Lantern Festival

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Lantern Festival

Applicant: Ledu County, Qinghai Province

Item No.: 978

Project No.: Ⅹ - 71

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: folk customs

Region:

Type: new item

Applicant: Ledu County, Qinghai Province

Protected by: cultural center of Ledu District, Haidong City

Brief introduction of Lantern Festival

Applicant: Ledu County, Qinghai Province

Lantern Festival, also known as "Shangyuan Festival", "Yuanxi Festival" and "Lantern Festival", is a traditional Chinese festival, which is popular all over the country. In China, the first month of the lunar calendar is Yuanyue, which is called "Xiao" in ancient times. Therefore, the 15th day of the first full moon in a year is called "Yuanxiao Festival".

Since the Han Dynasty, China has been lighting lanterns on the Lantern Festival, which has gradually developed into a custom. In the Tang Dynasty, this custom became more popular. The sentence "fire trees and silver flowers, star bridges and iron locks open" describes the grand occasion of the Lantern Festival in Chang'an. In the Ming Dynasty, the Lantern Festival has become an important part of people's life, and it will enjoy lanterns continuously for 10 days. In the Qing Dynasty, the Lantern Festival is a folk festival enjoyed by all the people, Fireworks and firecrackers will be set off during the lantern watching activities.

There are also some traditional activities in the Lantern Festival: one is "guessing lantern riddles", also known as "playing lantern riddles", which first appeared in the Song Dynasty. The riddles are to be guessed and the winner will be awarded; the other is to eat yuanxiao, which was originally known as "fuyuanzi", also known as "tangtuan" or "Tangyuan", a spherical food made of glutinous rice flour. It is filled with stuffing and eaten after being cooked in water, Eating Lantern Festival symbolizes the family reunion, harmony and happiness. The Lantern Festival in some places also has the custom of "walking through all kinds of diseases", also known as "baking all kinds of diseases" and "dispersing all kinds of diseases". People walk together on the Lantern Festival, or cross the bridge with each other, or go to the suburbs, symbolizing the elimination of diseases and disasters, peace and prosperity. Since modern times, traditional performances such as playing dragon lantern, playing lion, walking on stilts, rowing dry boat, twisting Yangko, playing Taiping drum and so on have been added to the Lantern Festival activities, which makes the Lantern Festival have a new development in the inheritance.

The Lantern Festival, which has a history of more than 2000 years, is not only popular on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, but also highly valued in overseas Chinese communities. In addition to the Han nationality, Manchu, Korean, Hezhe, Mongolian, Daur, Ewenki, Oroqen, Hui, Xibo, Tibetan, Bai, Naxi, Miao, Yao, she, Zhuang, Buyi, Li, Gelao and other ethnic minorities also celebrate the Lantern Festival, with their own characteristics.

Qilidian Jiuqu Yellow River lantern custom is popular in majiatai, Qilidian, Lijia and shuimowan administrative villages in Ganggou Town, Ledu County, Qinghai Province. Qilidian has a Sanguan temple built in 1608, the 36th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. According to Xining Fu Zhi, this Sanguan temple was named blessing temple. After the establishment of the temple, the Yellow River lantern festival began to be held as an important part of the temple fair. During the Lantern Festival, the stage was set up to sing opera. The full name of the Yellow River Lantern Festival is "Jiuqu Yellow River lantern array". Its layout is derived from the eight diagrams. According to the array of "Taiji produces Liangyi, Liangyi produces Sixiang, Sixiang produces Bagua, and Bagua forms Jiugong", the main city, Chenghao, Hutong, inner city, Yimen, etc. are designed. There are 16 high poles in the lamp city, one high lamp is hung on each pole, and a flag of different colors is hung in different directions.

Qilidian Yellow River Lantern Festival is held twice every three years, commonly known as "two ends in three years". The lighting session lasts for three days, starting from the 14th day of the first lunar month and ending at the 16th day of the first lunar month. It lights up at seven every night and ends at about 11 o'clock. At that time, the whole Yellow River lantern city will be brilliant and dazzling, just like a sea of lights. In Qilidian area, all kinds of high lights and door lights were hung at the same time. The light and the lamp city set off against each other and merged into one, shining for several miles. At every Lantern Festival, people from all walks of life, dressed in festive costumes, rush to the venue to bless the visitors. The average number of people watching the lantern every day is more than 10000.