Lantern Festival

Today, the Lantern Festival is celebrated globally, with festivities varying widely across different communities. Many cities host impressive lantern displays and parades to mark the occasion.

Putian, in China’s Fujian province, boasts the longest Lantern Festival celebration in the country, with some claiming it is even more significant than the Lunar New Year itself.

The celebrations stretch over nearly three weeks and feature a deity parade, fire pit jumping, and numerous traditional theater and music performances.

In Nuanquan town, Hebei, residents put on a stunning 'firework' display by hurling molten iron at a cold stone wall to create spectacular sparks.

The centuries-old tradition of dashuhua, or da tie hua (translated as 'hit tree flower' or 'hit iron flower'), has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage by the Chinese government. It was also featured as a key performance in the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Originally popularized in Nuanquan town, da tie hua displays are now held in various locations across China, including at the Great Wall in Beijing's Yanqing District, during the Lantern Festival.

However, Taiwan hosts the most extreme Lantern Festival event – the Beehives Fireworks Festival.

Taking place annually in the city of Yanshui, this daring event sees thousands of thrill-seekers, dressed in helmets and fire-resistant gear, bringing launch towers filled with small rocket fireworks, resembling beehives, into the narrow streets.

Once ignited, the towers launch hundreds, even thousands, of rockets in all directions, creating a dramatic and often terrifying spectacle.

Love and glutinous rice balls

Whether your Lantern Festival celebration is big, small, or even thrilling, you can never go wrong with a bowl of sweet, round glutinous rice balls – tangyuan – as you gaze at the full moon.

The round shape of tangyuan symbolizes family unity and completeness.

Across Asia, there are various unique celebrations marking the first full moon of the lunar year.

In Malaysia, the Lantern Festival is centered around a matchmaking tradition. Single women often toss tangerines into rivers, lakes, or seas, praying for a happy marriage.

Before tossing the tangerines, women write their contact details on them. Men then fish them out of the water, hoping to find their future partners.

In South Korea, the festival is known as Daeboreum (the Great Full Moon). Many Koreans enjoy a shot of chilled rice wine and eat a variety of nuts, grains, and dried vegetables. In addition to lighting lanterns, some also hike and light bonfires.