Chinese Traditional Festival Series: Our Lantern Festival

Author: Peng Guoliang (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: The Water Splashing Festival is celebrated in the southwestern minority regions of China and is quite famous. The festival is named after water splashing, indicating that the local area has abundant water resources. The Taklamakan Desert in northwestern China certainly does not have a Water Splashing Festival. Deserts lack water. The origins of various festivals are often related to geographical environments. The renowned Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, if moved to the Nansha Islands, would likely be difficult to hold. Different regions cultivate different customs, as seen in the variations like "sweet in the south, salty in the north, spicy in the east, and sour in the west." However, diversity is the mainstream, while minor differences define the characteristics, such as the Lantern Festival and Yuanxiao. Chinese festivals often feature "eating" as an external characteristic, and the Lantern Festival is no exception. People focus on eating Yuanxiao, making it a sweet and sticky festival, complete with a bowl of hot soup that delights both young and old. The main activity of the Lantern Festival is eating Yuanxiao. Of course, it also includes outdoor activities like admiring lanterns, solving riddles, and setting off firecrackers.