Reunion: The Glorious Traditions of China's Lantern Festival

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  An opened ancient book with written records about the origin of the Lantern Festival in the Han Dynasty. Beside it is an old-fashioned oil lamp emitting soft light.
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  A lively ancient street is decorated with all kinds of lanterns. People are dressed in Tang Dynasty costumes and are bustling about with joy on their faces.
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  An antique courtyard is filled with lanterns. There are riddles written on the lanterns. People are gathered around and concentrating on thinking about the riddles.
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  A family is sitting around a table, happily eating yuanxiao. There are bowls of steaming yuanxiao on the table.
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  In the park at night, countless lanterns with unique shapes are shining with colorful lights. People are shuttling among the lanterns to admire them.
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  On a wide square, a golden dragon and several colorful lions are dancing merrily. The surrounding audience is cheering.
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  A young person is sitting in front of a computer, concentrating on looking at the riddles on the screen. Beside it is a cup of coffee.
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  On the stage, actors are performing songs and dances in gorgeous costumes. The audience is full of seats and there is thunderous applause.

The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, Little First Month, Yuanxi, or simply the Lantern Festival, is an important part of the Chinese Spring Festival customs, falling on the 15th day of the first lunar month. This festival carries a wealth of historical and cultural connotations and reflects the Chinese people's pursuit of harmony and reunion.

I. The Historical Origin of the Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival originated in the Han Dynasty and flourished during the Tang Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, customs such as viewing lanterns and guessing lantern riddles were already well-established. This festival has witnessed the agricultural society's worship of the moon and the prayer for a bountiful harvest in the new year.

II. Traditional Customs of the Lantern Festival

1. Eating Yuanxiao: Yuanxiao is a round glutinous rice ball, symbolizing reunion and happiness.

2. Enjoying Lanterns: During the Lantern Festival, lantern fairs are held throughout the country, showcasing a variety of uniquely shaped lanterns, such as walking horse lanterns, dragon lanterns, and palace lanterns.

3. Guessing Lantern Riddles: Lantern riddles are puzzles written on lanterns, and people entertain themselves by solving them, also demonstrating wisdom and talent.

4. Dragon and Lion Dances: The dragon and lion are symbols of good fortune, and dancing them is a prayer for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

5. Releasing Sky Lanterns: Releasing Kongming lanterns carries people's wishes to pray to the heavens.

III. Modern Evolution of the Lantern Festival

With the development of the times, the ways of celebrating the Lantern Festival are also continuously innovating and developing:

1. Online Lantern Riddles: Online lantern riddle activities allow more people to participate in the fun of guessing riddles.

2. Lantern Festival Gala: Television stations hold Lantern Festival galas, adding more cultural enjoyment to the festival with songs, dances, and skits.

3. Tourism: Some cities combine the Lantern Festival with tourism, offering special travel projects to attract visitors to experience the traditional festival.

IV. Cultural Significance of the Lantern Festival

The Lantern Festival is not only a festival celebrating reunion, but it also reflects the Chinese people's yearning for a better life and the inheritance of traditional culture.