What does it mean to hide from lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month? Why do we hide from lanterns and chase after lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month?

What does it mean to hide from lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month? There are many customs on the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, such as eating glutinous rice balls, lion dancing and welcoming dragon lanterns. But in some places there is a custom that many people don’t know about, which is hiding from lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month for the first three years of marriage. In fact, such customs are rare, but we can still learn about them.

What does it mean to hide the lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month?

"Hiding from lanterns" was originally a Manchu custom, which means avoiding looking at the lanterns in one's mother's home. Initially, a daughter-in-law was not allowed to live in her parents' home, but could live in her husband's home. Later, it evolved into that she could not look at the lights of her parents' home, nor could she look at the lights of her husband's home, and had to hide in her relatives' home. Later, this custom spread to the Han nationality. Nowadays, this custom has evolved into young couples moving out of their homes and living outside, which is also a way that young people prefer. Chinese folk customs all have a sense of consciousness and contain human’s understanding of nature and culture.

Why do people hide and chase after lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month?

In Heilongjiang area, there is a custom that a new bride has to "hide from the lights" for the first three years. On the fifteenth night of the first lunar month within three years after marriage, the new bride must go to live with her aunt or uncle's house. She is not allowed to look at the lights at her husband's house or her own house. It is said that if you look at the lights at your husband's house, your father will die; and if you look at the lights at your wife's house, your father-in-law will die. There is also a custom of "hiding from lights" in Henan area. There are folk sayings such as "If a girl sees the lanterns at her parents' home, her family will be so poor that they have to work hard to make ends meet" and "If you don't avoid the lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, your father-in-law will die first". These sayings explain the reasons for the taboo of avoiding lanterns. Obviously, these are nonsense. The new bride must return to her parents' home or to her neighbor's house on that day, commonly known as "hiding from the lights." Hiding from lanterns is one of the customs of the Lantern Festival. In the first year after a new bride gets married, her parents’ home will hold a grand lantern-sending event for her family, commonly known as “chasing lanterns”. The scale of the lantern chasing and the quality of the lanterns depend on the wealth of the people. Rich families would give a pair of glass palace lanterns as gifts. Some had nanmu frames with polished cement, some were inlaid with pearls, jade and gemstones, and some were just ordinary. In addition to the pair of main lanterns, a small lantern is also added, commonly known as the "guiding lantern", which means to guide the newly married daughter-in-law to give birth to a son soon; after the husband's family receives the chasing lanterns, the bride will go to her parents' home with her family to "hide from the lantern" (usually go on the 14th day of the first lunar month and return on the 16th day).

In the first year after a new bride gets married, her parents’ family will hold a grand lantern-sending event for her family, commonly known as “chasing lanterns”. The scale of the lantern chasing and the quality of the lanterns depend on the wealth of the people. Rich families would give a pair of glass palace lanterns as gifts. Some had wooden frames with polished cement, some were inlaid with pearls, jade and gemstones, and some were plain. In addition to the pair of main lanterns, a small lantern is also added, commonly known as the "guiding lantern", which means to guide the newlyweds to give birth to a son soon. After the husband’s family accepts the lantern chasing, the bride will go to her parents’ home with her family to “hide from the lanterns” (usually leaving on the 14th day of the first lunar month and returning on the 16th day). On the day of chasing lanterns, the man’s family will hold a big banquet to entertain the relatives. Usually two meals are eaten, and breakfast is "four dishes" (drinking wine and four dishes) and臊子面. The lunch menu is more exquisite. Common ones include "Eight Heavy Courses" (eight dishes for drinking and eight dishes for eating), "Twelve Courses" (four dishes for drinking and eight dishes for eating), "Twenty-Four Courses" (24 dishes for drinking and eating), and so on.

Can I hide from the lights on the 15th day of the first lunar month at home?

It is not allowed to hide back in your own home. You have to live with your aunt or uncle's house. You are not allowed to look at the lights at your husband's house or your own home. It is said that if you look at the lights at your husband's house, your father will die; and if you look at the lights at your wife's house, your father-in-law will die. But this is just a custom, don't be too superstitious. "Hiding from lanterns" was originally a Manchu custom, which means avoiding looking at the lanterns in one's mother's home. Initially, a daughter-in-law was not allowed to live in her parents' home, but could live in her husband's home. Later, it evolved into that she could not look at the lights of her parents' home, nor could she look at the lights of her husband's home, and had to hide in her relatives' home. Later, this custom spread to the Han nationality.