Lights are not only symbolic to fresh beginnings and positivity in life. They also represent various traditions in different cultures. While India enjoys the festival of lights called Diwali, Taiwan and China celebrate the lantern festival. But is the lantern festival just littering the lanterns? There is much more about this Chinese festival!
Let us understand the reason behind celebration and how to celebrate it in the coming section!
Table of Contents
What Is the Chinese Lantern Festival?
The festival of Lantern marks the end of the Chinese new year season in China and Taiwan. It is observed after 15 days of the first month in the lunisolar chinese calendar. It marks the end day of the Chinese traditional and cultural new year celebrations.People in China and Taiwan enjoy Lantern shows and folk dances on this occasion. Besides this, dumplings cooked with sweet rice and filling known as Tang Yuan are enjoyed with family and friends everywhere.
Why Is the Chinese Lantern Festival Celebrated?
The roots of Lantern Festival date back to the Han Dynasty during the 206 BCE to 220 CE. The Buddhist Monks in China used to light lanterns on the 15th day of the lunar year to celebrate Buddha. This practice was later spread to China and other parts of Asia.
Hence, the general population also started lighting lanterns. The tale of this Lantern Festival origin was further told to the Jade Emperor (You Di). He became angry at a town for distributing his goose. As a result, You Di planned to light fire and destroy the town.
The fairy thwarted his plan by advising people to light lanterns everywhere on the selected day of destruction. You Di assumed that the town was already swamped in flames and didn't lit up the town. Thus, the Lantern fest is celebrated in town to remember and honor this gratitude event.
When to Celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival in 2026?
Lantern Festival 2026 will be celebrated on March 03 as per the lunar year calendar. It will be the night of the first full moon of the new year. Although the lantern festival of China is celebrated across China, some cities are famous for the grand celebration.
Some of these include: Zigong, Sichuan Province Nanjing, Jiangsu Province ShanghaiXi’an, Shaanxi Province You can plan your trip to China during February- March 2026 if you want to experience this Lantern festival.
How to Celebrate the Chinese Lantern Festival 2026?
The festival of lights in China is an occasion of unity and enjoyment among diverse communities. They come together to celebrate this festival in following ways:
- Create Lanterns with Family: Create and hang red decorative lanterns on the doors of your home as it represents good fortune. Hanging lanterns often symbolise the let go of the old self to start the new year afresh.
- Write Riddles and Host Prize: While creating the lanterns, inscribe the riddles and ask people to solve them. You can also host a small prize for a correct answer.
- Prepare Special Food: Lantern festival in China is also famous for special dishes called tangyuan and yuanxio. These are the small circle-shaped glutinous rice balls with sweet fillings. Their round shape depicts family togetherness and harmony.
- Enjoy Events and Performances: One can also enjoy various events and performances like lion and dragon dance or stilt walking during the Chinese Lantern festival.
Is the Lantern Festival Celebrated in Other Countries?
Besides China, Lantern festival is also celebrated in many other countries given below:
Japanese Lantern Festival
People often celebrate the Japanese Lantern festival during the summer and winter. It again originates from the Festival of Buddhist and Shinto traditions. Here are a lantern festivals of Japan:
- Obon Floating Lanterns: Japanese release floating lanterns into rivers during the Buddhist Obon festival in August. It symbolises the return of ancestors back to the spirit world.
- Nagasaki Lantern Festival: This festival of lights is inspired by Nagasaki's large Chinese community. Thousands of people come together to install lanterns and mark the beginning of Chinese new year.
- Miyama Snow Lantern Festival: It is celebrated in Kyoto during the winter season. It features snow lanterns and traditional folk houses covered in snow.
Korea Lantern Festival
It is one of the ancient traditions that originates from the Buddhist era. It is popular as the Lotus Lantern Festival that celebrates the birthday of Lord Buddha. He was famous for his wisdom and enlightenment.
Thus, lighting lanterns symbolizes the paths of Lord Buddha. Koreans create handmade lanterns of various designs like dragon, flowers, and more to feature in the major parade.
Thailand Lantern Festival
The Yi Peng lantern festival in Thailand also originates from the Buddhist festival of lights held in Chiang Mai. People come together to make paper lanterns known as Khom loi and release them into the night sky. This act usually means releasing a person’s worries and wishes in heaven for good fortune.
The Summary
When talking about the festival of lights, we often think about Diwali celebrated in India between October or November of every year. There are many other countries in which enlightenment is tradition. Chinese Lantern Festival is one of the popular festivals that marks the beginning of the new year in the lunar year calendar. Many other countries like Korea, Thailand, and Japan also celebrate lantern festivals in unique ways.
Have you experienced the lantern festival? Let us know in the comments!
