Lantern Festival in China | Origin, Traditions & Significance | Study ...

Lantern Festival in China | Origin, Traditions & Significance
Anne has experience in science research and creative writing. She has a graduate degree in nutritional microbiology and undergraduate degrees in microbiology and English (myth & folklore). She has also worked as an ocean and Earth science educator.
Learn about the Chinese Lantern Festival, including its origin, traditions, and beliefs. Explore where and when the Lantern Festival is celebrated in China.
Updated: 01/12/2023
The Shangyuan Festival (Shangyuan Jie), also known as the Chinese Lantern Festival, is a Chinese New Year celebration of the Lunar New Year. The Chinese Lantern Festival is significant because it marks the final day of the Lunar New Year and the beginning of spring. During the Lantern Festival, community celebrations are held for people to gather together to light paper lanterns, eat traditional foods, and observe festivities such as lion dances and dragon dances.
Chinese New Year is an ancient celebratory event, existing as far back as 4,000 years ago. The Chinese Lantern Festival became a part of the New Year celebration sometime between 206 BCE and 220 CE, during the Han dynasty. The festival has since become widely celebrated throughout China and other parts of the world.
The Chinese New Year does not follow the Gregorian calendar, where New Year's Day falls on January 1. It instead follows the Xia calendar, also known as the lunar calendar, where the New Year falls on the first new moon, which typically occurs between January 21 and February 20. The New Year ends with China's traditional Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the first month of the lunar calendar, which is the 15th day after the new moon. The date of the Chinese Lantern Festival changes each year but typically occurs sometime in February. For example, the date of the Chinese Lantern Festival was February 26 in 2021, February 15 in 2022, and February 5 in 2023.
The first full moon of the year typically occurs in February and marks the date of the Chinese Lunar Festival.
The Lantern Festival in China is widely celebrated throughout the country and has spread in various iterations around the world. India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Okinawa, Vietnam, and numerous other countries celebrate the New Year or other significant events with lantern festivals. Several states in the United States also hold yearly festivals. For instance, Las Vegas, Nevada celebrates the fall with the RiSE Lantern Festival, which occurs in October.
Lantern Festivals hold cultural and spiritual significance to many cultures around the world. Lighted paper lanterns are also used to celebrate events other than the New Year. For instance, in July, Japan and Okinawa use floating lanterns to celebrate the Bon Festival, also known as Obon (Japanese) or Kyu-Bon (Okinawan). The Bon Festival is held in memory of deceased ancestors, and the lanterns serve as guides to help spirits return home. India also has a Lantern Festival called Diwali, an important religious celebration held in October and November, lasting for five days.
Lighted paper lanterns hold cultural and spiritual significance to many cultures around the world. In China, the Shangyuan Festival or Chinese Lantern Festival is an important event of the Lunar New Year and typically occurs in February. The exact date of the Chinese Lantern Festival varies each year, but it always takes place 15 days after the first new moon of the New Year, the final day of the Lunar New Year. Lanterns come in different colors, like red, yellow, or green, and may be painted with Chinese characters, landscapes, or animals. Lanterns may be round or shaped like animals. Lanterns may also be designed to hang, float, or fly. Some materials used to make paper lanterns include silk, paper, bamboo, wood, metal, and wheat straw.
Where is the Lantern Festival held in China?
The Lantern Festival is a widespread lunar celebration that is held throughout China. There is no one particular city or location in China to which its celebrations are confined.
What do Chinese floating lanterns symbolize?
Lanterns may symbolize good luck, health, prosperity, or fortune. Floating lanterns may symbolize mourning and serve as a guide for ancestral spirits.
What is the origin of the Chinese Lantern Festival?
The Chinese Lantern Festival originated during the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). Several legends describe the origin of the festival. In one legend, the lighted lanterns and fireworks were used to trick the Jade Emperor into thinking the town he wanted to destroy was on fire. In another legend, the lanterns were used to appease the deity TaiYi so the people would receive good fortune.
What is the Lantern Festival in China?
The Lantern Festival is a celebratory festival that involves lighted paper lanterns and traditional festivities and food to celebrate the end of the Lunar New Year. It occurs 15 days after the first new moon of the year, which typically occurs sometime in February.