Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Chinese Traditional Lantern Festival


As all of us know, the Spring Festival is the most important festival in China, which usually last for 15 days. The Lantern Festival, falling on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, marks the end of the celebrations of the Chinese Spring Festival. You may know how to celebrate valentine's Day, Christmas Day, Thanks Giving Day, etc. But you may not know how to spend this Chinese traditional festival. I will make a brief introduction about it, and if you are interested in Chinese culture, please go through the following content.
According to Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day is the first night to see a full moon in that lunar year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky. Celebrations feature fireworks and folk dancing. Highlights include traditional public performances such as the dragon parade and the lion dance.
The Chinese families reunite and eat rice glue balls on this day. It is a kind of round, sweet, stuffed dumpling made with sticky rice flour that symbolizes family unity, completeness and happiness.
People hang thousands of colorful lanterns along the street to appreciate. It is said that people write auspicious phrases on the lanterns to ward off evil spirits and attract good ones; some will decorate their lantern with a riddle and award a prize to the first person who solves it. The light given off by the lanterns is said to attract heavenly spirits and allow celebrants the chance to see them.
Play fireworks, solve riddles, watch lanterns...all are so interesting and exciting, right? To learn more Chinese cultures, why not learn Chinese online with MasterChinese now?

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