Lantern Festival - History

History

Lantern Festival
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 元宵節 or 上元節
Simplified Chinese 元宵节 or 上元节
Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin Yuánxiāo Jié or Shàngyuán Jié
Alternative Chinese name
Chinese 十五暝
Literal meaning fifteenth night
Transcriptions
Min
- Hokkien POJ Cha̍p-gō-mê
Vietnamese name
Quốc ngữ Tết Thượng Nguyên or Tết Nguyên Tiêu

The first month of the lunar calendar is called yuanmonth, and in ancient times people called night xiaoin Mandarin; therefore, the day is called Yuan Xiao（元宵） Festival in China and Taiwan/Formosa. The fifteenth day is the first night one can see a full moon in that lunar year. According to East Asian 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 for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve puzzles on lanterns, eat yuanxiao ('元宵'in Mandarin) (a glutinous rice ball, also known as tangyuan (simplified Chinese: 汤圆; traditional Chinese: 湯圓; pinyin: tāngyuán) and enjoy a family reunion.

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