CEBU, Philippines - The Chinese New Year Festivities end with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day on the full moon of the 1st lunar month. For 2013, the Lantern Festival fell on February 24, Sunday.
According to Chinese tradition, at the beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to admire. At this time, people will try to solve the puzzles on the lanterns and eat yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls) and get all their families united in a joyful celebration.
There are many legends concerning these practices and traditions. Until the Sui Dynasty in the sixth century, Emperor Yangdi invited envoys from other countries to China to see the colorful lighted lanterns and enjoy the gala performances.
By the beginning of the Tang Dynasty in the seventh century, the lantern displays would last three days.
In the Song Dynasty, the festival lasted for five days and activities began to spread to many big cities in China.
The grandest Lantern Festival celebration took place in early part of the 15th century. The festivities lasted for ten days. Emperor Chengzu had the downtown area set aside as a center for displaying the lanterns.
Of the many legends about the origin of the Lantern Festival. Below are two narrated in www.chinesefortune calendar.com/ LanternFestival.htm
There was a beautiful bird that flew down to the earth from heaven. It was hunted down and killed by the village people. The Jade Emperor in Heaven was furious, because the bird was his favorite. He ordered the destruction of the village and all the people died because of a storm of fire on the 15th lunar day.
The daughter of the Jade Emperor heard of this act of vengeance, and warned the villagers to prepare themselves for that calamity. Everybody was worried. But no one had any idea on how to face the coming disaster..
Luckily, a wise man passed by the village and made the suggestion that every house should hang red lanterns around the house, setup campfire on the street, explode the bamboo firecracker, light fireworks on the 14th, 15th and 16th lunar days. In this way, the Jade Emperor would think that all the village people had died in the fire. And the villagers could save their lives and properties.
On the night of the 15th lunar day, the troop coming down from the heaven looked at the village saw that it was ablaze. So they returned to heaven to report what they saw to the Jade Emperor.
Satisfied with the result, the Jade Emperor decided not to further burn down the village. From that day on, people celebrated the anniversary on the 15th lunar day every year by carrying red lanterns on the streets and explode firecracker and light fireworks.
Another legend relates that during the Han Dynasty, Mr. Eastern was a favorite adviser of the emperor. One winter day, he went to the garden and heard a little girl crying. She was ready to jump into the well to commit suicide. Mr. Eastern stopped her and asked why she wanted to kill herself.
She was a maid in the emperor’s palace and her name was Yuan-Xiao. She never had the chance to meet her family after she started work at the palace. She missed them so much every 12th lunar month. And since she couldn’t have the chance to show her filial piety in this life, she would like to die. Mr. Eastern promised her to find a way for her to have a family reunion.
Mr. Eastern left the palace and put a table on the street and disguised himself as a fortuneteller. Since he had a good reputation, many people asked him to tell their fortune. But every one had the same prediction – a severe fire accident on the 15th lunar day. The rumor spread quickly. Everyone was worried about the future and asked Mr. Eastern for help.
Mr. Eastern said, “On the 13th lunar day, the God of Fire will send a fairy lady in red to burn down the city. If you see a lady in red with green pants on a black horse, on that day, You should ask for her mercy.†Yuan-Xiao acted as the red fairy lady.
When people asked for her help, she said, “Yes. I’m the messenger of the God of Fire to check on the city and I’m going to set in on fire on the 15th. This is an order from the Jade Emperor. He will watch from heaven. I give you a copy of imperial decree from the God of Fire. You should go to ask your emperor to find a way out.†After she left, people went to the palace to show the emperor the decree.
The emperor of the Han Dynasty was greatly shaken. He called and asked Mr. Eastern for advice. After pondering a bit, Mr. Eastern said, “I heard the God of Fire likes to taste Tang-Yuan. Does Yuan-Xiao often cook Tang-Yuan for you? On the 15th lunar day, let Yuan-Xiao make Tang-Yuan. Your Majesty takes charge of the worship ceremony and gives order to every house to prepare Tan-Yuan to worship the God of
Fire at the same time. Also, order every house in the city to hang red lantern and explode fire crackers. Plus, inform that everyone in the palace and people outside the city to carry their lanterns on the street to watch the lantern decoration and fireworks. In this way, the Jade Emperor would be deceived in heaven. Then everyone can be out of the burning decree from heaven.†The emperor happily followed the plan.
Lanterns were everywhere in the capital city on the night of the 15th lunar day. People were all moving in the streets. Fire crackers kept making noise. It looked like the entire city was on fire. Yuan-Xiao’s parents went into the palace to watch the lantern decoration. Yuan-Xiao made a big lantern and wrote down her name outside the lantern. They were happily reunited after her parents called her name. Everybody was safe during the night.
The emperor of the Han Dynasty then had a new order that people should do the same thing every year. Because Yuan-Xiao cooked the best Tan-Yuan, people called the day as Yuan-Xiao festival. (FREEMAN)