Every household hangs lanterns and the aroma of glutinous rice balls is the Lantern Festival.
The fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival. The Lantern Festival is the oldest night festival in China. According to legend, the Western Han Dynasty pacified Zhulu, and Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty established the festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month and designated it as the Lantern Festival. The whole country is decorated with lanterns and streamers to celebrate the festival. The royal family and ladies in the palace can also go to the streets to watch the lanterns and play.
On the Lantern Festival, every household makes homemade Yuanxiao balls (now some specialized households sell them exclusively). Yuanxiao Yuan, known as Fu Yuanzi in ancient times, is an elegant and popular folk snack that is delicious, sweet but not greasy, and is popular among the population. The stars are shining in the dark clouds, and the beads are floating in the turbid water. The light and round meat is better than chicken head meat, while the greasy meat is better for crab eye soup. Ancient poets described the Yuanxiao Yuan in this way. No wonder this object has been popular for thousands of years.
Related introduction
The literary and artistic street parade can be called a folk cultural makeup parade. Decorated with stories, decorated with jewels, bells and drums noisy, the country is in a state of madness. (Book of Fujian by Qiao Yuan in the Ming Dynasty). Makeup is commonly known as makeup person and makeup pavilion in Quanzhou. Various costumed characters in the play include stilts, centipede pavilion (lifting pavilion), horse riding team, and floats. The parade is accompanied by various bands, such as Nanyin, Shiyin, Chegu, Longchui, and Western bands.
It is accompanied by various dances rich in southern Fujian style, such as kicking ball dance, chest clapping dance, fire tripod male and fire tripod woman, sword dance, fan dance, lion dance, dragon dance, etc. Tourists watched along the streets, and the streets of Licheng were deserted.
The Lantern Festival attracts overseas tourists to visit relatives in Quanzhou. Relevant parties use the festival to hold various activities, such as Nanyin Festival, Shaolin Puppet Festival, Shaolin Martial Arts Festival, product fairs, get-together meetings, business talks, etc. , which promoted the development of Quanzhou’s economy, trade and culture. The Lantern Festival is the pinnacle of Spring Festival celebrations.