Why do we play with lanterns during the Lantern Festival? The meaning of playing with lanterns tells you why

Playing with lanterns is a festival custom of the Lantern Festival. So, why do we play with lanterns during the Lantern Festival? What is the significance of the Lantern Festival? Let’s find out together.

Why do we have lanterns during the Lantern Festival?

origin

The custom of playing with lanterns began in the Western Han Dynasty and flourished in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. After the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the custom of lighting lanterns became popular and was passed down to later generations. The Nirvana Sutra says that after the Buddha died, he was cremated and his relics were placed in an exquisite jar and placed on a golden bed. Buddhist disciples scattered flowers and played music, and lit a lamp every time they walked around the city to express their condolences to the Buddha. Therefore, the emergence of the custom of lantern lighting is mainly related to the spread of Buddhism.

significance

It is recorded in "Taiping Yulan" that "On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Han family worships Taiyi from dusk to dawn." On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month every year, lights must be kept on all night. Cities and towns are brightly lit, and both the nobility and the common people hang lanterns. Therefore, the original meaning of the Lantern Festival was to worship Taiyi God, the most honorable god among the gods. With the changes of the times, we have inherited the traditional festival of Lantern Festival, but it is more because of the festive atmosphere of the lantern festival and the fact that lanterns symbolize brightness that it has been passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year is the climax of the lantern and fireworks display. On the night of the Lantern Festival, all kinds of red lanterns are hung in the streets and alleys, attracting people to come and see the lanterns.

legend

Legend has it that a long time ago, a divine bird was accidentally shot to death by an unsuspecting hunter because it got lost. The Emperor of Heaven was furious and ordered his heavenly soldiers to set fire to the human world on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month and burn all the people, animals and property. At that time, an old man came up with an idea: "On the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of the first lunar month, every household should hang red lanterns in front of the door and set off firecrackers and fireworks. The Emperor of Heaven will think that people have been burned to death." Everyone nodded in agreement and started to prepare separately. On the night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the heavenly soldiers looked down at the mortal world and found it full of fire. Thinking it was the flames of a big fire, they reported to the Emperor of Heaven that there was no need to go down to earth to set the fire. After hearing this, the Emperor of Heaven was very happy. In this way, people saved their lives and property. From then on, on the 14th, 15th and 16th day of the first lunar month every year, every household would hang up lanterns, light fireworks and set off firecrackers to commemorate this day.